I’ll tell my daughters that I will read every word of “The Communist Manifesto” — twice — if they will read Milton Friedman’s “Capitalism and Freedom.”
It is a dream of mine that one day, some libertarian bozo will tell me to my face that I should read Milton Friedman.
"Why yes, I have read that. I've also read plenty of Hayek, Mises, and Bastiat. My senior thesis in fact was specifically about the Austrian school of economics. I was an econ major and a dedicated libertarian. I also grew up sheltered and privileged and that libertarian pro-capitalist ideology lasted about 5 minutes once I was exposed to the real world and how things actually work."
This is why I still send people Richard Wolff videos, in spite of his shortcomings from the perspective of a communist. Nobody, in good faith, can argue that he doesn't understand economics or capitalism. The man has a Master's in history and a PhD in economics, both from Yale, which, from a Lib perspective, is hard to top as far as bona fides go
When a lib asks where you get your news, they're almost certainly expecting you to say some youtuber or The Grayzone or something - but bringing up Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff pretty much slam dunks them every time. Partly because it has such a boring name lmao.
"Why Socialism?" is an especially good Monthly Review article to send to people imo. The arguments are still relevant and the fact that it's Albert Einstein making them makes it hard to easily dismiss.
Yeah, while he sounds very angry, he is exactly in the position that people always demand of you: A professor of economics, who did all the obligatory study to be allowed to criticize capitalism.
Yes, I can nitpick Wolff but tbh he's really great for explaining things to people who want to get an understanding of economics from a Marxist perspective.
It is a dream of mine that one day, some libertarian bozo will tell me to my face that I should read Milton Friedman.
I got the "Why don't you try something a bit different and read Road to Serfdom?" Gave it an honest effort. Made it maybe a chapter and a half, before I had a notepad full of "Wtf is this shit?!" Took it to the guy who recommended it (incidentally, my then-girlfriend now-wife's father) and proceeded to ask him "Wtf is this shit?!" Couldn't get any kind of sensible response out of him. Dude had skimmed it.
My brother, if you're going to be a conservative at least do your fucking homework.
I also grew up sheltered and privileged and that libertarian pro-capitalist ideology lasted about 5 minutes once I was exposed to the real world and how thing actually work.
Absolutely my vibe. I've seen life from both sides now. Up and Down. And here's what I've found. :amerikkka: :hammer-sickle: :marx-joker:
Looking back on it, it's just amazing to me how shallow Road to Serfdom and the like are. None of those Austrian economists go beyond the superficialities of capitalism. I have told a literal capitalist that if anyone wants to actually understand capitalism - even if you think capitalism is great - they should read Capital vol. 1. I genuinely believe no bourgeois economist before or since has been able to so thoroughly dissect capitalism as Marx does there.
You also can't criticize Dr. Professor Lobster without consuming at least 18 hours of his "Kermit and Ms. Piggy's messy divorce" Youtube audio drama series. :kermit-pain: :up-yours-woke-moralists:
The absolute shortest way I can explain it is I was literally in corporate boardrooms and seeing how the pursuit of short term profit at all costs, and how easily peoples' lives were thrown away while the CEO would be tooling around online for a couple hours decide what plane to buy next. There's a lot more to it but that's the most succinct way I can explain it.
For me, I noticed how the immigrant warehouse employees I worked with were treated significantly worse than the office employees despite the warehouse workers being the ones doing... everything?
My first exposure to any sort of theory was David Graeber's Bullshit Jobs and it really did put me to thinking what the point of the CEO/owner was. Him or his failson that headed accounting.
It is a dream of mine that one day, some libertarian bozo will tell me to my face that I should read Milton Friedman.
"Why yes, I have read that. I've also read plenty of Hayek, Mises, and Bastiat. My senior thesis in fact was specifically about the Austrian school of economics. I was an econ major and a dedicated libertarian. I also grew up sheltered and privileged and that libertarian pro-capitalist ideology lasted about 5 minutes once I was exposed to the real world and how things actually work."
This is why I still send people Richard Wolff videos, in spite of his shortcomings from the perspective of a communist. Nobody, in good faith, can argue that he doesn't understand economics or capitalism. The man has a Master's in history and a PhD in economics, both from Yale, which, from a Lib perspective, is hard to top as far as bona fides go
When a lib asks where you get your news, they're almost certainly expecting you to say some youtuber or The Grayzone or something - but bringing up Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff pretty much slam dunks them every time. Partly because it has such a boring name lmao.
Monthly Review is like this as well. Very tame name for a very based publication
"Why Socialism?" is an especially good Monthly Review article to send to people imo. The arguments are still relevant and the fact that it's Albert Einstein making them makes it hard to easily dismiss.
:RIchard-D-Wolff:
Yeah, while he sounds very angry, he is exactly in the position that people always demand of you: A professor of economics, who did all the obligatory study to be allowed to criticize capitalism.
He’s not angry, he’s just jewish
He’s got that old New York jew way of speaking like Bernie which many mistake for anger
He's Jewish? Huh.
Guess it's not that surprising since the only other person I know with 'Wolf' as a surname is this (half) Jewish chad.
(Yeah, I know it's more of a general German name)
Yes, I can nitpick Wolff but tbh he's really great for explaining things to people who want to get an understanding of economics from a Marxist perspective.
I got the "Why don't you try something a bit different and read Road to Serfdom?" Gave it an honest effort. Made it maybe a chapter and a half, before I had a notepad full of "Wtf is this shit?!" Took it to the guy who recommended it (incidentally, my then-girlfriend now-wife's father) and proceeded to ask him "Wtf is this shit?!" Couldn't get any kind of sensible response out of him. Dude had skimmed it.
My brother, if you're going to be a conservative at least do your fucking homework.
Absolutely my vibe. I've seen life from both sides now. Up and Down. And here's what I've found. :amerikkka: :hammer-sickle: :marx-joker:
Looking back on it, it's just amazing to me how shallow Road to Serfdom and the like are. None of those Austrian economists go beyond the superficialities of capitalism. I have told a literal capitalist that if anyone wants to actually understand capitalism - even if you think capitalism is great - they should read Capital vol. 1. I genuinely believe no bourgeois economist before or since has been able to so thoroughly dissect capitalism as Marx does there.
:marx-goth:
You also can't criticize Dr. Professor Lobster without consuming at least 18 hours of his "Kermit and Ms. Piggy's messy divorce" Youtube audio drama series. :kermit-pain: :up-yours-woke-moralists:
Can you elaborate on your 5 minutes in the real world? What did you witness? What changed your mind?
The absolute shortest way I can explain it is I was literally in corporate boardrooms and seeing how the pursuit of short term profit at all costs, and how easily peoples' lives were thrown away while the CEO would be tooling around online for a couple hours decide what plane to buy next. There's a lot more to it but that's the most succinct way I can explain it.
For me, I noticed how the immigrant warehouse employees I worked with were treated significantly worse than the office employees despite the warehouse workers being the ones doing... everything?
J. Sakai has entered the chat
My first exposure to any sort of theory was David Graeber's Bullshit Jobs and it really did put me to thinking what the point of the CEO/owner was. Him or his failson that headed accounting.
I actually have a libertarian coworker tell me to read Hayek
It will make you alternately bored and angry as you read through it.
sounds about right. if he doesnt talk about 10 yards of Linen he aint worth listening to
:lenin-20-yards: