4 ms·

I know it feels very self-righteous to dunk on college students but this reasoning is kind of like traveling back to the middle ages and telling a knight "if yo

I know it feels very self-righteous to dunk on college students but this reasoning is kind of like traveling back to the middle ages and telling a knight "if you have a better system than feudalism, we're all ears". Just like a King is going to do anything in their vast amount of power to uphold the monarchy; so does capitalism. In both cases, the current powers that be will always seem entrenched

bryanrasmussen 4y ago
unless you have traveled back from a future in which a better solution exists, then not really.
- nemothekid 4y ago
  You could make that same argument to the hypothetical knight. Capitalism in the modern sense has only been around for 200 years. Just because you are unable to imagine a different future doesn't mean that one doesn't exist. What you are doing is no different than an appeal to tradition. You are sacrificing the virgin to the mountain god every year for reasons you can't fully grasp.
  - bryanrasmussen 4y ago
    you're right that I have not imagined a different and better future syste,, but in the hypothetical someone does know of a different and better future system (assuming that we agree capitalism is better than feudalism), goes back to the past, and lies and says there is not a better system. Second of all I admit I don't know of a different better system, I do not say I like the present system especially, although I get the feeling you must think that I do not being able to think of a better one. >You are sacrificing the virgin to the mountain god every year for reasons you can't fully grasp. and you are evidently good at insulting people and feeling superior when they admit they don't know of a better way without providing any concrete arguments for a better system. Must be nice.
fortuna86 4y ago
> "if you have a better system than feudalism, we're all ears". But we did have a better system.
- UncleMeat 4y ago
  Sure if you are so confident that the existing system is maximally good, you’d be interacting with professors of economics, history, and sociology, not college freshmen since a bunch of people 18 year olds aren’t exactly most equipped to answer these questions.
  - fortuna86 4y ago
    To be clear, you are implying civilization was better off during feudalism?
    - UncleMeat 4y ago
      No. I am saying that complaining about "every college freshman who just took poli sci 101" is not an effective way of engaging in discussion about the merits of capitalism.
      - fortuna86 4y ago
        And assuming I am "confident that the existing system is maximally good" is equally as bad of footing to begin a discussion. I think nothing of the sort.
- nemothekid 4y ago
  >But we did have a better system 1. You can only make that assertion in hindsight. 2. The adoption of that "better system" wasn't sunshine and roses.
  - fortuna86 4y ago
    1. Ok 2. Yes revolution is bad, violent, and dark times in the short term. More of an argument to reform our current system rather than listen to romantic ideas of ditching capitalism as a whole.

bryanrasmussen 4y ago

unless you have traveled back from a future in which a better solution exists, then not really.

nemothekid 4y ago
You could make that same argument to the hypothetical knight. Capitalism in the modern sense has only been around for 200 years. Just because you are unable to imagine a different future doesn't mean that one doesn't exist. What you are doing is no different than an appeal to tradition. You are sacrificing the virgin to the mountain god every year for reasons you can't fully grasp.
- bryanrasmussen 4y ago
  you're right that I have not imagined a different and better future syste,, but in the hypothetical someone does know of a different and better future system (assuming that we agree capitalism is better than feudalism), goes back to the past, and lies and says there is not a better system. Second of all I admit I don't know of a different better system, I do not say I like the present system especially, although I get the feeling you must think that I do not being able to think of a better one. >You are sacrificing the virgin to the mountain god every year for reasons you can't fully grasp. and you are evidently good at insulting people and feeling superior when they admit they don't know of a better way without providing any concrete arguments for a better system. Must be nice.

fortuna86 4y ago

> "if you have a better system than feudalism, we're all ears". But we did have a better system.

UncleMeat 4y ago
Sure if you are so confident that the existing system is maximally good, you’d be interacting with professors of economics, history, and sociology, not college freshmen since a bunch of people 18 year olds aren’t exactly most equipped to answer these questions.
- fortuna86 4y ago
  To be clear, you are implying civilization was better off during feudalism?
  - UncleMeat 4y ago
    No. I am saying that complaining about "every college freshman who just took poli sci 101" is not an effective way of engaging in discussion about the merits of capitalism.
    - fortuna86 4y ago
      And assuming I am "confident that the existing system is maximally good" is equally as bad of footing to begin a discussion. I think nothing of the sort.
nemothekid 4y ago
>But we did have a better system 1. You can only make that assertion in hindsight. 2. The adoption of that "better system" wasn't sunshine and roses.
- fortuna86 4y ago
  1. Ok 2. Yes revolution is bad, violent, and dark times in the short term. More of an argument to reform our current system rather than listen to romantic ideas of ditching capitalism as a whole.