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Another reminder what a failure capitalism is. I'm so tired of hearing "markets are the best way to distribute resources" when we always see failures like this.

Another reminder what a failure capitalism is. I'm so tired of hearing "markets are the best way to distribute resources" when we always see failures like this. Capitalism can't produce "big leaps" in innovation. Never could. We were so blind.

electrograv 8y ago
Just to check: Did you type this on a system whose entire hardware and software stack was built within some non-capitalist society, which you are claiming is superior to capitalism? If “capitalism has failed”, as you claim, don’t you think it’s rather ironic that ALL the world’s most advanced technology comes from capitalist societies then? Shouldn’t there be at least ONE modern computer system that was built entirely without capitalism? Open source counts as capitalist technology as well, since the vast majority of its contributors live within mostly capitalistic societies as a whole (and I’m not really aware of Soviet open source software). Chinese technology, perhaps the greatest upcoming contender to the USA’s technological dominance, is also deeply capitalist throughout its inception (though elements of state control are deeply interwoven, the Chinese government wisely realized the benefits of capitalism and managed to use it to great success). Capitalism is certainly deeply flawed, but regulated capitalism still seems to be the best system we have so far. Constantly saying “Capitalism has failed!” is utterly useless if you cannot propose a new system in its place that does better. (Hint: Most systems that people popularly propose have been tried time and time again.)
- blacksmith_tb 8y ago
  Certainly fair overall, but of course quite a lot of the technology we're using to have this conversation spun off from the Apollo program[1] originally... 1: https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2018/index.html https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2018/index.html

electrograv 8y ago

Just to check: Did you type this on a system whose entire hardware and software stack was built within some non-capitalist society, which you are claiming is superior to capitalism? If “capitalism has failed”, as you claim, don’t you think it’s rather ironic that ALL the world’s most advanced technology comes from capitalist societies then? Shouldn’t there be at least ONE modern computer system that was built entirely without capitalism? Open source counts as capitalist technology as well, since the vast majority of its contributors live within mostly capitalistic societies as a whole (and I’m not really aware of Soviet open source software). Chinese technology, perhaps the greatest upcoming contender to the USA’s technological dominance, is also deeply capitalist throughout its inception (though elements of state control are deeply interwoven, the Chinese government wisely realized the benefits of capitalism and managed to use it to great success). Capitalism is certainly deeply flawed, but regulated capitalism still seems to be the best system we have so far. Constantly saying “Capitalism has failed!” is utterly useless if you cannot propose a new system in its place that does better. (Hint: Most systems that people popularly propose have been tried time and time again.)

blacksmith_tb 8y ago
Certainly fair overall, but of course quite a lot of the technology we're using to have this conversation spun off from the Apollo program[1] originally... 1: https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2018/index.html https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2018/index.html