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To defer a bit fromt he topic, but what was mentioned earlier:
I went on my lunch break, and found these 2 things.
Again.. they don't have much of a message..except "plz give me things"
The tea party had professional crack pots show up & OWS attracts its share as well. That doesn't mean anything in terms of the over all message. Was everyone in the tea party a Klan member because David Duke endorsed it? That's silly and you know it. Does it mean that OWS is run by socialists or communists? No, for exactly the same reason.
The tea party had professional crack pots show up & OWS attracts its share as well. That doesn't mean anything in terms of the over all message. Was everyone in the tea party a Klan member because David Duke endorsed it? That's silly and you know it. Does it mean that OWS is run by socialists or communists? No, for exactly the same reason.
But I never said they all where, though. This particular movement I find confusing simply because there's no clear message.. but I do see a lot of anti-capitalist signs overall. If that's NOT their message, they are giving me, an observer, the impress that it is what it's all about.
The OWS/Occupy (City) concept of this thread is just secondary. Sure I was using that as an example, but globally speaking it seems like a lot of countries hate us because we're capitalists. Perhaps I should have included that in the OP... LOL
I don't mind people possessing things, I would not want to live in a Communist country and I don't know anyone who does.
But I do think many people including myself don't agree with the obscene and absurd differences in the amounts of stuff people possess. It seems to me we desperately need some sort of upper cap or limit, ideally implemented voluntarily by people themselves.
Apart from that maybe expression such as 'human capital' don't help much either, as they reduce humans to some simple value.
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Why aren't they protesting in front of the White House and other federal government buildings in DC? Let's face it, the banks took freebies, and these protesters would too if they had freebies offered to them. Their anger is focused in the wrong direction; they should be protesting at those who gave it out, not those who received it.
Seems like there's a double standard, depending on who (and what party) is in control of the White House at the time.
Why aren't they protesting in front of the White House and other federal government buildings in DC? Let's face it, the banks took freebies, and these protesters would too if they had freebies offered to them. Their anger is focused in the wrong direction; they should be protesting at those who gave it out, not those who received it.
Seems like there's a double standard, depending on who (and what party) is in control of the White House at the time.
I understand what you're saying--you think that people are protesting wall street because they don't want to go after Obama, since he's the president. I don't think that's it--I think people are pretty ticked off at Obama AND Congress. Look at their approval ratings--Congress is at 13% right now, and the president is at 40%, at least according to gallup. Both are in the toilet.
I'm a moderate R--I think you have to get past party on this one. Is it Obama, or John Boehner's fault that the system has been so corrupted over the last 20 or 30 years? They both walked into this--it's what we have now, and it's been moving in that direction for most of my adult lifetime. The only consistent player in this is big money. If people were protesting congress and the white house, this would turn into a partisan mess, with one side finger pointing at the other when they're both to blame for letting it happen. It's also an international problem--it's not just here. By focusing on Wall Street, it leaves the door open for both sides to respond and make changes. We've had enough gridlock--this should be something that both sides can agree with.
Who can be against getting special interests out of elections? The r's have been complaining about unions and George Soros forever, and the D's about the Koch brothers and Karl Rove. It all needs to stop.
I think the issue is that capitalism aggravates the our fundamentally selfish nature. We evolved in environments where food was scarce,so we have a fundamental desire to grab as much as we can, while we can. However, most of us can only eat so much at a sitting, so we stop.
The problem is, the person who is a multimillionaire is never satisfied. They still act like paying 2% more tax would be the same a seeing their child starve. It is absurd. We don't have a natural sense of proportion, which civilization demands (everyone cannot have everything all the time and live in peace), and which must be cultivated through societal rules and norms.
The genius of capitalism is that is taps into our fundamental selfishness. It is also the curse of capitalism, because once one attains wealth and power, the hunger never stops, and in a world of finite wealth, the wealthy and well-connnected must prey on the rest to keep their profits growing exponentially. Somewhere along the line, many corporate types have gone from being innovators and entrepreneurs to parasites on society.
So to edit Gordon Gekko, Some greed it good, but too much greed will destroy society. There is no such thing as too much greed on Wall Street.
I think the issue is that capitalism aggravates the our fundamentally selfish nature. We evolved in environments where food was scarce,so we have a fundamental desire to grab as much as we can, while we can. However, most of us can only eat so much at a sitting, so we stop.
The problem is, the person who is a multimillionaire is never satisfied. They still act like paying 2% more tax would be the same a seeing their child starve. It is absurd. We don't have a natural sense of proportion, which civilization demands (everyone cannot have everything all the time and live in peace), and which must be cultivated through societal rules and norms.
The genius of capitalism is that is taps into our fundamental selfishness. It is also the curse of capitalism, because once one attains wealth and power, the hunger never stops, and in a world of finite wealth, the wealthy and well-connnected must prey on the rest to keep their profits growing exponentially. Somewhere along the line, many corporate types have gone from being innovators and entrepreneurs to parasites on society.
So to edit Gordon Gekko, Some greed it good, but too much greed will destroy society. There is no such thing as too much greed on Wall Street.
Very good post
With eating there is a natural limit, but with virtual money there is no such limit.
Why do people think that not supporting out of control greed or CEOs that make a ludicrous amounts (and yes I think CEOs should make more than the average worker but it is out of control now) compared to the average worker means that you don't support capitalism? Why is that if I'm concerned with growing gap in income inequality that I don't support captialism? Why is it that to support capitalism, I should put all my trust in the wealthiest 1% and believe that they actually have my best interest at heart? Why is it that if I don't bash and attack the poor (including the working poor) that I don't support capitalism? Why is that if I believe that certain social programs should exist or that every American should have health care that I don't support capitalism?
BS...I do support capitalism...I don't support greed, nor do I support people dying or starving because they are poor or unemployed.
... Why am I paying taxes out the nose and actually creating jobs while they (mega business) get a free ride and contribute NOTHING to this country. I think I should have a voice too.
Hmmmm.... "Nothing" ???? How about cars, trucks, telephones, printers, clothing, furniture, houses, computers, etc, etc.....
That's the spin. The "1%" is hiding behind the banner of capitalism when in fact they get their wealth of corporate socialism. They don't do any work except receive money from the Fed and loan it at high interest.
I know a lot of 1% people and none of them "receive money from the Fed and loan it at high interest."
Maybe you should do a little research.
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