Just as a point, your argument is a false dichotomy. The only two choices you allow are a ruthless capitalistic society or a communist society. The poster could

Just as a point, your argument is a false dichotomy. The only two choices you allow are a ruthless capitalistic society or a communist society. The poster could have allowed for any colorful regions of societies in between. I would argue most societies throughout history have treated people with mental illness less than kindly. But if wish to treat them better we must stop thinking of people as factors of productivity, and therefore their worth is only as useful as the amount they add to the bottomline. (Though I'd presume, albeit with little evidence currently, that society would be benefited in probably cost and happiness if we were to take on the task of providing adequate mental care to all.)