Quote:
|
Originally Posted by DJ FC
LOL WUT
|
Clearly I was exaggerating the outcome to make a point, the point being that if things were left to a 100% free market system that eventually things could devolve to the point of being born into indentured servitude.
Is this what I believe will happen? No, I'm not a global conspiracy nut. Could it happen eventually? Why not?
I am generally going to side with a well-run business over a person. The point some of us are trying to make is that business and government are currently two sides of the same coin and neither have your best interests at heart. While strong businesses are the backbone of a strong economy, which lifts us all up in its wake, but there is a point when things cross an ethical line and that's where some of us are pointing out a problem and an acknowledging that a free market can't sort out EVERY problem that might arise. Sometimes, the government will need to step in and say "knock that shit out" or even pick up the pieces.
To use a metaphor: the government is a parent, and corporations are kids playing with their toys. A parent doesn't need to step in and tell a kid how to play with their toy, they will quickly figure out the way to get the most enjoyment out of it. If they break their toy, they can even learn a valuable lesson from it ... or find more enjoyment in the pieces themselves. But when a kid starts jamming a firetruck into his brother's asshole, or bashing holes in the wall with a baseball bat ... then its probably in the best interest of everyone that the parent steps in.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Der Fuhrer
Corporations are owned by people, just like me and you. Many of you so carelessly use the term corporation as if all corporations are giant multi-billion dollar conglomerates that are trying to take over the world through some malevolent scheme. You watch too many fucking movies. I would say 90% of the corporations are small- to mid-sized firms just trying to maximize profit and shareholders' (people like you and me) wealth. If a corporation is not maximizing profit (by say, plotting against the world) they will fail and be replaced by a company that uses its resources effectively (unless of course some shitty government steps in a prevents a firm from failing...).
|
Splitting hairs on the meaning of the word corporation does not distill the intent of what some people are posting. Yes, we know that most corporations are not diabolical machines with endless reach, just as most governmental bodies are not very influential one way or the other in the lives of those they serve.
Lets say for the sake of argument from here on that we use corporations to mean LARGE corporations or groups of corporations like: oil, banking, energy, tobacco, etc ... and that for government we assume that we are referring to the federal government.