Capitalism is a Problem!

[Inside Edge]

I second CaDan's post.

One of the concepts he passes over is something I think people are polarizing over: it isn't about the system or the individual, it's about the system and the individual. Each of us, under a free system like free-market capitalism must take both into account.

Yes, a poor person with morals and strong conviction may not resort to crime - the abstract system cannot be held accountable for a given crime. However, a given privaleged individual (I believe) should consider the circumstances. We need to understand that the system does create casualties, and we must be merciful. Don't blame the system for the crime, but understand that the system created the circumstances to make the crime a serious temptation (to any given person in those circumstances). Failing to recognize this goes back to the old adage: we create the theif and then punish him for being so.

 

[Philosoft]

To blame crime on poverty is completely wrong. There are a lot of honest poor people, and it is even insulting to say their situation inevitably leads to crime.

Probably why no one said that. This dichotomous thinking can get one into trouble.

Not to mention all the middle-class and rich criminals who exist as well...

Which ought to strongly suggest multiple sources of criminal motivation.

The cause of crime is the choice to do what is wrong. Only a stronger morality and faith can really help to bring that down.

Ah, yes, faith. Because one certainly can't reason that one shouldn't commit a crime. Please.

And once again, we just get to blame everything on "choice" without a care about how choices are made. All bad choices are ultimately unrestrained selfishness; keeps us from having to think critically about other proximate causes.

 

[CaDan]

Yes, a poor person with morals and strong conviction may not resort to crime - the abstract system cannot be held accountable for a given crime. However, a given privaleged individual (I believe) should consider the circumstances. We need to understand that the system does create casualties, and we must be merciful. Don't blame the system for the crime, but understand that the system created the circumstances to make the crime a serious temptation (to any given person in those circumstances). Failing to recognize this goes back to the old adage: we create the theif and then punish him for being so.

If you want thieves, create property. If you want crimes, create laws.

Ursula LeGuin, "The Dispossessed" (quote from memory and probably not exactly correct).

 

[CaDan]

Ha! found it:

"To make a thief, make an owner. To create crime, create laws."

 

[Nietzsche]

I was a member of a local Communist party for many years until i learned that capitalism wasn't as flawed as its said to be. Sure its got its problems but its the best thing we got till another form of the economy comes around.

I think the biggest thing you could do right now to better help you understand the system would be to read one of Friedmans books i suggest the book "free to chose" after reading this your probably better understand capitalism.

 

[Buzz Dixon]

If you want thieves, create property. If you want crimes, create laws.

Ursula LeGuin, "The Dispossessed" (quote from memory and probably not exactly correct).

So, if you want murder, you create life?

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

I believe this.

I think the real people in control are not the politicians they are the heads of these multi-corps. They pay large sums of money to the politicians to pass whatever to further their own agenda. And we don’t even get to vote for them.

Even the media we rely on to inform us of problems get paid by these multi-corps through advertisements. How many times have you heard someone from the media say "we don’t want to offend our advertisers" in some degree or another?

The media isn't just owned through advertisements. The major networks are owned actually owned by large corporations (GE, Disney, etc.).

 

[Philosoft]

So, if you want murder, you create life?

A bit morbid, but that's the general idea.

 

[NoDeity]

It is easy to blame the individual isn’t it?

It couldn’t possibility be the system.

This is a wonderful example of how collectivism is an assault on the rights and responsibilities of individuals.