Originally posted by Greadius
Bataan Death March & the Trail of Tears can add another walk to their ranks?
Originally posted by Fez_Monk
The problem I have with interest is when it approaches the point of usury. Interest that is not exorbitant is not something I would do away with (yet).
In fact, I think individual entreprenuership is good; I would like to see more of it.
Lets get 6,000 people to install it on their computers and test it for a month. Absurd, I know, but then who is going to make the judgement that it is absurd? A panal of old men and women who can remember using a slide rule?Originally posted by Sean Lindstrom
Congratulations, knowltok2, on your success in living by your true calling, Master Baker. You know you're very lucky among us to be working at something you do well because it's what you love. Now I want to make every American the hero of your story, and I won't accept a situation where only a few can live it at one time. Do you have any ideas on how to accomplish that?
Every American, or citizen of the world can't be the hero. Not under capitalism, and certainly not under any communal system larger than say 100 people. The reason is that not everyone will have the idea to put icing on a cinnamon roll. Nor will everyone work extra hard to make their vision a reality. Nor will everyone take the risk required to open their own muffin shop. They could, if they wanted to. Of those that do meet all of the above requirements, only some will suceed. Some rolls and muffins will taste better than others. Some people will not pick the best locations to put their carts and stores. Some will do alright by themselves, but when they try to expand they will not handle people well and will loose money through theft, laziness, poor customer service, etc.
Somewhere you get the notion that life should be ultimately fair, and no matter the inherent differences among people that will make one a better baker, another a better surgeon, and another not too damn good at anything; you want them all to recieve the same things in life. Life just doesn't work that way. We have a system that allows everyone the opportunity to improve themselves and pursue their happiness as best they can given their luck in the lottery of life. It is all about what you inherit, be it money, good parents, strong arms, a quick mind, an inability to comprehend fractions, etc., and how you use it. Just as luck plays a factor in what you get to start with, it also plays a factor in what happens along the way. A chance meeting, a missed bus, picking the right horse.
You just can't magically level the playing field and enforce equality of circumstances. To do so would be to rip the soul out of hundreds of millions of people who strugle each and every day to improve their lives and the lives of their children because they know that their efforts can make a difference.
I must say that it's horrible to pay someone a certain amount to do work one finds unsavoury if one wouldn't do it for that amount. Specialization and the fact we only have so much time makes doing everything ourselves impossible. I'm known as a "nice guy with tools", and get asked to do all sorts of things which others can't do (or, from conditioning: believe they can't do). Some of it, like having to snake out a sewer-line or lift a toilet, is I think what we agree to be unsavoury work. It's also very rewarding when you drop the belief that certain kinds of necessary work are inferior.
All work is good to do, if one can do it well and do it for people who need it. Why would I waste myself being idle? People aren't built to be idle. In fact, idleness is physically unhealthy. It only occurs when people are injured, actually exhasted, or have some psycholgical/social problem that makes them idle.
This is your opinion, and you are entitled to it. However not everyone shares your belief. You have a worldview of what is good for people, what they should find rewarding, and how they should be spending their time on earth. "Well, forgive me father for I have sinned. I have coveted the idle time, I have wanted to not work. How many Karl Marx's should I recite?"
Is capitalism related to the social problem that makes so many people long for idleness (leisure)?
Social problem? Says you! I say, work makes people long for idleness.
I think that altruism functions very nicely on a large scale now. The taxes I pay are for Canadians in general, including, and most especially for, the crack addict in the lane. BC is a "have" province, so we redistribute money to the "have not" provinces. The Canadian people fought to bring in a welfare system, and we pay into it. Why?
It works for everybody. The more taxes we pay, the better it works. The capitalists argue for lower taxation. I argue for more.
Do you send in extra?
)
Originally posted by CurtSibling
Hah! Davo!
Greadius has you there, my lad!
The idea of communism too easly becomes a lash in the hand of beastly dictators...
I my view...no major nation is about to become the new USSR.
The whole idea is surreal.
Sorry, Davo.
yeah, thats right
well firstly, I tell people about my beliefs etc to help people better understand what I am promoting.
Originally posted by knowltok2
And who are those programmers to tell me I don't have a right to pursue my dream of distributing my opperating system to all who will want it? (Assuming they don't find it brilliant
People avoiding you a great misery by being in debt if it's bad and people securing ur success without having to reimburse anyone if it's good.
Yes, patents cost money. Most legal work does, mainly because you need to protect yourself fro m the greedy rapacious nature of your fellow man who is more than happy to steal what was yours and live off the fruits of your labor. Have fun with him in communism.
Why do u have to pay to be protected?It should be a natural right.Do u have to pay your lawyer(some do to a have better protection)?The state should protect your patent without giving money itself.
True entrepreneurs are not held back by patent costs, they are encouraged by the patents. If you have a good idea, you can get it patented because someone else who also believes that you can succeed with your idea will lend you the money. Not a government agency handing out funds to whoever it feels like, but someone who is directly involved because it is their money. That assumption of risk comes at a price, and that is the credit system of which you refer.
What's the problem with govt agencies?In my system,there's NO risk.
As for the education system, there are people rising past that everyday. I firmly believe that it needs improved, but I doubt that communism would do it. Educational success is driven from the student's and the parent's desire for educational success. That is why throwing money at the problem has not solved it. That however is a topic for another thread.
Y wouldn't communism?My system would teach people to be involved.
The plain truth is that the world does not provide equal opportunity to everyone. It never has and it never will. Some people will be born into money, some will be born with better parents, some will be smarter, some stronger, etc.
One of the goals is equal opportunity so it's simply fatalism to say"na it's always been like that n will always be".
What capitalism does is allow everyone the opportunity to improve their situation or their children's through hard work, wise decisions, and possibly luck.
My grand-fathers were both dockers in Le Havre(Normandy) and believe me they worked hard.Yet they were still as poor as at the beginning.Y?Because the benefits were not re-distributed and they worked to survive.If women would be prevented from working,would you say"Hey they shouldn't complain;in Afghanistan they have to be veiled"
You are taking a basic freedom away from people if you mandate that their will be no improvement, and there is no way of getting ahead. If you dream of a world where no one wants to get ahead, well then....you are dreaming.
My system is all the contrary.Everyone would always get ahead and launch ideas for improvement.Y do only rich people have economic powers and politicians politic powers?In my system everyone has both.
So, communism is an active political force right now. Knowltok2 argues that we can't "magically level the playing field", and other capitalists here keep refering to some ridiculous communist revolution. This is silly. Stop it.
Good one, no. But I do, as a citizen, support increased taxation and increased spending on social programs. We've managed to raise taxes steadily, I'm proud to say. Drives the Americans nuts.
Not in my neck of the woods. Of course, people out here have their needs met without government support
Individuals who share your ideology have commited mass atrocities aimed at me and my ilk in even recent history.
Don't speak for people who didn't elect you
Doesn't it seem odd to you as the more wealth and prestige there is in politics, the more corrupt politics becomes. And, ironically, the more you rely on the government to participate in social engineering the more prestige and wealth you infuse them with.
In other words you support increased taxation on other people. Isn't it amazing how easy it is to spend other people's money?
