AKingsburyMay 26
I've noticed a pattern in various places, and it seems to be holding true here as well; of all the self-proclaimed supporters of #socialism and/or #communism, of all the people who claim to hate #capitalism, essentially none of them seem to grasp the concept at all. None of them seem even vaguely interested in opening an econ 101 textbook or even a dictionary.
Show threadTristan RidleyMay 26
@AlexanderKingsbury
I'm morbidly curious, whether you've had bad luck or perhaps the issue is you disagree with people and therefore see them as foolish and wrong. I find both plausible, as a stranger to you.
What are you claiming people miss?
Show threadAKingsburyMay 26

@triddles

Primarily, the simple and tractable definition of capitalism. Ask someone who "hates capitalism" to define it, and more often than not they refuse. When they do attempt it, they nearly always spout things like "capitalism is plunder and gangsterism!", or something else nonsensical. I would chalk it up to bad luck, but after literally hundreds of such encounters, that seems increasingly implausible. I disagree with plenty of people; that does not make them foolish.

Show threadTristan RidleyMay 26

@AlexanderKingsbury
It can be honestly tricky to explain well. Easy to say what it's not (like markets or money or business or just corporations) but I need to use a variety of phrases to get through to most people.

It's specifically the system where the economy is controlled by capital, where money earns money. Agreed? Or do you still see ignorance?

Show threadAKingsbury

@triddles

Oh, I see ignorance in everyone, including myself. Only God, if you believe in it, can even begin to claim to know all.

That being said, no, I do not see your definition as particularly useful. Not least because money itself is not a prerequisite to capitalism. It's useful, yes, it's one of the best inventions (or discoveries, if you like), but one could describe a coherent capitalist system without it.

May 26 at 9:30pmWeb
Show threadTristan RidleyMay 26

@AlexanderKingsbury
Well, then perhaps the issue is that you have a particular definition of a flexible idea, and not so much the failings of everyone else.

Personally, I find the discussion of "what exactly is capitalism?" a useful introduction to these kinds of ideas with new people. And I don't much mind a million subtly different definitions as long as we all pull in the same general direction.

Thank you for sating my curiosity.

Show threadAKingsburyMay 26

@triddles

I don't mind people having the discussion, frankly I wish they would actually have it more often. My issue is that it's a very well established, easily and clearly defined concept in economics, and people go about attacking it without even understanding it. It's as if I went about spouting off about how terrible diabetes was, but refusing to listen to medical experts when they tried to explain what it is, and insisting incessantly it was something else.