Have you ever met a self-loathing capitalist?

I run into a lot of these individuals.

"Yeah of course socialism would be nice, but you are forgetting that humans are inherently selfish. Capitalism fosters that inherent greed and benefits everyone"


It makes my head spin. First off, their argument makes no sense.

But most importantly, I think they are just too spineless to do what's right.

because capitalism, when regulated fairly, works.

the system we have today isn't really capitalism in the sense of competition. the system we have is rigged to benefit the already rich.

That's why I said capitalist. Anyone who identifies his or her self as a capitalist is likely a strict follower of the capitalist ideology.

exist in the past.

the people who shout the loudest about "free market" capitalism, don't support free markets at all. They support a rigged shell game that allows only them to prosper.

Take health insurance for example. If they really were into a free market, they would have no problem with competition from a public option or single payer. Since they prefer their monopolies, they really aren't supporting a "free market" at all.

I really take issue with people who believe that a system with capitalist "traits", that is heavily regulated, is somehow a "capitalist system".

So you ignore the fact that the system maintains equilibrium because of government intervention, yet you feel the need to call it a "capitalist system"? True capitalism is self-destructive. Free market capitalism IS true capitalism.

You are giving credit where no credit is due.


A system with heavy regulation and moderate government ownership of industry would most likely be considered a socialist system. Just because there is private ownership of industry does not mean it is capitalism.

That's my take.

capitalism ;
an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market

socialism;
1 : any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2 a : a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b : a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state

perhaps you are envisioninga capitalism system with socialist-like elements. For instance, heavy regulations, which are good, fall short of direct government control or ownership.

"investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market"

Like I said, heavy regulation is not capitalism.

Wherever you got that "socialism" definition, it is way too extreme for modern thought. Marx often referred to his plan as "socialism". But I am referring to more modern forms of socialism seen in western Europe.

It's generally held, at least now a days, that socialism can be an array of theories and lies between capitalism and communism.

i think what we are talking about would have some characteristics similar to socialism, but not quite going that far.

I assume you mean one who believes market forces should be unrestricted in all ways. How could someone like that NOT be self-loathing?

I am a self-loathing socialist if only because free-market capitalists exist and I realize that I am fighting against a movement much bigger than myself.

It's more the fact that they know what they are doing is wrong, yet justify their actions by saying they have no control over the situation. I hear it all the time.

"I'm just one person, what I think or do doesn't matter" Get 10,000,000 people thinking exactly like that and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Either you stand by your convictions, or you shame yourself and give into temptation. But to suggest that you have NO power is simply ridiculous.

It just makes me very sad.

the ability to feel that emotion.
Like many politicians, it all begins and ends with them.


mark

I found that those whose life centered around making money and not giving anything back had very unhappy lives otherwise. They had dysfunctional families and any number of woes to deal with, many of them of their own making. The only thing they really had was money. On the other hand, those rich people who reached out to the needy, who worked for charities and sincerely tried to make the world a better place were far happier and it didn't hurt that they never had to worry a day about meeting their material needs.

For many of these people, their entire focus is the accumulation of more and more wealth.

...people are inherently violent so we should legalize violence and find some way to turn it to our benefit.

Or is that what police departments are for?