Not too hard to see what you've been
reading.
I read a lot of things. I am a news junkie. I
read cnn, usatoday, foxnews, huffingtonpost, reason.com, bunches and bunches of
tech news and blogs, including yours, PJ. I am a big believer in not falling
into the confirmation
bias trap. I read lots and lots, and I make it a point to read things I
know I might disagree with. What exactly do you think I have been reading?
I'll make a deal with you. You pick out any book (of reasonable length & in
English) for me to read, and I will pick one out for you to read.
But you know the US has tried little or no
regulation. You
know what happens? Things like
robber barons and companies in W. Va.
killing
people trying to unionize and products that
either kill people or make
them very sick and
economic collapse because no one was looking
out for anybody
but themself.
I am not advocating no regulation. I think
regulation is vital in many instances. However, in this case, I think the market
can provide as good or better solution. In situations like that I advocate no
regulation.
We are far, far from little regulation. Here is a graph showing that regulations are not
little.
The current economic crisis was precisely
because
folks like Greenspan believed so much in the
so-called free market, they
assumed the banks
wouldn't be so stupid as to destroy the world's money
system.
I am no fan of Greenspan or the FED. The FED tries
to control the market. And you are right to call the free market in banking into
question. It was and is far from being free. By insuring deposits where the
money can be lent out and by bailing out "too big to fail" banks, the government
has created perverse incentives that have contributed to the crisis.
But they did, and us little people had to
bail them out.
Ditto the Depression.
What happened to the free market
when the banks wanted our
tax money, by the way?
It all proved to me that Ayn Rand was an idiot,
an
ideologue who knew nothing about real life
and what really motivates people and
how
undiluted self interest ends up invariably
hurting others, sometimes killing
other people
for no reason except that it was cost-effective.
Why do you think
toxic dumps happen? Because
companies are selfish and don't care if people
die,
that's why. Why do they sell cigarettes
in ads tailored to
children?
No, we did not have to bail them out. Capitalism
is not just about profit & success. Loss & failure are an essential
part of capitalism and the free market and our government interfered with that
and has been interfering for a long time. This is not the place to argue about
the Depression, but suffice it to say I think our government's policies before
and its reactions to the start of the Depression made things worse.
I am
not an Objectivist. I believe that there is plenty to be critical of in Ayn
Rand's writing/philosophy, but I also think she had some ideas that are
worthwhile, just as there are good and bad things in The Communist
Manifesto
Sure there is a lot of bad things that happen such as toxic
waste being dumped and cigarettes being targeted at children. As I keep saying
and you seem to keep ignoring is that I am not against all regulation. I don't
believe pure capitalism is the answer. We have a mixed economy. It is just you
and I disagree on exactly how much regulation is optimal. I also believe for
every case of toxic waste dumps and cigarette hawking there are many, many more
of people not acting in a manner harmful to others. I also believe that no
amount of regulation can totally eliminate the sort of evils you
describe
You know what they do in China to sell
people
granite? They paint it to make it look dark,
and then when you install it
and wash it, the
paint bleeds out. Why? Because there are no
regulations and
people are selfish sometimes.
Regulations are to deal with selfish people
who
don't care if somebody else dies as long
as they make
money.
As a paralegal, you know we have a thing called
torts in this country. Any company in this country that tried that would have
its reputation hurt, a complaint to the BBB, and possibly a law suit. We
already have plenty of laws on the books against this sort of fraud. A
regulation aimed specifically at granite sellers would be superfluous.
So, while you have a point that government can
become
oppressive, hence the checks and balances
that mostly are ignored currently,
there is
clearly some role for government. And pretending
that human greed isn't
a factor, or that with
populations like the US's no regulation will be
fine
(think stop signs), or that companies will
do what is beneficial for the country
in a world
where the biggest companies are international
in scope and couldn't
care less
about Americans (cf. outsourcing), when we've
seen the truth play out
is to live in dream land.
Of course there is a role for
government. Just because I don't think there is not a case for it in this
instance doesn't mean I never think there is.
Yes, human "greed" has
always been a factor in every society no matter how it was set up and governed.
But what is greed really? I think anyone who buys a lottery ticket is greedy.
They want millions and millions of dollars for one dollar. I also believe it is
okay for them to want that. Words like "greed" have a negative connotation.
People use that word when they want to put down someone wanting something. But
when people approve of someone wanting something, they call them "industrious"
or "ambitious." With very few exceptions, people get money in this country by
providing someone else something they want (want & greed go hand in hand).
Don't think of money as anything other than a certificate of service. I come
over to your house and fix your plumbing. You give me so many certificates of
service as proof I have served your need. I take those certificates and I give
them to someone who fixes my car. That next person takes them the grocer who
has already given the farmer certificates of service for his crops. Money
changes hands because we are serving one another providing for our wants (greed)
and needs. That is the magic of capitalism. Capitalism depends on the profit
motive. And profit motive is just a nicer name for
greed.
Companies get so into money, they will actually
harm
people that they view as "a problem." I've
lived that with the SCO folk, backed
by
Microsoft money, so don't bother
telling me that doesn't
happen
No, I am not going to tell you that doesn't happen.
But I will tell you that that is not the way most companies and people conduct
themselves. Any system is going to have people who try to abuse it and no
amount of regulation will totally eliminate it. We need regulation, but in
measured amounts. Trying to regulate down to the last detail is stifling and
does more harm than good. Balance in all things. [ Reply to This | Parent | # ]
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