23 ms·

So the house you purchased and the van you upgraded to are not yours, disposing of your body costs more than a car, visiting family means you have to stay in a

So the house you purchased and the van you upgraded to are not yours, disposing of your body costs more than a car, visiting family means you have to stay in a hotel, the basic survival needs of your wife and four children are not guaranteed and you want to visit Disneyland and meet celebrities before you die? Capitalism is beautiful.

VMG 13y ago
can't miss an opportunity for pointless snark, eh?
- naner 13y ago
  Not really pointless... guy is dying and worried about the financial security of his family, which I completely understand, but then outlines some financially irresponsible expenses? How about posting on facebook "I'm dying, here's a fund we started to help support my wife and children in my absence" and leave it at that. This comes across as entitled and unrealistic. That being said, his situation is extremely shitty and it is probably worthwhile for anyone with the means to help him out for that reason alone.
  - danielweber 13y ago
    His priorities break down into 1) paying off debt so his currently income-less wife has some breathing room 2) spending time with family. He's not snorting cocaine off a dead hooker's ass here.
    - RankingMember 13y ago
      If you're going to go out in a blaze of hedonism you'd think you'd pay the extra couple of bucks for the hooker to be alive. :P
  - grifpete 13y ago
    Dear oh dear. You really are a sad case, aren't you?
  - zerohm 13y ago
    After he's gone, will his wife regret not having a slightly smaller mortgage or will she regret not having memories of Disneyworld. Yes, I'm all about financial responsibility, but experiences can't be bought later, a little debt can be paid later.
morgante 13y ago
> visiting family means you have to stay in a hotel That part did seem odd to me. If they're true family (ie. worth visiting), why isn't he staying with them?
- scottjad 13y ago
  Maybe they don't have room for 6 visitors (for a month in one case, assuming he's not going to spend a month away from his immediate family).
  - jf22 13y ago
    Homes in America are pretty large. I can't think of a place I've lived that can't support 6 extra people, 4 of them being kids. It may not be comfortable but its probably less comfortable than not seeing your family because you can't afford a hotel.
    - jason_slack 13y ago
      Then you haven't lived in enough places. I can look up and down my entire street and tell you that maybe 1 house could a married couple + 6 extra people, 4 of them being kids.
adventured 13y ago
What Capitalism? America is the largest welfare state in history. Total government expenditures are nearly the size of China's GDP. What we have is corporatism, plunder by a combination of bureaucrats + government protected corporations (see: Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, Exxon, Pfizer, etc). I wish we had Capitalism. All we have is an extraordinarily misdirected, poorly run welfare state.
- chongli 13y ago
  You can't separate the state out like that and pretend it's not a player. Capitalism is what gives rise to corporatism. Oh, and welfare state is not a bad word. Some of the most prosperous and equitable countries in the world are welfare states[0]. [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_model http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_model
  - adventured 13y ago
    A poorly run welfare state is a bad word, to so speak, and that's exactly what America has. Some of the worst functioning countries on earth are also very poorly run welfare states. Feel free to point out several poorly functioning, free market Capitalism countries though. Socialism is what gives rise to Corporatism. The intrusion of government into the economy - rather than the proper separation of the two - through regulation and bribes, opening up a flood gate of protectionism, lobbying and special favors. I'm well aware of the arguments on the nordic model. Most of them had to reform their poorly functioning welfare models over the last few decades (see: Sweden). http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0803/international-invest-guide-obama-sweden-public-downsizing.html http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0803/international-invest-...
    - chongli 13y ago
      If you acknowledge that "welfare state" is not a bad word, then why not just say "a poorly run state is bad"? Adding the word welfare serves only to confuse and misdirect the reader.
      - 13y ago
czzarr 13y ago
That's not capitalism. That's the credit system and nanny state at work.
scottjad 13y ago
Capitalism is beautiful. It's the reason someone built the home that his family lives in. It's the reason why the resources and technologies to build that home were used for that purpose instead of another. It's the reason why people loaned him money to buy that home. It's the reason people built his van instead of something else. It's the reason a stranger is willing to dispose of his body. It's the reason cremation is so affordable if they choose that option. Capitalism is the reason there will be a hotel with a room available when he goes to visit family. It's the reason there will be gas at the gas stations along the way. It's the reason Disneyworld will still be operating when he gets there. Most important of all, Capitalism is the reason why so many of his peers are wealthy enough to afford the basic survival needs of themselves and their own families that they are able to donate some of their surplus to help this family in need. That said, I agree that consumerism and living beyond one's means and not saving for a rainy day and distorted markets are problems.
- stefantalpalaru 13y ago
  s/Capitalism/Slavery/g and your argument still holds
Spockulus_Rift 13y ago
Fuck this beggar, fuck his family, fuck Disneyland, and most of all, fuck Wil Wheaton.
aaron695 13y ago
> Capitalism is beautiful No, I think it's more we are so selfish. Which has always been the case in history. But now we are better educated and more informed so should be pushing for a more compassionate, logical and less racist society over the current owning stuff society. It is a philosophy that might be possible for at least part of the population. Bill Gates is doing it. He's helping the worlds real poor. We need part of the population to start to realise people in the 3rd world are as human as the people down the road even if they seem different. And for a lot less cost than a fancy funeral one could actually save lives. A family could get to keep their father or mother or child.

VMG 13y ago

can't miss an opportunity for pointless snark, eh?

naner 13y ago
Not really pointless... guy is dying and worried about the financial security of his family, which I completely understand, but then outlines some financially irresponsible expenses? How about posting on facebook "I'm dying, here's a fund we started to help support my wife and children in my absence" and leave it at that. This comes across as entitled and unrealistic. That being said, his situation is extremely shitty and it is probably worthwhile for anyone with the means to help him out for that reason alone.
- danielweber 13y ago
  His priorities break down into 1) paying off debt so his currently income-less wife has some breathing room 2) spending time with family. He's not snorting cocaine off a dead hooker's ass here.
  - RankingMember 13y ago
    If you're going to go out in a blaze of hedonism you'd think you'd pay the extra couple of bucks for the hooker to be alive. :P
- grifpete 13y ago
  Dear oh dear. You really are a sad case, aren't you?
- zerohm 13y ago
  After he's gone, will his wife regret not having a slightly smaller mortgage or will she regret not having memories of Disneyworld. Yes, I'm all about financial responsibility, but experiences can't be bought later, a little debt can be paid later.

morgante 13y ago

> visiting family means you have to stay in a hotel That part did seem odd to me. If they're true family (ie. worth visiting), why isn't he staying with them?

scottjad 13y ago
Maybe they don't have room for 6 visitors (for a month in one case, assuming he's not going to spend a month away from his immediate family).
- jf22 13y ago
  Homes in America are pretty large. I can't think of a place I've lived that can't support 6 extra people, 4 of them being kids. It may not be comfortable but its probably less comfortable than not seeing your family because you can't afford a hotel.
  - jason_slack 13y ago
    Then you haven't lived in enough places. I can look up and down my entire street and tell you that maybe 1 house could a married couple + 6 extra people, 4 of them being kids.

adventured 13y ago

What Capitalism? America is the largest welfare state in history. Total government expenditures are nearly the size of China's GDP. What we have is corporatism, plunder by a combination of bureaucrats + government protected corporations (see: Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, Exxon, Pfizer, etc). I wish we had Capitalism. All we have is an extraordinarily misdirected, poorly run welfare state.

chongli 13y ago
You can't separate the state out like that and pretend it's not a player. Capitalism is what gives rise to corporatism. Oh, and welfare state is not a bad word. Some of the most prosperous and equitable countries in the world are welfare states[0]. [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_model http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_model
- adventured 13y ago
  A poorly run welfare state is a bad word, to so speak, and that's exactly what America has. Some of the worst functioning countries on earth are also very poorly run welfare states. Feel free to point out several poorly functioning, free market Capitalism countries though. Socialism is what gives rise to Corporatism. The intrusion of government into the economy - rather than the proper separation of the two - through regulation and bribes, opening up a flood gate of protectionism, lobbying and special favors. I'm well aware of the arguments on the nordic model. Most of them had to reform their poorly functioning welfare models over the last few decades (see: Sweden). http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0803/international-invest-guide-obama-sweden-public-downsizing.html http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0803/international-invest-...
  - chongli 13y ago
    If you acknowledge that "welfare state" is not a bad word, then why not just say "a poorly run state is bad"? Adding the word welfare serves only to confuse and misdirect the reader.
    - 13y ago

czzarr 13y ago

That's not capitalism. That's the credit system and nanny state at work.

scottjad 13y ago

Capitalism is beautiful. It's the reason someone built the home that his family lives in. It's the reason why the resources and technologies to build that home were used for that purpose instead of another. It's the reason why people loaned him money to buy that home. It's the reason people built his van instead of something else. It's the reason a stranger is willing to dispose of his body. It's the reason cremation is so affordable if they choose that option. Capitalism is the reason there will be a hotel with a room available when he goes to visit family. It's the reason there will be gas at the gas stations along the way. It's the reason Disneyworld will still be operating when he gets there. Most important of all, Capitalism is the reason why so many of his peers are wealthy enough to afford the basic survival needs of themselves and their own families that they are able to donate some of their surplus to help this family in need. That said, I agree that consumerism and living beyond one's means and not saving for a rainy day and distorted markets are problems.

stefantalpalaru 13y ago
s/Capitalism/Slavery/g and your argument still holds

Spockulus_Rift 13y ago

Fuck this beggar, fuck his family, fuck Disneyland, and most of all, fuck Wil Wheaton.

aaron695 13y ago

> Capitalism is beautiful No, I think it's more we are so selfish. Which has always been the case in history. But now we are better educated and more informed so should be pushing for a more compassionate, logical and less racist society over the current owning stuff society. It is a philosophy that might be possible for at least part of the population. Bill Gates is doing it. He's helping the worlds real poor. We need part of the population to start to realise people in the 3rd world are as human as the people down the road even if they seem different. And for a lot less cost than a fancy funeral one could actually save lives. A family could get to keep their father or mother or child.