>>I agree, but make some distinctions.
I have no problem with people in the private sector that make their fortunes because they have better products, run their businesses more effectively, allocate their capital better etc... What I have a problem with is using government and its institutions to rob people, knowingly selling products that are dangerous and hiding that fact, lying etc.. (that sort of thing).<<
i would agree in a perfect world. in the *real* world, most folks are sold crap with a nice sales pitch. that's why marketers are paid more than engineers - often much more. msft illegally leverages monopoly power. the computer professor guy signs you up long term without discloser and then sues people that blog about it. chinese companies load up their toys with lead paint as they sell off the "good stuff" for profit. the list is literally endless and there are so many people to swindle... even convicted felons can make millions ala kevin trudeau.
>>However, when we are dealing with the private sector, we sort of know there are some scumbags among the legitimate businessmen. So our guard is up.<<
in business, one has to be an ultra scumbag to be labeled a scumbag. regular old scumbags do scummy things b/c "it's just business, nothing personal."
yes, there are many good and fair companies. i believe they are in the minority, though. if left to their own devices, they'd pull a microsoft or bribe politicians or sue their customers into oblivion or rip off their workers and customers ala the recording industry.
some just don't have that power. if they did, though... absolute power has an incredible power to corrupt absolutely.
>>When we are dealing with the government and its institutions, we are dealing with something that is marketed to us as helping the poor, protecting those that need it, protecting people from the slime in the private sector, defending us etc.... But in many cases it's the complete opposite. So the naive (and there are literally probably 100 million or more in the US) get raped and pillaged and never know what hit them. Then there are calls to expand the government.<<
i agree. totally. the bureaucracy feeds itself and its appetite is immense. they spend money with no regard. my friend was sent on a totally unnecessary trip to some convention and stayed in the freaking ritz carlton... it was end of year and they had to burn that budget money or lose it. god forbid they ever lose that money they don't need!
>>I see the scumbags that use government and its institutions to transfer wealth and power to themselves as even worse than the rest of the slime.<<
many argue that government is ultimately controlled by the private sector businesses. i think there is more truth to this than falsehood. it is AMAZING what bribing... errrr... lobbying can get you in government.
>>I remember when I used to shoot a lot of pool. I used to hang out in a snake pit with carpeting. No one could hustle me because I knew what I was up against and had my guard up. I didn't get screwed until I made it to corporate America and educated people with expensive suits and a multiple of my income and net worth had their chance. So who's worse, the pool hustler or the snake in nice clothes?<<
they are both doomed to ultimately fail. most people don't get this message, but it is one of the central themes in scripture (and a strong evidence that scripture isn't just random writings lacking any kind of inspiration). humanity can only ultimately fail. as a society, perhaps the best ever assembled, we prove it every day. there is no safe house. not in government. not in the private sector. not even in the best of times in the land of flowing milk and honey.
isn't it ironic that modern day christians are the ones who think the world can be made into a better place contrary to every prophecy about the outcome of humanity in the bible they claim to believe.
it is kind of like believing satan's first lie (immortal soul) to humanity, as documented in the book they claim to believe, and calling those who believe what the bible actually teaches (wages of sin is death) heretics.
bizarro world doesn't even begin to cut it. |
