I think you take my defense of the usefulness of the profit motive, and the wonderful things it’s gotten us, as a declaration that it is the best external motivator and should be used in all situations. Of course not.
Your first paragraph is simply not true in the sense that even if everyone’s basic needs were met (and we should create a society where they are) money would still be the main source of power outside violence. Most people are not satisfied by basic necessities, especially when given examples that better is possible.
Your second paragraph is an excellent example of the limitations of the profit motive, and it’s why we should continue to fund public research and development in areas where the profit motive fails. We already do it and in fact we should significantly increase our funding levels. There are other areas where the profit motive fails (utilities, healthcare at the point of delivery, national defense, education, etc.) and I think we (the United States) should expand into internet and universal health insurance.
For your third paragraph… What do you want? For humans to be better? They will nearly always go with the easy solution. It’s weirdos who look at difficult problems and take the honest, long term, responsible solution at the expense of themselves or even just short-term pain. This is fine. You’re not going to change human nature. I just don’t know what kind of system you want to set up where money still exists, yet greedy short-sighted people don’t exist or work their ways into leadership positions at companies? I think the current punishments they receive for their bad behavior isn’t nearly harsh or immediate enough, but… They’re still gonna do it.
I have lots of improvements I want to make to the world, they just don’t involve denying human nature when you keep the fundamental structure of the system they exist in.
To respond to your last paragraph, there are regualtions to combat these things and cultural shifts we can make as populations work themselves off of the fear and stress of poverty. Everyone is terrified of not having enough money and there are so many studies showing the effect that being poor has on our ability to think critically and to plan longterm.
You live in a world that is pretty much designed to make everything seem like this is all “human nature”. We don’t have to be like this, certainly not to the degree we’re at right now, and we have ample evidence to show that this is true. I do not know why you are so resistent to these things, Liz, but I hope one day you can break free of it and see a better world than one where we need to always have the gnawing fear of abject poverty clawing at the backs of our minds 24/7. It doesn’t have to be like this.
I think you take my defense of the usefulness of the profit motive, and the wonderful things it’s gotten us, as a declaration that it is the best external motivator and should be used in all situations. Of course not.
Your first paragraph is simply not true in the sense that even if everyone’s basic needs were met (and we should create a society where they are) money would still be the main source of power outside violence. Most people are not satisfied by basic necessities, especially when given examples that better is possible.
Your second paragraph is an excellent example of the limitations of the profit motive, and it’s why we should continue to fund public research and development in areas where the profit motive fails. We already do it and in fact we should significantly increase our funding levels. There are other areas where the profit motive fails (utilities, healthcare at the point of delivery, national defense, education, etc.) and I think we (the United States) should expand into internet and universal health insurance.
For your third paragraph… What do you want? For humans to be better? They will nearly always go with the easy solution. It’s weirdos who look at difficult problems and take the honest, long term, responsible solution at the expense of themselves or even just short-term pain. This is fine. You’re not going to change human nature. I just don’t know what kind of system you want to set up where money still exists, yet greedy short-sighted people don’t exist or work their ways into leadership positions at companies? I think the current punishments they receive for their bad behavior isn’t nearly harsh or immediate enough, but… They’re still gonna do it.
I have lots of improvements I want to make to the world, they just don’t involve denying human nature when you keep the fundamental structure of the system they exist in.
To respond to your last paragraph, there are regualtions to combat these things and cultural shifts we can make as populations work themselves off of the fear and stress of poverty. Everyone is terrified of not having enough money and there are so many studies showing the effect that being poor has on our ability to think critically and to plan longterm.
You live in a world that is pretty much designed to make everything seem like this is all “human nature”. We don’t have to be like this, certainly not to the degree we’re at right now, and we have ample evidence to show that this is true. I do not know why you are so resistent to these things, Liz, but I hope one day you can break free of it and see a better world than one where we need to always have the gnawing fear of abject poverty clawing at the backs of our minds 24/7. It doesn’t have to be like this.
We’re arguing past each other.