45,000 years ago, a Neanderthal man experienced a crushing blow to the head that left him partially paralyzed for life, but his bones healed and he lived into his 30s or 40s, something only conceivably possible with the help of his community.

45,000 years ago.

But let’s pretend that 45,000 years later, we “can’t afford” universal healthcare.

https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/fossils/shanidar-1

Shanidar 1

The Smithsonian Institution's Human Origins Program
@HeavenlyPossum omg are you telling me people did something nice 45,000 years ago not for profit?? No surplus value?? Capitalism is SHOOK

@Metamedia

Actually because there was no profit back then no one ever did anything and they all starved to death and now we’re all just ghosts.

@Metamedia @HeavenlyPossum Economism sufferers will say that the reward from hunting or cropping is a profit motive

@ellenor2000 @Metamedia

I love how quickly they get wrapped up in knots. If every potential “utility” you might derive from an action is synonymous with “profit” or “gain,” then we run into absurdities like “giving away all your possessions and living as an acetic is an act of profit-seeking capitalism.”

@HeavenlyPossum @Metamedia absurdities which allow me to call myself a capitalist in all the ways that don't matter
@HeavenlyPossum @ellenor2000 you don't have to live an acetic life when you just exploit people to create your standard of living *big brain energy*
@Metamedia @HeavenlyPossum
These were primitives. Only Adam Smith discovered what human nature actually is and we still live thankfully after his principals
@floS @HeavenlyPossum god bless Adam Smith for giving us, poor mortals, a purpose in life