4 ms·

Moralizing the incentives of politicians while framing business leaders' behavior as rational responses to their incentives somewhat betrays a lack of sophistic

by daguar 7y ago

Moralizing the incentives of politicians while framing business leaders' behavior as rational responses to their incentives somewhat betrays a lack of sophistication of thinking here.

kjsbfkjbf 7y ago
Right. Under capitalism everyone is acting rationally here. Everyone is using whatever methods they can to accumulate profit.
- clairity 7y ago
  that reads like a rationalization of selfishness. however, the rationalism underlying capitalism neither attempts to encourage nor discourage amoral behavior. capitalism instead acknowledges that people will sometimes (often?) have selfish intentions and redirects that penchant toward productive economic purposes through competitive counterbalance. it's still not ok to be a jerk, but if you are one, the system counteracts your selfishness with that of others to reach a greater good (in the form of efficient allocation of resources). "because capitalism" doesn't excuse bad behavior; rather, it brings bad behavior out in the open so other social structures/norms can deal with it.
  - vernie 7y ago
    Or you know they can form a cartel.
- noworld 7y ago
  Unlike socialism where people do what exactly?
Supermancho 7y ago
It's all moralizing, with one set under and additional constraint of civic duty. You have it squarely backwards. What you're getting at is less sophisticated than the point made, which is why it's not compelling.
Someone1234 7y ago
I said that politicians are failing at their duty. Duty and morality are different concepts. Businesses have a duty to make money, politicians have a duty to work in their constituent's best interests, only one of the two is failing in their duty but they're both acting immorally. As an aside calling another post "dumb" is quite clearly against the site's rules. You're welcome to disagree but the civility is lacking.

4 ms·

Moralizing the incentives of politicians while framing business leaders' behavior as rational responses to their incentives somewhat betrays a lack of sophistic

by daguar 7y ago

Moralizing the incentives of politicians while framing business leaders' behavior as rational responses to their incentives somewhat betrays a lack of sophistication of thinking here.

kjsbfkjbf 7y ago
Right. Under capitalism everyone is acting rationally here. Everyone is using whatever methods they can to accumulate profit.
- clairity 7y ago
  that reads like a rationalization of selfishness. however, the rationalism underlying capitalism neither attempts to encourage nor discourage amoral behavior. capitalism instead acknowledges that people will sometimes (often?) have selfish intentions and redirects that penchant toward productive economic purposes through competitive counterbalance. it's still not ok to be a jerk, but if you are one, the system counteracts your selfishness with that of others to reach a greater good (in the form of efficient allocation of resources). "because capitalism" doesn't excuse bad behavior; rather, it brings bad behavior out in the open so other social structures/norms can deal with it.
  - vernie 7y ago
    Or you know they can form a cartel.
- noworld 7y ago
  Unlike socialism where people do what exactly?
Supermancho 7y ago
It's all moralizing, with one set under and additional constraint of civic duty. You have it squarely backwards. What you're getting at is less sophisticated than the point made, which is why it's not compelling.
Someone1234 7y ago
I said that politicians are failing at their duty. Duty and morality are different concepts. Businesses have a duty to make money, politicians have a duty to work in their constituent's best interests, only one of the two is failing in their duty but they're both acting immorally. As an aside calling another post "dumb" is quite clearly against the site's rules. You're welcome to disagree but the civility is lacking.