Current Events — HabitableZone

Current Events » in reply to Geez, this is like swimming through molasses...

It doesn't have to be
Robert — (archived)

It needn't feel like swimming through molasses if you'd read my posts more carefully.

I drew an explicit distinction between small scale voluntary communism as practiced in communes, and the large-scale Communism implemented through a formal system of government. I described the latter as "Communism with formal mechanisms of central control" which lead to the abuses you rail against. No need to heatedly argue a point I've already made.

It occurs to me that that trying to scale up these two economic systems is, in fact, what leads to their dysfunction. Corporate Capitalism, too, is characterized by coercion and the raw exercize of power. It too treats people as property, organic machinery to be used and discarded in service to Profit. The rational argument for the utility of large corporations is economy of scale, which, as far as people are concerned, absolutely requires regimentation and control. A corporation is at heart a large machine whose components are people.

You said you haven't worked for a large corporation, so let me fill you in: Large corporations are internally collectivist. Everyone is indoctrinated to obey authority and to sacrifice individual welfare for the sake of the group. Self-interest is redirected to the "team" and reward is based on the faith that The Company will distribute a share of the success to you, as part of the collective, through pay as well as through stock. A worker in a large company has about as much liberty and individual freedom as a peasant in China.

Log in or register to post.

The whole thread (69 posts)