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Comment by nekusar

10 days ago

This has ALWAYS been capitalism.

Just now, we're seeing what capitalist policies do to another nation, and that nation is us.

Capitalism is when... the government says you can't launch your product? That sounds very free-market.

  • For many, "capitalism" has lost all original meaning and is instead a synonym for "republicans" or "MAGA".

    • Trump just says plainly what the republicans have always been for. Now its just without euphamism.

      Some of us remember "Trickle down economics", from Reagan. More like pissed-on. And Reagan treated HIV like a 'gay plague that would solve itself'. And 'welfare queen' was a euphamism for 'inner city black people'. Or the fact that Regan thought Murphy Brown was a real reporter.

      Point being is its the same party, same postures, same intent. Now, its without euphamism. 'Eating cats and dogs' versus 'those people'.

  • Capitalism and free markets are distinct things often conflated.

    One can market socialism.

    One can have crony capitalism.

Eh, this isn’t new to the US either. You can’t, for example, buy a nuclear weapon on the open market because we recognize the broader societal risk.

  • I have a feeling the latest incremental release of ChatGPT is maybe less threatening to the survival of all living species than a nuclear weapon, but I’m no expert so could be wrong.

    • Sure, but it’s a bit of a strawman. Define what you think is the appropriate level of risk to society without resorting to the extremes and it becomes a more productive conversation.

      Is it just short of a model that can be used for bioterrorism? Security vulnerabilities that can cripple banks? Or just undermining the current capitalist incumbents? There’s a broad spectrum

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