Socialism reminds me of a religion.

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fletch_talon

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And the poor, starving, poverty stricken and uneducated dregs of society all slept soundly in their cardboard boxes that night, for science had proven that capitalism was "awesome".

Meanwhile footage has just come in of president Obama's face sporting a few more wrinkles, stressful job? Or has the dark lord Satan forgotten to iron his fleshy human mask.
 

Anton P. Nym

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Dele said:
Scientific method has brought us proof that Capitalism is in every way a superior way of handing the economy,
Okay, in the spirit of the scientific method, I'll ask that you follow it. If you have the proof, please present it. Also, please present details of the experimental method used to derive this proof in the spirit of allowing others to check your work for possible errors or for further implications that could be derived from the proof.

(That's how science really works, by the way. Claims aren't just made, they're made with the evidence behind them to back them up and all details made available to allow other scientists to check the findings.)

In actual fact, it's history that shows that capitalism is a good way of generating additional wealth and concentrating it for application to generating further additional wealth. It also shows that capitalism works much better under certain circumstances and for certain goals than others; and that it fails under other conditions and at certain goals. It's prone to "boom and bust" cycles, which can be very disruptive.

The world is far too complex to be fully governed by one, single theory no matter how pretty it may seem; a point I wish more Objectivists and ultra-capitalists (and ardent communists, for that matter) would recognise.

-- Steve
 

LewsTherin

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Glefistus said:
LewsTherin said:
Cheeze_Pavilion said:
Glefistus said:
Science never proved that Capitalism is a better economic system.
Sure it has.

Many times.

Strangely, the science of economics always seems to prove Capitalism is the better economic system right before the economy crashes...
Those scientists are usually part of a capitalist system. I see it as a case of "our way is better than yours and here's why" instead of true science, which must by neutral by definition.
You aint a scientist if you don't use the scientific method.
QED, old bean :D
 

jboking

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Dele said:
As always, science tends to throw our sweet dreams into a trash bin and anchor us to the cold harsh reality. Scientific method has brought us proof that Capitalism is in every way a superior way of handing the economy, yet it constantly faces harsh opposition from believers who represent the "moral option" and deny science partly or completely. Even worse, it's impossible to argue with such people, because you are using logical arguments, models and principles they have abandoned altogether and more sophisticated proof requires years of studying.

Capitalism vs Socialism -threads seem to be doomed into falling to the same "YES, NO" -type of arguing that makes religious threads so tiresome.
I don't care about the socialism thing. That's fine, because you are right, fanatical socialists are like that. So are fanatical communists. So are fanatical...well anything.

However, your analysis of Capitalism is a bit off. If you would like to say science proves all of this I am going to have to ask for one very important thing: a source. If you don't have one than it is not science proving this. It seems that you may be reaching to say that history has proven this, the problem is, it hasn't. America is a great example of a capitalist society. It seems great for everyone, they all get the sweat of their own brow and all that. However, it doesn't take long for one person to rise to the top and earn more than others while the sweating occurs on other peoples brow.

While Competition often breeds success, and even has in the US, it also does one other thing: Discourage anyone else who would like to compete with those who were already successful. Why would they after all? Loose all of my money and get bought out before I can even get my company on it's feet? I think I'll pass. Of course, if someone doesn't do the illogical thing and compete with them, then how do we keep a check on the people that are currently successful. How are we supposed to keep them from charging exorbitant fees? This is how monopolies are made. This is why MS was split into two. This is why capitalism without any socialist values doesn't work.

Also, think, which country had one of the greatest depressions of all time? The good old US of A. It took a war and selling to other nations on the blood of dead soldiers to even get back to normal. I don't really feel like getting into this too much, as it should be obvious that this was on giant hole in capitalist America.

You could also look at the typical, "It hurts the lower class and keeps the homeless, homeless," argument. However, I feel that gets done to death.
 

PurpleRain

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major_tom said:
faceless chick said:
Novskij said:
faceless chick said:
Everything reminds you kids of religion.
Geez was Sunday school that bad to you?

Btw, never use communism and religion together- communism was completely against religion, since the only person the people should worship was the leader (surprise surprise)
Cool stereotype bro.
Sadly, this is no joke. This is REALLY what their reason was- God was in the way of the dictator as supreme being- which is really sad and ironic.
OP never mentioned communism.
Also, they never saw their leader as god. Maybe a glorious leader who will lead the classes to peace and prosperity, but not as a god. Leave that to the long dead ancient Egyptians.
I'm not sure what type of communism you're talking about, but they are generally religious. Russia (did in the time of that political way)and China have a wide arrange of religions, just to name the two you may have been thinking of.
 

Alex_P

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Rolling Thunder said:
Now, take for example, car production. It has been proven, time and again, that this lies best within the hands of the free market. Put simply, the free market is far, far better at producing cars. The goods produced are cheaper, faster, more reliable, more efficent and, all in all better. And you don't have to wait three years to get one (Unlike, say, a Trabant.) And yet there are many socialists who would argue, to the bitter end, in the face of the overwhelming evidence that the free market is the most productively and allocatively efficent means of car production and distribution, that car production should be nationalised, and cars distributed on basis of need, not ability to purchase.
Well, a free market with regulation -- most prominently, safety regulations that define acceptable standards for a drivable car. That's a "free market" in terms of being a capitalist system with lots of competition, but it's not a "free market" in the crazy-libertarian-fapping sense of the term that's popular on talk TV and the Internet.

-- Alex
 

paragon1

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ReincarnatedFTP said:
Pure capitalism is Somalia.
The practice of Socialism or mixed economies as it were is actually far superior to pure capitalism.However if you completely remove capitalism, and not everyone has voluntarily agreed to this, you will destroy everything.

And I don't see as Socialists like religious people, because there has been nothing that says it just can't work.
Sadly there is. Ever heard of the Prisoner's dilemma?
 

Zombie Nixon

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If you're thinking about socialism, just remember that police service, national defense, and roads do not constitute socialism. Governments and taxes will still exist in a free market capitalism system.
 

paragon1

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jboking said:
However, your analysis of Capitalism is a bit off. If you would like to say science proves all of this I am going to have to ask for one very important thing: a source. If you don't have one than it is not science proving this. It seems that you may be reaching to say that history has proven this, the problem is, it hasn't. America is a great example of a capitalist society. It seems great for everyone, they all get the sweat of their own brow and all that. However, it doesn't take long for one person to rise to the top and earn more than others while the sweating occurs on other peoples brow.

While Competition often breeds success, and even has in the US, it also does one other thing: Discourage anyone else who would like to compete with those who were already successful. Why would they after all? Loose all of my money and get bought out before I can even get my company on it's feet? I think I'll pass. Of course, if someone doesn't do the illogical thing and compete with them, then how do we keep a check on the people that are currently successful. How are we supposed to keep them from charging exorbitant fees? This is how monopolies are made. This is why MS was split into two. This is why capitalism without any socialist values doesn't work.

Also, think, which country had one of the greatest depressions of all time? The good old US of A. It took a war and selling to other nations on the blood of dead soldiers to even get back to normal. I don't really feel like getting into this too much, as it should be obvious that this was on giant hole in capitalist America.

You could also look at the typical, "It hurts the lower class and keeps the homeless, homeless," argument. However, I feel that gets done to death.
Actually, a great example of a capitalist society is the Chinese "special economic zones". America could really never be called completely capitalist, what with protectionist tariffs and government subsidies to farmers and other industries (not to mention the biggest bailouts).

Also, you and I seem to have some very different ideas on economics, especially when it comes to small businesses. 1.Now,please forgive me for not having source, I learned this in Economics class, the majority of businesses are small business. This requires a LOT of entrepreneurs. I happen to know several, and (GASP!) they even manage to be successful despite the dreaded Wal-Mart being within walking distance.
2. No one is going to buy you out unless your already quite successful. After all, why on Earth would anyone spend money to buyout a business that's going to fail anyway?
3. In America, the people who prevent abuse by ANY company are called the Better Business Bureau (BBB, for short), monopolies are usually closely monitored (like Major League Baseball) or broken up, and many lawyers are willing to help people form class-action lawsuits.
4. When was Microsoft split into two?
5. America didn't have the biggest depression in history. That honor falls to the Roman Empire. Lasted for a lot longer than ten years, as I recall. Also, The Great Depression and WWII were events that were caused by many, many bad things happening at the same time. While the war did help end the depression, we could have gotten the same results (and basically were) by fixing prices for a little while and paying a bunch of people a lot of money to dig a big ass hole and fill it up again.
There are some good ideas in socialism, but I'd suggest you try to focus what those are and how they'll work, or ,if your utterly convinced that capitalism is an evil to be scourged from the Earth, come up with slightly better arguments.
 

jman737

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Monkeyman8 said:
faceless chick said:
Everything reminds you kids of religion.
Geez was Sunday school that bad to you?

Btw, never use communism and religion together- communism was completely against religion, since the only person the people should worship was the leader (surprise surprise)
you sir fail at life. that's not the reason communism is against religion (actual communism not the straw man you've made also known as marxism if you're one of those people) communism is against religion because religion is the opiate of the people. Marx described it as a symptom of an ailing society used by the beurgious to make the proletariat feel better about their miserable economic condition and to dissuade them from rebelling because after all this life is just a test and there is paradise waiting after death if you just suck it up.
Rolling Thunder said:
In short? Fanatics are stupid. Don't listen to them.
QED Professor! <):D
 

Dys

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Dele said:
Recent discussions with fanatical socialists have made me realize how closely their attitude resembles followers of a certain religion and their problems with the theory of evolution.
This in itself is an incredibly stupid contention. Socialism is an economic plan, most of it's supporters are advocating a more socialist economic system in their country. It has nothing to do with fanatics, most people couldn't give two fucks about their countries economic policies.
A typical priest of socialism targets uneducated masses, who most likely will lack the critical mind and specticism to question the truths and promises laid down upon them.
what? Is it unreasonable to ask for some kind of example where this has happened? Are you aware that the general steriotype for socialism (In conservative countries like Australia and the USA) are predominantly educated people (in melbourne it's the "rich eastern suburbs Age reader") and university students (especially students studying business and arts, ie students learning relevent information). That's so far wrong I can't even beleive anyone would claim it.

Afterall it's hard to resist the tempation of turning your 8$/h McJob into a blessed 20$/h, ridding the world of poor and solving the perceived injustice as well. All you need to do is to believe and strike down a few heretics, keeping you from reaching heaven by following a false god, a Satan of sorts. Such is of course easily justified since they are the reason for the problems in the world, Socialism being good and pure.
This is neither here nor there, every politician with an agenda will scapegoat somebody and promise the world, and I assume your refering to politicians.
As always, science tends to throw our sweet dreams into a trash bin and anchor us to the cold harsh reality. Scientific method has brought us proof that Capitalism is in every way a superior way of handing the economy, yet it constantly faces harsh opposition from believers who represent the "moral option" and deny science partly or completely. Even worse, it's impossible to argue with such people, because you are using logical arguments, models and principles they have abandoned altogether and more sophisticated proof requires years of studying.
While it's fun to make baseless claims about what science proves, perhaps it would be benificial to note that you come from finland, a country with high tax rates, good public services (97% of students are in public schools, low unemployment etc)...Basocially Finlad is a very socialist country (there are no western countries based completely on socalism or capitlasim) just like most countries in Western Europe (the richest, most functional nations in the world). The country you are from, as well as it's neighboring countries, are the proof that systems based on socialism can work effectively. More effectively, in fact, than anything other system in the world today. It's brilliantly ironic that you argue you cannot argue with them using logical arguments and proof, as you are ignoring the most functional economic models in the world, what stronger evidence can one possibly supply? There's is no obvious way in which a system leaning toward capitalism is in any way clearly superior to on leaning toward socialism, even without ignoring the evidence (as people making similar arguments to you insist upon). Common sense dictates that a system where only those with enough money can afford adequate services (such as schooling, transport) is fundamentlally inferior to a system where basic services are more attainable for everyone. It avoids the whole cycle of "I come from a rich family and will therefore be a sucess" and "I'm poor and will indefinately remain so"

Capitalism vs Socialism -threads seem to be doomed into falling to the same "YES, NO" -type of arguing that makes religious threads so tiresome.
The most tiresome part of all is that people continue to try and argue both sides (though conservative veiws tend to me be guilty of this) without having any fucking clue what they're talking about. People just claim whatever they damnwell want as absoloute fact without even the slightest evidence to back them up. You're right, it is like arguaing in a religious thread, people are so closed minded and uneducated that they refuse to even comprehend the veiwpoints of others, the evidence put before them and the possiblity that they may not be right.

faceless chick said:
Novskij said:
faceless chick said:
Everything reminds you kids of religion.
Geez was Sunday school that bad to you?

Btw, never use communism and religion together- communism was completely against religion, since the only person the people should worship was the leader (surprise surprise)
Cool stereotype bro.
Sadly, this is no joke. This is REALLY what their reason was- God was in the way of the dictator as supreme being- which is really sad and ironic.
Way off topic, but I'm gunna put this out their...sadly people make these kind of claims without first considering what communism is. You know what is a joke? That whole beleif. Communism, by definition has no leader.
 

Labyrinth

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Oct 14, 2007
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chiggerwood said:
What you said reminded me of the old saying. "Internet arguments are like the special Olympics. You can win them, you can hold up your trophy, and stand on the pedestal, but at the end of the day you're still a retard."
Internet arguments are indeed like the 'special' Olympics. No-one needs your approval to find it rewarding.

As has been pointed out, there are some things capitalism does well such as encouraging good car manufacture. However, it falls in the face of the human bottom line which will always crimp optimal productivity. Leaving everyone to fend for themselves in the face of a free market with conglomerates and the like is simply stupid. It doesn't work because there aren't enough jobs for everyone, the differences in background -do- impact upon what people can become, and the second you start looking for numbers above and beyond everything else you're going to hamstring the people on the bottom.

Your distaste for socialism appears quite close to fanatic. Perhaps you should re-think your position after a little self examination.
 

jman737

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Apr 22, 2009
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Dys said:
faceless chick said:
Novskij said:
faceless chick said:
Everything reminds you kids of religion.
Geez was Sunday school that bad to you?

Btw, never use communism and religion together- communism was completely against religion, since the only person the people should worship was the leader (surprise surprise)
Cool stereotype bro.
Sadly, this is no joke. This is REALLY what their reason was- God was in the way of the dictator as supreme being- which is really sad and ironic.
Way off topic, but I'm gunna put this out their...sadly people make these kind of claims without first considering what communism is. You know what is a joke? That whole beleif. Communism, by definition has no leader.
But definitions are flimsy things that break under the stress of reality. The reality of modern communism (take in mind that modern communism has absolutely nothing to do with theoretical communism) is more akin to a dictatorship than it is to its definition. Unfortunately, that's how reality plays out sometimes: It takes a pristine definition and ends up breaking it over its harsh and bony knee with no consideration what the author had in mind. Stupid reality. [insert shake of fist towards the sky]
 

Dys

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jman737 said:
But definitions are flimsy things that break under the stress of reality. The reality of modern communism (take in mind that modern communism has absolutely nothing to do with theoretical communism) is more akin to a dictatorship than it is to its definition. Unfortunately, that's how reality plays out sometimes: It takes a pristine definition and ends up breaking it over its harsh and bony knee with no consideration what the author had in mind. Stupid reality. [insert shake of fist towards the sky]
But Moaism, Stalinism and the various other 20th century self labelled 'communists' were not actually consistant with any communist ideals. The big three being complete freedom of speech, completey democracy and complete freedom of religion were all ignored. It's just plain wrong to attribute communism to those who used it's name in their propoganda to seize power.

Accepting them as communists and therefore using them as examples of communist trends is like deciding that the 'Peoples Democratic Republic of Korea' is a good example of democracy, and thus claiming that all democratic ideals are flawed because you'll invariably get a currupted leader desperately trying to hold onto power. Or that Christianity as a whole is evil and encourages hate crimes and terorism because of a handful of extremists, it's just an unfair and innacurate generalisation.