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It's become, at the very least, politically risky to suggest that the tendency of major industries over the past several decades to optimize away everything tha

It's become, at the very least, politically risky to suggest that the tendency of major industries over the past several decades to optimize away everything that doesn't maximize profit could be anything but the Most Holy And True Way, All Hail The Almighty Dollar(/Pound/Euro). But it's also become painfully clear over the past few years that this tendency is deeply harmful not only to society as a whole, but also to that very industry when any kind of shock to the system occurs, because all redundancy and resiliency to shocks has been optimized away as "wasteful". This includes having more than 1 employee in any given role for far too many companies (see "lean staffing"), which means that if that 1 employee gets COVID, or gets hit by a bus, or quits, or (horror of horrors) even goes on vacation, suddenly there's no one who can do that work at all, and potentially no one who even knows how it's been done. We desperately need to realign our industries around a) what supports human beings and their needs, b) what ensures continuity of business, and c) what ensures redundancy in the entire system, including the supply chain, so that we can avoid these kinds of utterly foreseeable difficulties. But proposing anything other than what makes the already-wealthy shareholders' currency-denominated high scores go up as much as inhumanly possible is, if it is considered at all, seen as effectively political suicide for anyone not already as openly left-wing as, say, Bernie Sanders. If we, the people, want this kind of change, we need to signal it by saying so openly, and by voting out the politicians at all levels and in all countries who prioritize business profits over humanity and common sense.

yrgulation 4y ago
I agree with every point. What i dont understand tho is why is this treated as left wing concept? Investing in a society is as capitalistic as possible. You cant have capitalism without an economically healthy society. Is the plan to keep subsidising corporations by cheap debt? Once a society is impoverished then who will buy all the products made? Aliens? I think for capitalism to function it needs investments in society. This is not a left or right issue, its common sense. Blocking money in the hands of the few is like politburos controlling everything in communism. Money needs to flow and trickle up not down.
- danaris 4y ago
  Frankly, it's because whatever the theoretical definitions, the actual right wing, at least in America and the UK, has come to stand for short-term profit for the very wealthy over all other considerations (except, perhaps, white supremacy and maintaining the power of right-wing politicians). But aside from the very small number actively benefiting from this shift, too few people are willing to admit—or even understand—that it has taken place. They're just too invested in the Red vs Blue football game to be willing to do anything but blindly support "Their Side".

yrgulation 4y ago

I agree with every point. What i dont understand tho is why is this treated as left wing concept? Investing in a society is as capitalistic as possible. You cant have capitalism without an economically healthy society. Is the plan to keep subsidising corporations by cheap debt? Once a society is impoverished then who will buy all the products made? Aliens? I think for capitalism to function it needs investments in society. This is not a left or right issue, its common sense. Blocking money in the hands of the few is like politburos controlling everything in communism. Money needs to flow and trickle up not down.

danaris 4y ago
Frankly, it's because whatever the theoretical definitions, the actual right wing, at least in America and the UK, has come to stand for short-term profit for the very wealthy over all other considerations (except, perhaps, white supremacy and maintaining the power of right-wing politicians). But aside from the very small number actively benefiting from this shift, too few people are willing to admit—or even understand—that it has taken place. They're just too invested in the Red vs Blue football game to be willing to do anything but blindly support "Their Side".