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33 points almost-exactly | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.206s | source
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roenxi[dead post] ◴[] No.44404861[source]
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jrajav ◴[] No.44404965[source]
Someone just read Atlas Shrugged for the first time.

Despite the attractive purity of this worldview, modern technology and prosperity has only been possible because of the wide spread of reason, empathy, cooperation, and mutual respect on a global scale. Greed and consolidation of wealth are a much more ancient tactic that has in fact been tried many times over, usually to utter ruin. The only reason billionaires thrive so much right now is because we are all thriving much more than ever before in history, and the only reason THAT has happened is because we finally arrived at decent societal compromises and universal guarantees. It was meaningful sharing of power and respect for each others' ideas and differences that enabled all of this - the core tenets of democracy, for one. And yes, it was and still is 'socialist' ideas like building shared infrastructure and societal safety nets that establishes and actively enables the environment in which capitalism is able to succeed.

Stop trying to distill things down to a one-dimensional, teenage view of the world. It's much more complex and beautiful than that.

replies(1): >>44405059 #
1. roenxi ◴[] No.44405059[source]
> Stop trying to distill things down to a one-dimensional, teenage view of the world. It's much more complex and beautiful than that.

Are you thinking more of Narendra Modi or Donald Trump when you you say that? Democracy tends to be more of the one-dimensional teenage view of the world; ye olde voters do not do well when presented with complex ideas. They don't have the time or interest.