AlpsStranger
Jump jump on the tiger!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2009
- Messages
- 5,820
I consider myself a reluctant capitalist. I don't believe any other system is a great idea; I think there is too much chance for abuse, for squabbling, centralization of power. However, I won't deny that capitalism is no perfect system either.
I'm forced to admit, though, as I see the more outlandish and strident and oafish defenses of capitalism, it seems like it's desperately ill.
It's hard to put my finger on why; I'm sure some of you on here could explain it in more concrete terms. I feel like its defenders are desperate and running on bluster and inertia. I feel like one day, relatively soon and relatively quickly, it will more or less die in the night and we'll notice it passing only after the fact.
It won't be a big blunt revolution, but it'll be years and years from now when we have the over-over-reaction to Trump and we end up with single payer and a really high minimum wage. Sure, we'll still have private companies and jobs and such, but larger and larger parts of our economic life will be tightly managed and regulated and "smoothed out" and sheltered from the free market.
Right now, right after Trump and Brexit, I'm sure I sound crazy. But I'm thinking in larger, longer blocks of time.
I'm willing to reluctantly admit it's probably for the best. I don't think it's going to really work much longer. Too much inequality, too much fear, too much decline. You can only play people off against minorities and "welfare queens" for so long before even the dumbest of them realize what's going on.
I'm forced to admit, though, as I see the more outlandish and strident and oafish defenses of capitalism, it seems like it's desperately ill.
It's hard to put my finger on why; I'm sure some of you on here could explain it in more concrete terms. I feel like its defenders are desperate and running on bluster and inertia. I feel like one day, relatively soon and relatively quickly, it will more or less die in the night and we'll notice it passing only after the fact.
It won't be a big blunt revolution, but it'll be years and years from now when we have the over-over-reaction to Trump and we end up with single payer and a really high minimum wage. Sure, we'll still have private companies and jobs and such, but larger and larger parts of our economic life will be tightly managed and regulated and "smoothed out" and sheltered from the free market.
Right now, right after Trump and Brexit, I'm sure I sound crazy. But I'm thinking in larger, longer blocks of time.
I'm willing to reluctantly admit it's probably for the best. I don't think it's going to really work much longer. Too much inequality, too much fear, too much decline. You can only play people off against minorities and "welfare queens" for so long before even the dumbest of them realize what's going on.