Even if these companies somehow magically, within the realm of imagination were to split up or disappear and it’s just small to medium sized businesses who are left, capital would inevitably concentrate back again. The billionaire narrative is beyond ass istg
I disagree that the “billionaire narrative is ass” because it does help to unite people in the moment, however you’re right that billionaires are a symptom and not the cause.
The issue is not just the capitalist system in the west, it’s the fact that the overarching system of the world is capitalist, and capitalism operates by rewarding maximization of profit (by means of exploitation) with concentration of power.
So while the billionaires are a symptom rather than a cause, demonizing them helps to turn working class people – a lot of whom lack the education or context to understand the systemic issues creating billionaires – against the concept of concentration of power as reward.
In what way does the working class benefit from the anti-billionaire narrative, assuming that we live in an imaginary world where their goals are realized and reforms are put into place (which have no chance of happening in our world)? Who benefits from this if not nation states arming themselves for upcoming imperialist war or medium sized capitalists absorbing the company splits?
This narrative isn’t even being spearheaded by “the working class”, but progressive bourgeois standing to gain for it via either opportunism or the aforementioned capital absorption/takeover. Workers aren’t some goycattle that you need to tell who the enemy is and bam, you suddenly have class consciousness, that’s how the world works only in fiction.
My answer is in my initial comment and I don’t wish to elaborate, I am not emotionally attached to this opinion enough to defend it further.
I believe you have good reason to think that narrative is ass, I just disagree with you (for personal, idealist/optimist reasons that likely won’t change your mind), and I’m okay with that as I don’t think you believing that is causing any issues.
Bug infestations of your house sometimes reoccur as well. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exterminate them though. You just got to keep doing periodically. That’s part of Home Maintenance. Exterminating billionaires periodically is part of society maintenance.
If infestations are the analogy we are using, I’d use mold infestation as an example.
When you get black mold on your wall, what do you do? Do you replace the drywall and wait until it comes back to replace the drywall again, or do you figure out what is causing the mold (ie. The source of the moisture) so you can get rid of it for good?
Like yeah sure replacing the drywall will make it look nice, but it won’t be long before it comes back with a vengeance because the cause never left.
Expecting later generations to follow our rules is how we got here.
I think its simply adorable that you think human greed can be “fixed”. But no, like some bug infestations there are times when shit goes bad and you have to deal with it periodically. There are not always magical one time solutions to everything.
You think greed is not inherent? That is a hell of an opinion. Truly difficult to Fathom how you came to it. Considering there are just mountains of evidence otherwise.
The overall problem is human nature. Greed is part of that nature and has been so for millennium. That’s simply undeniable. Through the Ages through every human society through every human economic system it rears its ugly head every time. It’s not new. It’s not specific to the current world. Denying that is simply childish. Thinking you can fix that is simply childish.
Some things take constant work and constant vigilance to fight. Magic solutions don’t exist. Any system you create that doesn’t account for these factors and doesn’t have consistent safeguards is destined to fail.
A bunch of companies would start acting really weird as multi-millionaire board members get into knife fights over corporate control.
Some of them would become billionaires if they wrangle control.
So billionaires are really just the symptom, the entire system is the cause. Leave the system in place and your symptoms come back almost immediately.
Even if these companies somehow magically, within the realm of imagination were to split up or disappear and it’s just small to medium sized businesses who are left, capital would inevitably concentrate back again. The billionaire narrative is beyond ass istg
I disagree that the “billionaire narrative is ass” because it does help to unite people in the moment, however you’re right that billionaires are a symptom and not the cause.
The issue is not just the capitalist system in the west, it’s the fact that the overarching system of the world is capitalist, and capitalism operates by rewarding maximization of profit (by means of exploitation) with concentration of power.
So while the billionaires are a symptom rather than a cause, demonizing them helps to turn working class people – a lot of whom lack the education or context to understand the systemic issues creating billionaires – against the concept of concentration of power as reward.
At least, in my opinion, anyway.
In what way does the working class benefit from the anti-billionaire narrative, assuming that we live in an imaginary world where their goals are realized and reforms are put into place (which have no chance of happening in our world)? Who benefits from this if not nation states arming themselves for upcoming imperialist war or medium sized capitalists absorbing the company splits?
This narrative isn’t even being spearheaded by “the working class”, but progressive bourgeois standing to gain for it via either opportunism or the aforementioned capital absorption/takeover. Workers aren’t some goycattle that you need to tell who the enemy is and bam, you suddenly have class consciousness, that’s how the world works only in fiction.
My answer is in my initial comment and I don’t wish to elaborate, I am not emotionally attached to this opinion enough to defend it further.
I believe you have good reason to think that narrative is ass, I just disagree with you (for personal, idealist/optimist reasons that likely won’t change your mind), and I’m okay with that as I don’t think you believing that is causing any issues.
Bug infestations of your house sometimes reoccur as well. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exterminate them though. You just got to keep doing periodically. That’s part of Home Maintenance. Exterminating billionaires periodically is part of society maintenance.
mfs would rather do fucking human sacrifices than read marx
We can do both.
If infestations are the analogy we are using, I’d use mold infestation as an example.
When you get black mold on your wall, what do you do? Do you replace the drywall and wait until it comes back to replace the drywall again, or do you figure out what is causing the mold (ie. The source of the moisture) so you can get rid of it for good?
Like yeah sure replacing the drywall will make it look nice, but it won’t be long before it comes back with a vengeance because the cause never left.
Expecting later generations to follow our rules is how we got here.
I think its simply adorable that you think human greed can be “fixed”. But no, like some bug infestations there are times when shit goes bad and you have to deal with it periodically. There are not always magical one time solutions to everything.
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You think greed is not inherent? That is a hell of an opinion. Truly difficult to Fathom how you came to it. Considering there are just mountains of evidence otherwise.
The overall problem is human nature. Greed is part of that nature and has been so for millennium. That’s simply undeniable. Through the Ages through every human society through every human economic system it rears its ugly head every time. It’s not new. It’s not specific to the current world. Denying that is simply childish. Thinking you can fix that is simply childish.
Some things take constant work and constant vigilance to fight. Magic solutions don’t exist. Any system you create that doesn’t account for these factors and doesn’t have consistent safeguards is destined to fail.