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Runaway capitalism, oh shit. So that does that mean: - Global poverty will continue to decrease - We'll get a variety of options to choose from whenever we wa

Runaway capitalism, oh shit. So that does that mean: - Global poverty will continue to decrease - We'll get a variety of options to choose from whenever we want to buy something - We'll get to choose how to spend our own money - We'll get quick and diligent service - If we don't like something, we can choose to stop buying it or working for them? The horror!!!!!

drb91 9y ago
Yes, consumption is paradise! :D
kingkawn 9y ago
An exquisitely fine balance of gnawing dissatisfaction held at bay by suffering
jonny_eh 9y ago
There are an infinite number of alternatives between communism and unregulated corporate capitalism.
- chrisco255 9y ago
  Please show me a country where unregulated capitalism exists.
  - Clubber 9y ago
    Cartel Mexico?
    - dragonwriter 9y ago
      The fact that the nominal government isn't the de facto government of every part of the country doesn't mean that unregulated capitalism rules. (Of course, unregulated capitalism is an oxymoron; capitalism involves active government intervention to enforce a very specific model of property rights; it is a particular application of regulation, not it's absence.)
- civilian 9y ago
  You might read this: http://www.americanteeth.org/2015/06/21/why-i-m-a-capitalist-and-what-does-that-mean/ http://www.americanteeth.org/2015/06/21/why-i-m-a-capitalist... When I think of the word capitalist, I think: "using markets to allocate resources & products". When you use that word, you think of... well I'm not sure, but it's some kind of boogeyman that you think is self-evident. The author of the post is himself a social-democrat or some sorts, and supports redistribution, but he still recognizes the basics of how well markets work.
VonGuard 9y ago
We'll also get highly optimized algorithms that sell us things we don't need through the use of psychology and the exploitation of human nature. We'll also get rampant misspending of scientific research funds, which will go to boner pills and hair replacement techniques, rather than curing malaria or exploring space. We'll also have the end-game for all capitalist nations be leadership that is completely bought and paid for. We'll also have workers treated as useless and interchangeable cogs, while public markets sway back and forth, removing jobs, pushing mergers, cutting pay. We'll also get things like McDonald's and Coca-Cola, two of the largest companies in the world, both of which are literally, 100% dedicated to selling addictive foods that are diabolically unhealthy. Capitalism ensures people get what they want most. The problem is, people are fucking horrible, and what they all want most is cheeseburgers, soda, angry Facebook rants, fake news, and bigger dicks. Sure, society wants much more than this, but at the individual level, these are the second-to-second motivations, and capitalism's atavistic psychic mining project always ends up down on this dopamine level of reaction in all things. Humans can be wonderful and do good things. The problem is capitalism is a race to exploit the worst in human nature, effectively heading off those better instincts with porn, fast cars, and lap band surgery.
- Knufen 9y ago
  Please provide proof for or source: 1. Boner pills or hair replacement is worse or better than curing malaria or exploring space. 2. That the end game for every capitalist is leadership that can be paid for and bought. 3. That treating workers as useless and interchangeable cogs provide more profit than treating them fairly (assuming profit is the goal). 4. That abuse of McDonalds and Coca Cola being worse than abuse of literally anything else (Water in big enough quantities will kill you too). 5. That people are 'fucking horrible' and their second-to-second motivation is horrible. You sound like every extreme socialist I envision. It sounds like you want a totalitarian government (made of humans) that dictate what exactly what people can do, eat and what not. It absolutely frightens me that you can condemm the entirety of the human race and also have the ability to vote.
- civilian 9y ago
  And what would your solution be? Because I imagine it would be government control on what we're allowed to spend money on. You are a totalitarian, and while it might be a "good" thing in some situations, that kind of power is quickly and easily corrupted. How long do you think you can last before regulatory capture happens? How long can you last before you're persecuting people for thoughtcrimes? I'll take the "people can spend money on what they want" dystopia before I take yours. Because the capitalism dystopia to presented can be fixed by people changing their minds and changing their spending habits. Your dystopia can't change without deaths.
ribosometronome 9y ago
Many of the things you just listed have improved because of constraints placed on capitalism not runaway capitalism.
kenforthewin 9y ago
Thanks for the "centrist" perspective, but over here in reality we are experiencing the negative effects of runaway capitalism, including the existential threat of global warming. But I'm glad you're getting quick service at your local fast food chain.
tarnacious_ 9y ago
Significantly decreasing intergenerational mobility is very concerning. Especially for those who aren't wealthy already.
raintrees 9y ago
I would be interested to see Mr. Chiang (I have enjoyed his other stories) separate the effects of government capture from capitalism. Part of what he warns against is the distortion of capitalism by power/captured government.
- raintrees 9y ago
  Hint: It has frequently been suggested the United States of America has never practiced real capitalism....
YeGoblynQueenne 9y ago
- Global poverty will continue to decrease - We'll get a variety of options to choose from whenever we want to buy something Well, except global poverty is most probably decreasing despite capitalism, not because of it. May I also point out that beating poverty and making more consumerist products available, are not two goals with equal value? Same goes for the rest of the list in your comment.

drb91 9y ago

Yes, consumption is paradise! :D

kingkawn 9y ago

An exquisitely fine balance of gnawing dissatisfaction held at bay by suffering

jonny_eh 9y ago

There are an infinite number of alternatives between communism and unregulated corporate capitalism.

chrisco255 9y ago
Please show me a country where unregulated capitalism exists.
- Clubber 9y ago
  Cartel Mexico?
  - dragonwriter 9y ago
    The fact that the nominal government isn't the de facto government of every part of the country doesn't mean that unregulated capitalism rules. (Of course, unregulated capitalism is an oxymoron; capitalism involves active government intervention to enforce a very specific model of property rights; it is a particular application of regulation, not it's absence.)
civilian 9y ago
You might read this: http://www.americanteeth.org/2015/06/21/why-i-m-a-capitalist-and-what-does-that-mean/ http://www.americanteeth.org/2015/06/21/why-i-m-a-capitalist... When I think of the word capitalist, I think: "using markets to allocate resources & products". When you use that word, you think of... well I'm not sure, but it's some kind of boogeyman that you think is self-evident. The author of the post is himself a social-democrat or some sorts, and supports redistribution, but he still recognizes the basics of how well markets work.

VonGuard 9y ago

We'll also get highly optimized algorithms that sell us things we don't need through the use of psychology and the exploitation of human nature. We'll also get rampant misspending of scientific research funds, which will go to boner pills and hair replacement techniques, rather than curing malaria or exploring space. We'll also have the end-game for all capitalist nations be leadership that is completely bought and paid for. We'll also have workers treated as useless and interchangeable cogs, while public markets sway back and forth, removing jobs, pushing mergers, cutting pay. We'll also get things like McDonald's and Coca-Cola, two of the largest companies in the world, both of which are literally, 100% dedicated to selling addictive foods that are diabolically unhealthy. Capitalism ensures people get what they want most. The problem is, people are fucking horrible, and what they all want most is cheeseburgers, soda, angry Facebook rants, fake news, and bigger dicks. Sure, society wants much more than this, but at the individual level, these are the second-to-second motivations, and capitalism's atavistic psychic mining project always ends up down on this dopamine level of reaction in all things. Humans can be wonderful and do good things. The problem is capitalism is a race to exploit the worst in human nature, effectively heading off those better instincts with porn, fast cars, and lap band surgery.

Knufen 9y ago
Please provide proof for or source: 1. Boner pills or hair replacement is worse or better than curing malaria or exploring space. 2. That the end game for every capitalist is leadership that can be paid for and bought. 3. That treating workers as useless and interchangeable cogs provide more profit than treating them fairly (assuming profit is the goal). 4. That abuse of McDonalds and Coca Cola being worse than abuse of literally anything else (Water in big enough quantities will kill you too). 5. That people are 'fucking horrible' and their second-to-second motivation is horrible. You sound like every extreme socialist I envision. It sounds like you want a totalitarian government (made of humans) that dictate what exactly what people can do, eat and what not. It absolutely frightens me that you can condemm the entirety of the human race and also have the ability to vote.
civilian 9y ago
And what would your solution be? Because I imagine it would be government control on what we're allowed to spend money on. You are a totalitarian, and while it might be a "good" thing in some situations, that kind of power is quickly and easily corrupted. How long do you think you can last before regulatory capture happens? How long can you last before you're persecuting people for thoughtcrimes? I'll take the "people can spend money on what they want" dystopia before I take yours. Because the capitalism dystopia to presented can be fixed by people changing their minds and changing their spending habits. Your dystopia can't change without deaths.

ribosometronome 9y ago

Many of the things you just listed have improved because of constraints placed on capitalism not runaway capitalism.

kenforthewin 9y ago

Thanks for the "centrist" perspective, but over here in reality we are experiencing the negative effects of runaway capitalism, including the existential threat of global warming. But I'm glad you're getting quick service at your local fast food chain.

tarnacious_ 9y ago

Significantly decreasing intergenerational mobility is very concerning. Especially for those who aren't wealthy already.

raintrees 9y ago

I would be interested to see Mr. Chiang (I have enjoyed his other stories) separate the effects of government capture from capitalism. Part of what he warns against is the distortion of capitalism by power/captured government.

raintrees 9y ago
Hint: It has frequently been suggested the United States of America has never practiced real capitalism....

YeGoblynQueenne 9y ago

- Global poverty will continue to decrease - We'll get a variety of options to choose from whenever we want to buy something Well, except global poverty is most probably decreasing despite capitalism, not because of it. May I also point out that beating poverty and making more consumerist products available, are not two goals with equal value? Same goes for the rest of the list in your comment.