Conversation

Replying to
I didn't? The mythos of capitalism, that they sell you on every level of discourse, is that it makes the most productive, efficient & prosperous society. The reality, as I already stated, is that it's about the bottom line only. We'll happily hamstring ourselves to increase it.
1
Replying to
I don’t hear that mythos being pushed where I am at least. Naked capitalism is very bad at capturing externalities. Hybrid forms can be much better. And far from obvious that there is a better workable system - the right variant of capitalism is the question IMO.
1
Replying to
Sure. I am from a hypercapitalistic country that everyone seems to think is at least part socialist. All it is is a different distribution of spoils. Fewer billionaires, fewer poor & homeless... Yeah, it's a pretty specifically neoliberal fiction I think. Chicago magick.
1
Replying to
The specific fiction that deregulated (or really, WTO-regulated) markets represent the peak in efficient solutions (and economic activity). Social democracy is pretty different, but it's a postcolonial system. Norway without oil profits is not Norway.
2
Replying to
Oh I see. Ayn Rand has a lot to answer for. But Norway isnt only soc dem in the world and most of the others are not propped up by oil etc. There is no utopia. No system without winners and losers. Soc dem capitalism is the best (least bad) we’ve found works it seems to me.
1
Replying to
I agree. The problem is we're still going to accelerate our own destruction with this approach. Soc dem countries are good places to live, but I'm more concerned about half the globe burning towards uninhabitability.
1
Big problems society can’t answer sensibly: How do we stop ruining our future for our present? Will we ever deem ourselves rich enough to sacrifice the pittance needed to eliminate poverty and hunger? And if yes why not now? Endless growth has another name: cancer.
1
1