Enjoy Capitalism

spiral out wrote:

Reading up on the IMF and world bank would give people an idea of what the so called free market has to do with poor countries.

the free market is hardly free, cause someone always pays and it's usually those who can least afford it.

Abookamongstthemany wrote:

But that's just the thing...people are buying up everything because it's for sale. There's no protection under the capitalist system for those that have less buying power. These are the results we have been getting through free market capitalist system. People buy up everything that's for sale no matter what the consequences are. Both systems look good and paper...they are theories but it's the effects of how unequally the wealth is being distributed throughout the world that's causing the problem. We have the most power because we have the most money...those who don't have the money go without because it's bought out from under them at prices they couldn't afford to begin with. We're measuring people's worth in money.

I'll gladly agree with all you said (and even say that the socialist system looks better on paper) but let's face it, we're not exactly relugating/getting rid of the free market. What we (as little fat kids) can do is stop consuming like we were the only living things on earth and teach that to our own (less) little fat kids.
There's a film called "we feed the world" which show how appalling our attitude is towards food. It's ridiculous. When producers start throwing around unused food like simple garbage it's because our methods of consumption allow this. And when we stop monopolizing the world's ressources maybe wealth will even out. But this won't happen until we change our view of life : it isn't one giant supermarket.

http://www.amazon.com/End-Poverty-Economic-Possibilities-Time/dp/1594200459

surferdude wrote:

It's not an assessment at all. Capitalism is an economic system. An economic system has next to nothing to do with how the government or individuals treat the less fortunate. My company's behavior in trying to be the best in their market only has a positive impact on any charitable donations I make as the bigger my bonus the more charity gets.

Compassion and empathy are not tied to economic systems. Is this picture so different when done for a socialist country, is the starving child any less mal-nourished? How about when done from a communist country, is the starving child any less mal-nourished? Were they less malnourished before white people came to America? If I go to Cuba do they magically feed all the starving kids in Africa?

I disagree. It's my recent belief that an economic system does in fact have something to do with how the government or individuals treat the less fortunate. Well, you shouldn't have included the word government in there at all because I think it's obvious that economic systems have quite an affect on how the government treats everyone.

Beyond that, my theory is this: Capitalism uses money to motivate people. A very high percentage of people motivated by money let that motivation get out of control. Often to the point where they'll sacrifice basic human morals to get their greedy little hands on more money. All they want is more and more.

While poverty did exist before the founding of this country, I think those that are motivated solely by money have made the gap between rich and poor run as deep as the Grand Canyon. I attribute this to Capitalism.

surferdude wrote:

I think it's a highly unfair photo that does not reflect reality in any way. A better picture would be a photo of Bill and Melinda Gates pouring BILLIONS of dollars into Africa to help the child. The caption could be "Capitalism Cares" or "This life being saved thanks to capitalism".

Bill and Melinda Gates are exceptions. Huge exceptions. And god bless them for what they do to help others. But Capitalism is about greed. When money is the key motivator it leads to gross irresponsibilty.

jlew24asu wrote:

how does this image have anything to do with capitalism?

It doesn't. I could photoshop a fat Soviet in a bread line juxtaposed with an emaciated, anorexic American. It would be as irrelevant as this picture, but I'm sure some would see a powerful message in it.

Hippimom had it right in her post toward the beginning of the thread.

don't gimme no wrote:

Bill and Melinda Gates are exceptions. Huge exceptions. And god bless them for what they do to help others. But Capitalism is about greed. When money is the key motivator it leads to gross irresponsibilty.

Sorry but capitalism is not about greed. It is about the most efficient use of all resources. It adapts to whatever rules and regulations governments make for them to play by. Every cent of profit ends up in peoples hands. What people decide to do with the money they've earned has absolutely nothing to do with capitalism. If it did then we wouldn't see some of the greatest capitalists of our times (Gates, Buffet) pouring BILLIONS upon BILLION into charities.

don't gimme no wrote:

Oh, I see. So ruining our planet by burning all the oil we can find is now considered "the most efficient use of all resources"?

Let me rephrase what I originally posted then. Capitalism enables gross responsibilty. Money is absolutely the key motivator behind Capitalism. Can you argue with that? When money is the key motivator it will certainly lead to greed.

Money is the only motivator behind going to work everyday. It most certainly does not lead to greed. But maybe you're only speaking for yourself and those you know. I show you examples of great capitlalsts not driven by greed and you think they are exceptions. I think you may need a better class of friends so that good behavior isn't seen as the exception but rather as the norm.