Controversial take re: capitalism (1/4)
I'm a firm believer in free markets. I believe that at the present development level, when it is still impossible to cover all reasonable material needs of the humankind without expending any human labor, this is the best way to make people better off.
HOWEVER, present-day capitalism (as well as dreams of some libertarians) is anything but free markets, and I'm not talking about government intervention there.
I do not believe it is beyond repair though!
Controversial take re: capitalism (2a/4)
Markets are not free now. For example, it is not a free exchange of labor for money, when one has to choose between selling their labor or dying.
There _should_ be an Universal Basic Income that would cover all basic human needs (shelter, food, health, etc).
It would also be much easier to administer than mish-mash of various safety net policies we have now, and not let people slip through the cracks.
It would also reduce inequality!
@IngaLovinde
> it is not a free exchange of labor for money, when one has to choose between selling their labor or dying.
That is a very simplistic way of seeing the word which actually has huge colourful spectrum of nuance to it. You have a vast spectrum of options between these two extremes, don't you? You can start your own business for instance. And I am not speaking about a mega-corp business, but a doing whatever you can (e.g., with your hands) can actually be (is, I know!) very satisfying. Or you can start an NGO (or whatever small-scale charity) and live off contributions.
You portray a very bleak world. Are you really such a pessimist?
@IngaLovinde As you wish.
Having said that, please let me apologise for whatever I wrote upset you. It certainly was not my intention.
You came here with an existential question: _does it make me a bad person?_ And my sole intention was to cheer you up and point out to you that world is not as black and white as I understood you portrayed it. I genuinely thought, we might have an interesting conversation in which I could learn something new. Apparently I was mistaken. Again, my apologies to you.
Have a good life there!
@FailForward "If they don't have bread, let them eat cake."
Please do not respond to my posts anymore.