Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[littlefallsmets]

Yeah, pretty much douchebag ivorytower intellectual boilerplate.

Certainly, some of the early protesters on the ground have been broad and imprecise about describing "Capitalism" as one giant vague force that is completely wrong... but nuance don't fit perfectly on signs and in a protest movement, especially early on, you don't always have the most elegant of spokespeople.

But that's only an excuse to throw the baby out with the bathwater if you're LOOKING for an excuse to fuck*ng kill the baby, as some theoretical rightwing intellectual would want to, to prop up his own theories and sell books.

None of the theoretical extremes works, left right or centre, no douchenozzle of any stripe sitting in a distant office getting slurped off by TAs is gonna have a real answer to real problems.

These are real nuanced problems on the ground that need nuanced solutions, yes, conceded from the start. But conceded for all sides, not just the sides we don't like.

[theinevitable]

um, something like that.

I think the way he describes it, "the foxes guarding the henhouse" is apt. But simply saying "so then let's get rid of the henhouse guards, and let the hens fend for themselves" is not the solution. New foxes will come along.

What I'm trying to say is, regulation of the economy is always going to be tricky. I don't know who I trust, or what theories I trust, to regulate it. The best we can do is have a rough balance so that neither side can screw things up too far. Right now, it seems to me, that we've swung way too far in one direction-- deregulation of financial markets, crony capitalism, etc.

[Arachno-capitalist]

Wow. The man is actually defending OWS and goes no further than describing basic facts of life like "Wealth is created by producing things people value" and "Government programs will be exploited by self-interested people and organizations" I don't know what you guys are finding so offensive.
All this guy has done with his life is study economics 24/7, so his description of reality makes him a "douchebag", but the vague and imprecise messages of the protesters are just "misunderstood" and too early on to make sense?

[wombat]

I'm with A-Cap on this one, LFM, it seems you are are responding to something else than what that guy actually says in the video.

But Inev seems to hit the nail on the head on one point. Yeah, capitalism that involved only producing stuff people want, instead of playing games with money and influence - that would be great. But what is the chance that it could exist in nature for very long? I totally believe that there is nothing evil about producing stuff people want, employing people to make the stuff, and taking money for the stuff from people who got the money by being employed by other people to make other stuff. Logically that sounds like a great system. Utopian, almost. The problem is that in reality, it's not exactly working out for us anymore. People can't seem to resist the temptation to figure out ways to game the system.

[theinevitable]

the thing that bothers me is the leap from the stuff he started out with to "therefore, the solution is to deregulate."

[wombat]

Yeah, I don't see how you keep people from gaming the system without regulation, but then, people start to game the regulation system.

I don't know what the answer is, I just hope someone figures it out before I end up an old lady living on the street in a cardboard box.

[Choop]

capitalism will never work as described by prof hoozit because doritos

[littlefallsmets]

the thing that bothers me is the leap from the stuff he started out with to "therefore, the solution is to deregulate."

Exactly. That's exactly what's douchey about it.

Deregulation has, at EVERY SINGLE STEP, made these problems worse and the douche is in the "well, I got my book with a theory in it that says the problem is that there's any regulation at all"...

And it's just douchey fuckin' theorizing. If you're admitting that these people have grievances but then you're gonna say that the thing that has always made it worse is going to fix everything by doing the most of that awful thing you possibly can, that's theoretical pissing.

That's someone liking the way things are going because they fit their theories, no matter the human cost, and trying to manipulate the situation to play out his theories even more by lying.

That's "go fuck yourself" territory.

[Arachno-capitalist]

I've learned that when a discussion dissolves into 12 year old name calling to just back out and let the other person figure out themselves. He was talking about removing moral hazard and identifying the corrupt influences that exist in government. You've got to move on from this prejudice against 'book learnin' and considering people who dedicate their lives to the study of the science of money as douches. We can all rap about how things aught to be and then there is reality.

[littlefallsmets]

This guy's dick move agenda deserves harsh words. Harsh words aren't just about being immature.

Sometimes they're a flabbergasted reaction to an educated man refusing to leave an indefensible position just to prove some ideological point.

But I respect your right to pull outta the conversation if that's your thing.

[Nabubrush]

capitalism will never work as described by prof hoozit because doritos

Or a can of dr. pepper

[lprkn]

The happiest guy I know is a dude who went to trade school and became a plumber. He has a business, a house, an El Torino he makes love to, and a family.

Torino-human hybrid children?

[side_show]

Occupy Winnipeg is looking pretty sad.  Went by today, and all there were was some empty tents and no movement.  I think all that's left is a few homeless people who I recognize as folks who regularly camp out in on the streets.  Winter will put a damper on such things out our way.