capitalism, by definition, is a stupid and foolish human system
POSTED BY: 1kiki
UPDATED: Monday, January 13, 2025 18:50
VIEWED: 28147
PAGE 11 of 28
Geez
Oh, THAT'S the link you wanted? Jeeze, you could have just told me when I asked. Well, you didn't. So, I'm not going to bother.
SAGAN: We are releasing vast quantities of carbon dioxide, increasing the greenhouse effect. It may not take much to destabilize the Earth's climate, to convert this heaven, our only home in the cosmos, into a kind of hell.
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G
"Would you voluntarily reduce your income?"
Big difference between 'income' and 'profit'. Income is nearly always derived from work. Profit is accrued ... just because. But, why don't you make that argument to Geezer? He's the one who claims there are 'good' capitalists, ones who don't maximize profit every way they can. You - seem to disagree with that.
SAGAN: We are releasing vast quantities of carbon dioxide, increasing the greenhouse effect. It may not take much to destabilize the Earth's climate, to convert this heaven, our only home in the cosmos, into a kind of hell.
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"Any merchants in your neighborhood YOU DEAL WITH that seem to be after more than the last cent they can squeeze out of you?"
"All the stores you shop at? All the stores in your neighborhood?"
"Violation of Rule #3: Thou shall not use small numbers to represent the whole. (Hasty generalization)"
I'm sorry you can't keep your own questions straight. I was listing the stores IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD I DEAL WITH, as per your question, which are grocery stores. In fact, I went beyond and listed all the grocery stores there are. I also deal with gas stations. Chevron, Shell, 76, Mobil, Arco, and Valero. Those are in fact ALL of my choices. But - like the grocery stores - there are no local vendors. They're all part of large national and international companies. They have no say in prices, wages and benefits.
So, which of the grocery stores in my neighborhood I deal with are the 'good' capitalists?
SAGAN: We are releasing vast quantities of carbon dioxide, increasing the greenhouse effect. It may not take much to destabilize the Earth's climate, to convert this heaven, our only home in the cosmos, into a kind of hell.
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In any case, Geezer, you wanted to make a point. You wanted to show that not everything is sacrificed to profit in capitalism.
So I'll describe a small family-owned single location restaurant in my town. Food is ok. It's not high cuisine, but not fast food either. Prices are to my mind high, and have been steadily increasing. A sandwich menu (smallish sandwich, with fries and choice of fruit or other small side - beverage is extra) is $10.00 minimum. Fortunately California has laws that cover waitresses and protect them from the Herman Cain (yes, that Herman Cain) minimum wage law that holds their minimum to $2.13 forever. So, I'm not worried that they're getting royally screwed on wages, but that's not due to the owner. They're getting the absolute minimum he is allowed to pay here. And I know what he's paying on some items, for example the iced-tea service, and the pie service, as I talked with the vendors.
I see him paying the bare minimum wage, charging pretty high prices for things I know are cheap, and steadily raising prices. Do I think he'd raise prices and cut corners even more if he thought he could? Well, yes, based on his history, I do. I think it's the balancing act EVERY business engages in - how much can they charge before they drive too many customers away and ultimately lose some profit? But at its heart, it is about maximizing profits under different sets of constraints. The grocery stores and gas stations, as parts of larger and largely non-competing entities, charge what they want on the local level. The local businesses charge what they think they can get away with.
SAGAN: We are releasing vast quantities of carbon dioxide, increasing the greenhouse effect. It may not take much to destabilize the Earth's climate, to convert this heaven, our only home in the cosmos, into a kind of hell.
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GEEZER
Quote:
Just wanted to confirm that you are going to stereotype anyone who runs a business in which they have invested their capital - be it money, time, skills, etc. - as interested in only profit to the exclusion of everything else. You didn't disappoint.
But you sure did, Geezer! Because YOU haven't been able to name one, have you? I recall getting into a similar discussion with you a few years ago, about how businesses tend towards monopolies. As I recall, you brought up Ben & Jerry's and Burt's Bees as exaple of successful, individually-owned businesses. Unfortunately for your examples, Ben & Jerry's was bought up by Unilever, and Burt's Bees was bought up by Chlorox (after Burt and his bees got screwed by a business partner who sold the business out from under him). So far, you haven't been able to come up with one example that demonstrates your belief (and it IS a belief) that capitalists are in the business for something other than maximum profit, and that they can exist at that level of business ad infinitum.
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Quote:Hey, here's an example- ME!
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
So far, you haven't been able to come up with one example that demonstrates your belief (and it IS a belief) that capitalists are in the business for something other than maximum profit
I make crazy sci-fi models & props targeted at people like me (non-well-to-do folks) who can't pay an arm & a leg for 'toys' they'd like to have. I make just enough money to keep going, and am by NO MEANS getting rich off of it.
My Trek VI phaser:
So, I do it for love of the project as much as making money.
Does that make me a bad Capitalist (I am definitely a poor one)?
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I killed this thread with phasers???
Oh well.
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There are many companies and investment options that focus on ethical investing. You can usually find from Christian financial ministries which companies support practices that you might not be in line with. There are also Christian investment advisors that can help you find companies and mutual funds that only invest in companies whose practices are ethical and in keeping with your personal Christian values.
Not everyone is morally corrupt.
si shen
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Quote:Go find a joke thread for this nonsense.
Originally posted by THGRRI:
Not everyone is morally corrupt.
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Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:Quote:Go find a joke thread for this nonsense.
Originally posted by THGRRI:
Not everyone is morally corrupt.
No need. I realize there are some here who thrive on everything and everyone being corrupt and morally bankrupt. I always believed it is because they must see themselves that way as well. Why else would they only see the worst in everything and everyone else?
Are you morally bankrupt and corrupt, or is it just the rest of us?
si shen
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