Capitalism is the real 'agent of change'

Wavels

Well-Known Member
IMO, Mr. Steyn is among the best of the best political commentators working today!


By MARK STEYN

This past week's issue of the Economist has a heart-rending vignette from one of the most ruthlessly capitalist industries on the planet:
"In 2006 EMI, the world's fourth-biggest recorded-music company, invited some teenagers into its headquarters in London to talk to its top managers about their listening habits. At the end of the session the EMI bosses thanked them for their comments and told them to help themselves to a big pile of CDs sitting on a table. But none of the teens took any of the CDs, even though they were free."
"That was the moment we realized the game was completely up," an EMI exec told the magazine. In the United States, album sales in 2007 were down 19 percent from 2006. Don't blame me. I still buy plenty of CDs. But that's because I like Doris Day, and every time I try to insert one of these newfangled MP3s into my fax machine it doesn't seem to play. But if you're not Mister Squaresville, and you dig whatever caterwauling beat combo those London hep cats are digging on their iPods, chances are you find the local record store about as groovy as the Elks Lodge.
Now there are generally two reactions to the above story. If you're like me, you're reminded yet again why you love capitalism. It's dynamic. And the more capitalist your economy, the more dynamic it is. Every great success story is vulnerable to the next great success story – which is why teenagers aren't picking their CDs from the Sears-Roebuck catalog. There's a word for this. Now let me see. What was it again?
Oh, yeah: "change." Innovation drives change, the market drives change. Government "change" just drives things away: You could ask many of the New Hampshire primary voters who formerly resided in Massachusetts.
Nevertheless, between Iowa and New Hampshire, almost every presidential contender found himself lapsing into boilerplate assertions that he was the "candidate of change" – or even, as both McCain and Hillary put it, an "agent of change," which sounds far more exotic, as if they're James Bond and Pussy Galore covertly driving the Aston Martin across some international frontier, pressing the ejector button and dropping a ton of government regulation on some hapless foreigners.
But it's capitalism that's the real "agent of change." Politicians, on the whole, prefer stasis, at least on everything for which they already have responsibility. That's the lesson King Canute was trying to teach his courtiers when he took them down to the beach and let the tide roll in: Government has its limits. In most of the Western world, the tide is rolling in on demographically and economically unsustainable entitlements, but that doesn't stop politicians getting out their beach chairs and promising to create even more. That's government "change".
What's the second reaction to that EMI story? Perhaps even now John Edwards is rallying the crowd at the last CD mill in America's declining rap belt, comforting the 9-year-old coatless daughter of a laid-off mill worker who started there in 1904 making wax cylinders of the Columbia Male Quartet singing "Sweet Adeline," and later pressed million of 78's of Ukulele Ike singing "Who Takes Care of the Caretaker's Daughter While the Caretaker's Busy Taking Care?," and millions of 45's of the Swinging Blue Jeans singing "The Hippy Hippy Shake," and millions of CDs of Three 6 Mafia ]singing "Hit A Motherf-----," only to be cut down in his prime and thrown on the scrapheap because Americans have outsourced their record collection to the computer.
"I will never stop fighting for you," Edwards will be telling them. "No matter how they try to stop me. I feel the spirit of Al Jolson speaking through me. He's saying, climb upon my knee, Sonny Boy, though you're 53, Sonny Boy, I'll never stop condescending to you."
Heigh-ho. "They" can try to stop Edwards, and if by "they" you mean primary voters in New Hampshire, they're doing a pretty good job of it. But what's going on over on the Republican side? John McCain demonizes Big Pharma – i.e., the private pharmaceutical companies that create, develop and manufacture the drugs that all these socialized health care systems in every corner of the planet are utterly dependent on. He voted for Sarbanes-Oxley, a quintessential congressional overreaction (to Enron) that buries American companies in wasteful paperwork and hands huge advantages to stock exchanges in London, Hong Kong and elsewhere.
But why stop there? McCain is also gung ho for all the most economically disruptive Big Government solutions to "climate change." Apparently, that's the only change these candidates aren't in favor of. When it comes to the climate, McCain and Hillary are agents of nonchange. McCain has an almost Edwardian contempt for capitalism, for the people whose wit and innovation generate the revenue that pay for your average small-state senator's retinue of staffers worthy of a Persian Gulf emir.
As for Mike Huckabee, last seen comparing his success in Iowa to the miracle of the loaves and fishes (New Hampshire, alas, was loaves-and-fishes in reverse: he took his Iowa catch and turned it into one rotting fish head in Lake Winnipesaukee), in Thursday night's debate he was attacked for raising taxes in Arkansas. "What I raised," riposted the Huckster, "was hope."
Terrific. In a Huckabee administration, nothing is certain but hope and taxes. Did he poll-test the line? Was it originally "What I didn't raise was tobacco"? Or did he misread the line? Did he mean to say "hogs"? Is there any correlation between taxes and hope? If you cut taxes by 20 percent, does hope nosedive off the cliff? Not for those of us who were hoping for a tax cut. And is there any evidence that he "raised hope"? Hope of what? Huck's line is a degradation of FDR: We have nothing to hope for but hope itself.
Barack Obama, of course, called it "the audacity of hope." I'll say. Those London music-biz execs must look at our primary election season and marvel. In what other industry can you clean up with such insipid bromides?
"So what you selling today?"
"Well, we got two products. Over here, on this bare shelf, we've got 'Hope.' And over here, in this entirely empty display cabinet, we've got 'Change.' Or you could go for one of our two-for-one packages, 'The Hope of Change' or 'A Change of Hope.'"
In the midst of the world's lousiest Presidents Day sale, let us give thanks to the Democratic voters of New Hampshire, who took a cooler look at Barack Obama and decided that the audacity of hope was perhaps less audacious than shameless. Sen. Obama seems a perfectly pleasant fellow, if somewhat cravenly in thrall to every cobwebbed Democratic piety. However, his platform is platitude piled upon platitude.
As Barack floats off to the gaseous uplands of soft-focus abstract buzzwords, it would be nice if Republicans could have their feet planted on something firmer than Huckabee's big-government mush. Like those teenagers surveying the table of EMI CDs, grown-up voters should look at the display of anachronistic freebies peddled by politicians singing the same old songs, and coolly walk on by.
Opinion: Capitalism, not government, the real 'agent of change' | change, hope, cds, government, stop - OCRegister.com
 

medicineman

New Member
I believe this is called Opinion. And Opinion is as fallable as Tim Mallarky's ass. I could opine about the benefits of communal living and cum-bay-ya, but I'll leave that to someone more qualified. Capitalism is about people with capital making large sums of money off of other peoples labor. How hard is that to figure out?
 

Johnnyorganic

Well-Known Member
I believe this is called Opinion. And Opinion is as fallable as Tim Mallarky's ass. I could opine about the benefits of communal living and cum-bay-ya, but I'll leave that to someone more qualified. Capitalism is about people with capital making large sums of money off of other peoples labor. How hard is that to figure out?
My opinion is that capitalism is responsible for pulling millions upon millions upon millions out of poverty; more people rescued from poverty by capitalism than any other economic system. Labor is rewarded under capitalism. You seem to think capitalism is some sort of slavery.

Less governmental interference would allow capitalism to flourish. By less interference I am referring to less taxes, and less onerous regulations, which only serve to choke economic growth. What economic system would you replace it with?
 

medicineman

New Member
My opinion is that capitalism is responsible for pulling millions upon millions upon millions out of poverty; more people rescued from poverty by capitalism than any other economic system. Labor is rewarded under capitalism. You seem to think capitalism is some sort of slavery.

Less governmental interference would allow capitalism to flourish. By less interference I am referring to less taxes, and less onerous regulations, which only serve to choke economic growth. What economic system would you replace it with?
Remove the incessant greed from capitalism and I'm fine with it. It's when the only thing that matters is the bottom line that I get disgusted with the precept, you know, greedy investors pushing greedy CEOs to cut wages, benefits, and all things beneficial to workers, including their jobs. Then it is an evil commodity, and that is exactly where it is now. Also in that list of evils are included, rape and pillage of mother earth, spewing tons and tons of airborne pollutants and liquid effluents into the air, land, and water with no regards towards responsibility. Cure these ills and you'll regain my allegiance to capitalism.
 

Johnnyorganic

Well-Known Member
Remove the incessant greed from capitalism and I'm fine with it. It's when the only thing that matters is the bottom line that I get disgusted with the precept, you know, greedy investors pushing greedy CEOs to cut wages, benefits, and all things beneficial to workers, including their jobs. Then it is an evil commodity, and that is exactly where it is now. Also in that list of evils are included, rape and pillage of mother earth, spewing tons and tons of airborne pollutants and liquid effluents into the air, land, and water with no regards towards responsibility. Cure these ills and you'll regain my allegiance to capitalism.
What would you replace it with?

Greed will exist regardless of what system is in place. The truth is that under any economic model, a small percentage of the population runs the show and draws the benefits of that power. Otherwise Cuba, Viet Nam and North Korea would all be flourishing. Under free enterprise the power to change your circumstances is limited by your own drive. Under socialism and communism, power resides within the government and the vast majority are left out in the cold regardless of how hard one works.

Consider Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union and tell me communism results in responsible stewardship of the earth. Compare those environmental toilets with the environment in the U.S. We have cleaner water and cleaner air than most of the planet.

The bottom line for me is this: Under capitalism, I decide how far I will go. Capitalism not easy. Freedom is hard work. Under communism or socialism, I am at the mercy of government for my well being. Furthermore, there is no incentive to increase productivity and the economy ultimately stagnates.
 

medicineman

New Member
What would you replace it with?

Greed will exist regardless of what system is in place. The truth is that under any economic model, a small percentage of the population runs the show and draws the benefits of that power. Otherwise Cuba, Viet Nam and North Korea would all be flourishing. Under free enterprise the power to change your circumstances is limited by your own drive. Under socialism and communism, power resides within the government and the vast majority are left out in the cold regardless of how hard one works.

Consider Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union and tell me communism results in responsible stewardship of the earth. Compare those environmental toilets with the environment in the U.S. We have cleaner water and cleaner air than most of the planet.

The bottom line for me is this: Under capitalism, I decide how far I will go. Capitalism not easy. Freedom is hard work. Under communism or socialism, I am at the mercy of government for my well being. Furthermore, there is no incentive to increase productivity and the economy ultimately stagnates.
Rah-Rah-Rah, good for you, work hard and you will succeed. Isn't that what you've been told all your life? Well Mr., it's bullshit. Work hard and you may get to keep your measley job if it's not sent overseas or farmed out to illegals. The actual percentage of people starting out with nothing and succeeding is so low that it doesn't even rate a percentage point. Something like 0.00015%. The falacy of capitalism raising all boats is pure bullshit. It raises the megatankers and the rowboats are swamped. Like I said, remove the greed factor and Capitalism would be fine. With the greed factor, capitalism is a licence to steal by the priveleged few. A boss (in general) only cares about what you can do for him and the (what he can do for you thing) thats non-existent. Don't come back with "he pays your wages" because we both know he pays the absolute least he can get away with. I've owned my own businesses and I always paid more than my competitors. I was the exception, but it worked for me. I found the loyalty and work ethic was much improved if the employees knew that in their occupation, I paid the most. Too bad all bosses weren't like me. Maybe then Capitalism wouldn't be such a shitpile.
 

Johnnyorganic

Well-Known Member
The actual percentage of people starting out with nothing and succeeding is so low that it doesn't even rate a percentage point. Something like 0.00015%.
Anytime you throw a number at me I expect you to source it.

What about greed? It will exist regardless of the economic model. Greed is a human trait that will not die with capitalism.
 

medicineman

New Member
Anytime you throw a number at me I expect you to source it.

What about greed? It will exist regardless of the economic model. Greed is a human trait that will not die with capitalism.
#1, source Archemedes. All other #s are derivatives of this # and therefore require no further interpretation, or am I missing something. Forget the 0.00015 thing and just take a common sense look at capitalism. If you are capable of common sense, you will know I'm in the ballpark with my #. Give me an alternative number, Remember, not long ago the USA hit 300,000,000 people (Source US census bureau). How many that start out on the bottom of the shit pile ever climb to the top?
 

Johnnyorganic

Well-Known Member
#1, source Archemedes. All other #s are derivatives of this # and therefore require no further interpretation, or am I missing something. Forget the 0.00015 thing and just take a common sense look at capitalism. If you are capable of common sense, you will know I'm in the ballpark with my #. Give me an alternative number, Remember, not long ago the USA hit 300,000,000 people (Source US census bureau). How many that start out on the bottom of the shit pile ever climb to the top?
Sigh. Rhetoric 101. You made the assertion, you provide the proof. You are fun to smack around.
 

Johnnyorganic

Well-Known Member
Yeah, I know, when I deal with idiots I deserve this bullshit, so to you my less than intelligent friend I say good night.
Time to roll up your banners and leave the field, eh? Good choice. How does it feel to be bested by an less than intelligent idiot?
 

ViRedd

New Member
Johnny ...

You are dealing with someone who is all over the map politically. When bested, he resorts to foul-mouthed, ignorant attacks. He hates corporations without realizing that a corporation is not a building, but instead, a group of people. These people are the investors, among which includes 80% of Americans from all walks of life who invest in the stock market. He blusters about punishing corporations with onerous tax rates, then bitches about corporations moving off shore and out sourcing jobs. He can't put the thought together that the United States has the highest corporate tax rate on the planet, and therefore the cause of out sourcing to India, Mexico, South America and China. I mean, if you drive businesses out of the country, what are the corporations supposed to do ... buy American workers plane tickets so they can work in those foreign countries? In another thread, he says that either Ron Paul or Mike Huckster would be a good choice for president as far as he's concerned, not realizing that the two candidates are 180 degrees out of sync. Trying to relate anything to him regarding liberty or the maintainance thereof is a lost cause. So ... sorry, Bro ... you're wasting your time. You are talking to a mind that is stone-blind to the truth. You are talking to a man who would give buggy-whip factories government handouts. You are talking to a man who believes that some miracle may happen to change human nature to stamp out greed when only a system of FORCE could do that. You are taking to a man who has no concept that greed, properly focused, is a positive thing. You are taking to a man who has already admitted several times on this forum that he supports every idea presented by the U.S. Communist Party.

You can expect him to rant and rave about this post I'm making ... He'll call me all kinds of names. He'll be his usual insulting, bad-mouthing ass, blustering, foaming at the mouth, while trying to convince the youngsters on the site that he's a real bad-ass ... but it's OK because I have him on Ignore and can't see his bullshit anymore ... unless someone posts what he writes by quoting his nonsense. :blsmoke:

Vi

PS: I think your analysis is spot on, by the way. :)
 

Johnnyorganic

Well-Known Member
You know Vi, it's funny that he becomes so abusive when he runs out of cogent points. I would lay money that if we were all in the same room that gentleman would be my bitch. It's easy to be a tough guy when you are at the end of a DSL.
 

Wavels

Well-Known Member
Med is so predictable.
He flails and sputters when his lack of logic is exposed.
Med, Johnny asked you a very simple question which you typically ignored.
This simple question cuts to the chase, so to speak....here it is again...


What would you replace it with?




Capitalism, complete with warts and other assorted imperfections is the best system as yet devised by man to elevate the human condition. More people have improved their quality of life due to the direct or indirect influence of some form of capitalism.
And yet you would have us replace this system with precisely what?
The silence is deafening. You bluster about greed, and exude envy and bitterness.
Do you not realize that the so called greed that you so gleefully disparage is what drives many of those among us to excel in whatever endeavor they choose?
Freedom is what drives human excellence and genius.

What rationale allows you to wish to throw the baby out with the bath water?
 

ViRedd

New Member
Med is so predictable.
He flails and sputters when his lack of logic is exposed.
Med, Johnny asked you a very simple question which you typically ignored.
This simple question cuts to the chase, so to speak....here it is again...


What would you replace it with?




Capitalism, complete with warts and other assorted imperfections is the best system as yet devised by man to elevate the human condition. More people have improved their quality of life due to the direct or indirect influence of some form of capitalism.
And yet you would have us replace this system with precisely what?
The silence is deafening. You bluster about greed, and exude envy and bitterness.
Do you not realize that the so called greed that you so gleefully disparage is what drives many of those among us to excel in whatever endeavor they choose?
Freedom is what drives human excellence and genius.

What rationale allows you to wish to throw the baby out with the bath water?
Yes ... and as I've said many times on this forum ... Waiting for Med-o-Stalinist to respond with a RATIONAL answer or solution, is like dropping a pebble into a bottomless well. You wait, and wait, and wait ... and never hear the splash.

Vi
 
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