I thought that the article was rather well thought through until reaching this:
What if the way to achieve the strongest possible economy is to give every citizen more money to spend? For example, what if we gave every citizen of the United States $25,000 to spend? $25,000 sounds impossible the first time you hear it, but consider the possibility.
Putting aside the laugability of the idea of a capitalist government giving each person a years worth of middle income wage for a moment - it would be great if
People are born, live, and die. If you are lucky, you will have the bare essentials of life during that time. We need water, food, and shelter. We also need a host of other "things" which make life bareable, even bring happiness.
When I was younger and more of an idealist, I thought that we were all working towards a higher goal, towards a world where we will solve pressing problems of society, culture, and knowledge. As I've grown older and more jaded. I find that "we" as a whole, really have no goals
I am not a Marxist but there are a couple of important background points here. First, Marx hated Marxism for good reason--Marx was a capitalist. His angry missive of the Communist Manifesto was an amazing display of self-masochism and simply at odds with his real beliefs. Marx, like most academics, described the process of his view on the future of capitalism. Once economic and physical security are attained, we can move on to greater needs that benefit everyone. Case in point, the interstate highway s
I am not a Marxist but there are a couple of important background points here. First, Marx hated Marxism for good reason--Marx was a capitalist. His angry missive of the Communist Manifesto was an amazing display of self-masochism and simply at odds with his real beliefs.
I hope your intentions are good. I will elaborate. Marx intended his economic work, i.e. Das Kapital, to reach industrial societies. The minute agricultural Russia declared themselves "Marxist revolutions", the whole project essentially fell off a cliff. Like Democracy, capitalism evolves. Marx wanted to identify the various stages of capitalism and how it related to industrial Europe and America. As I understand it, Marx was kind of unstable (genius and geek.) He felt like nobody was paying attention to his work and decided on the ridiculous marketing stunt of the 50 page Communist Manifesto. The fallout was severe. He attracted lunatics that discredited his entire life. It's much easier to read 50 pages of troll feed than it is to read a well-developed scholarly work like Das Kapital. He never recovered from it and "I am not a Marxist" was his famous statement on his death bed. Definitely look it up if you have the time.
I'm sure they were. I don't believe his *last* words were "I am not a Marxist" but he definitely said it while in the process of dying. My post stands.
I wouldn't call the Manifesto a "ridiculous marketing stunt".
It is directed towards working people (~1850), and was intended to be the program for the comunist league, so obviously couldn't be written in a "aseptic" or "academic" style.
It certainly contains a lot of marketing, but I think that's normal considering the type of document it is.
On the other hand, I makes a great effort in explaining the communist's views in very simple and plain words (and it succeeds, IMO).
In this sense, the theory of the Communists may be summed up in the single sentence:
Abolition of private property.
You're right, that IS very simple and plain, and I'm a westerner and, yes, I reject the entire idea based upon that one, single sentence. I know, I'm shallow... But I'm also paying property taxes so don't say we westerners wouldn't accept it. WE HAVE! You see, here in the U.S. we don't actually OWN our property, we rent it like good serfs a
Unix is the worst operating system; except for all others.
-- Berry Kercheval
Almost insightful.. (Score:4, Insightful)
What if the way to achieve the strongest possible economy is to give every citizen more money to spend? For example, what if we gave every citizen of the United States $25,000 to spend? $25,000 sounds impossible the first time you hear it, but consider the possibility.
Putting aside the laugability of the idea of a capitalist government giving each person a years worth of middle income wage for a moment - it would be great if
Goal-less productivity... (Score:5, Interesting)
When I was younger and more of an idealist, I thought that we were all working towards a higher goal, towards a world where we will solve pressing problems of society, culture, and knowledge. As I've grown older and more jaded. I find that "we" as a whole, really have no goals
Re:Goal-less productivity... (Score:2)
Re:Goal-less productivity... (Score:2)
Really?? Can you elaborate on that point?
Re:Goal-less productivity... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Goal-less productivity... (Score:2)
Actually, his last words were:
"Out, out, last words are for people who have nothing to say."
Or I guess it would be:
"Raus, raus! Letzte woerter sind fure Leute, die nichts zu sagen haben."
Re:Goal-less productivity... (Score:2)
Re:Goal-less productivity... (Score:1)
It is directed towards working people (~1850), and was intended to be the program for the comunist league, so obviously couldn't be written in a "aseptic" or "academic" style.
It certainly contains a lot of marketing, but I think that's normal considering the type of document it is.
On the other hand, I makes a great effort in explaining the communist's views in very simple and plain words (and it succeeds, IMO).
Of course the great majority
Re:Goal-less productivity... (Score:1)
You're right, that IS very simple and plain, and I'm a westerner and, yes, I reject the entire idea based upon that one, single sentence. I know, I'm shallow... But I'm also paying property taxes so don't say we westerners wouldn't accept it. WE HAVE! You see, here in the U.S. we don't actually OWN our property, we rent it like good serfs a