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This is not “market capitalism”. This is anti competitive behavior, perpetuated by Wall Street that is enabled by the tax code. Independent / other grocers ca

This is not “market capitalism”. This is anti competitive behavior, perpetuated by Wall Street that is enabled by the tax code. Independent / other grocers can’t compete because the fundamentals of the business have nothing to do with the game being played.

unethical_ban 4y ago
Eh, I mean, I still think some kind of "market-based" capital system is reasonable - I don't want government-orchestrated markets for all goods and services, but clearly our society has not done enough to regulate the immoral extremes of free markets.
- throwawaymaths 4y ago
  The state and its policy encourage free markets to be immoral because they fetishize "growth" as a metric. I'm not saying growth is bad, but morally speaking, it should be consisered at best neutral. A growth-agnostic capitalist system would be interesting.
  - unethical_ban 4y ago
    Agreed. Our society should be measured in the happiness and health/living security of its citizens, and by technological advancement. The acquisition of wealth can be a means to that end, not the end itself.
    - throwawaymaths 4y ago
      How do you measure that? And how can I corrupt that measurement to make me more wealthy and powerful?
      - unethical_ban 4y ago
        It’s less straightforward to corrupt my idea than the obvious corruption of profit in todays market, I’ll give you that.
- addragyn 4y ago
  I’m amazed when people think that societal issues can be solved by better regulations. This time we’ll get it right and be benevolent! This time! Completely ignores history / human nature. The genius of part time politicians and limited government was that it protects us from ourselves. We are indeed our own worst enemy. The only incentive for public service should be public service. The lack of skin in game with huge upside leads to idiocy like million dollar bus stops, 10k toilets and anti-trust enforcers becoming m&a lawyers. Career politicians and lobbying plus the “retirement” back door to Wall Street, consulting and big business in general has completely distanced the US government from those who it purports to serve. At this point it’s basically like an asshole king who uses the monopoly on taxes to enrich themself. Except that the asshole king is a cohort of a class of people and Wall Street. In hindsight this is inevitable. At least the previous monarchy believes in noblesse oblige.
throwawaymaths 4y ago
Also enabled by the interest rate and monetary policy which encourages fiscalization over productivity.
quantified 4y ago
In a free market, a few players can buy the market and make it un-free. Capitalism certainly includes manipulating markets so as to increase the return on the capital.
comte7092 4y ago
There’a no consistent definition of market capitalism in these types of forums. The fact of the matter is that under a laissez faire model, this type of behavior is expected. Claiming otherwise is simply the no true Scotsman fallacy.

unethical_ban 4y ago

Eh, I mean, I still think some kind of "market-based" capital system is reasonable - I don't want government-orchestrated markets for all goods and services, but clearly our society has not done enough to regulate the immoral extremes of free markets.

throwawaymaths 4y ago
The state and its policy encourage free markets to be immoral because they fetishize "growth" as a metric. I'm not saying growth is bad, but morally speaking, it should be consisered at best neutral. A growth-agnostic capitalist system would be interesting.
- unethical_ban 4y ago
  Agreed. Our society should be measured in the happiness and health/living security of its citizens, and by technological advancement. The acquisition of wealth can be a means to that end, not the end itself.
  - throwawaymaths 4y ago
    How do you measure that? And how can I corrupt that measurement to make me more wealthy and powerful?
    - unethical_ban 4y ago
      It’s less straightforward to corrupt my idea than the obvious corruption of profit in todays market, I’ll give you that.
addragyn 4y ago
I’m amazed when people think that societal issues can be solved by better regulations. This time we’ll get it right and be benevolent! This time! Completely ignores history / human nature. The genius of part time politicians and limited government was that it protects us from ourselves. We are indeed our own worst enemy. The only incentive for public service should be public service. The lack of skin in game with huge upside leads to idiocy like million dollar bus stops, 10k toilets and anti-trust enforcers becoming m&a lawyers. Career politicians and lobbying plus the “retirement” back door to Wall Street, consulting and big business in general has completely distanced the US government from those who it purports to serve. At this point it’s basically like an asshole king who uses the monopoly on taxes to enrich themself. Except that the asshole king is a cohort of a class of people and Wall Street. In hindsight this is inevitable. At least the previous monarchy believes in noblesse oblige.

throwawaymaths 4y ago

Also enabled by the interest rate and monetary policy which encourages fiscalization over productivity.

quantified 4y ago

In a free market, a few players can buy the market and make it un-free. Capitalism certainly includes manipulating markets so as to increase the return on the capital.

comte7092 4y ago

There’a no consistent definition of market capitalism in these types of forums. The fact of the matter is that under a laissez faire model, this type of behavior is expected. Claiming otherwise is simply the no true Scotsman fallacy.