Is capitalism failing?

[d000hg]

What's this no-benders program? Is it like a homophobic answer to Queer as Folk?

[sasguru]

You start a potentially interesting thread but then manage to derail it yourself with delusional boasting and name calling within the space of three replies.

Congrats.

I think I've addressed the name-calling (which in fact the OP admitted himself).
What part of my reply do you think was "delusional boasting"?

[DimPrawn]

Only if they deserve it. What part of my "copying and pasting other people arguments" argument are you taking issue with?

sas mate, take a holiday. Have some time off.

You are like an angry little man trapped in a dull little ecoshed at the end of a tiny little garden.

[sasguru]

sas mate, take a holiday. Have some time off.

You are like an angry little man trapped in a dull little ecoshed at the end of a tiny little garden.

None of the 3 uses of "little" or the angry part applies, much as you would wish it so.
HTH

[Mich the Tester]

Perhaps Marx was right and capitalism carries the roots of its own destruction.
I believed in the theory of capitalism: no monopolies and hence competition, shareholders holding management to account, meritocracy.
But what we have now are monopolistic companies or cartels (like the banks) colluding to shaft the consumer, senior management remuneration that is based on greed and bears no relationship to performance and shareholders who cannot or will not challenge this and in this country at least, an elite that look after each others interests in a completely non-meritocratic way.

Hmmm, worthwhile and interesting question. I think any creative force can manifest itself as a destructive force and it's sometimes difficult to distinguish the two.

As for your examples and your statement that we should give more crumbs to the hoi polloi, I can see some parallels with pre revolution Russia right now. Not only in the huge, growing divide between the super rich and the poor, but the huge divide in opportunity between the 'west' and the turd world. I think it's a dangerous situation that will someday explode in the faces of those of us who are percieved, rightly or wrongly, to be rich.

[russell]

Capitalism has been very successful for the western world. Compare the lifestyle we all have now compared to some developing/communist countries. Freedoms that Ai Weiwei is denied we all take for granted. Is is perfect? No, but ill take it any day over other ideologies that may sound good in a text book but applied are a disaster.

[sasguru]

Hmmm, worthwhile and interesting question. I think any creative force can manifest itself as a destructive force and it's sometimes difficult to distinguish the two.

As for your examples and your statement that we should give more crumbs to the hoi polloi, I can see some parallels with pre revolution Russia right now. Not only in the huge, growing divide between the super rich and the poor, but the huge divide in opportunity between the 'west' and the turd world. I think it's a dangerous situation that will someday explode in the faces of those of us who are percieved, rightly or wrongly, to be rich.

Indeed the West is rioting over the lack of opportunity even now. Meanwhile in turd world countries like India, the opportunity for the skilled/educated is limitless.
Although I don't suppose that's how you perceived it.

[sasguru]

Capitalism has been very successful for the western world. Compare the lifestyle we all have now compared to some developing/communist countries. Freedoms that Ai Weiwei is denied we all take for granted. Is is perfect? No, but ill take it any day over other ideologies that may sound good in a text book but applied are a disaster.

Indeed. It has been successful when it unleashed forces of creativity.
But its latter stages it seems to be unleashing forces of greed, comformity and complacence.

[BlasterBates]

The answer is to smother the place in windmills, and ration electricity, that'll sort the rabble out.

[Mich the Tester]

Indeed the West is rioting over the lack of opportunity even now. Meanwhile in turd world countries like India, the opportunity for the skilled/educated is limitless.
Although I don't suppose that's how you perceived it.

Erm, no. If you've grown up in a western country, you've probably had access to state funded education, clean water, plenty to eat, healthcare and decent housing; those are the basics that form 'opportunity', and if you want to, you can achieve a hell of a lot from that basis. Lots of people in the third world don't have those basics.