Originally posted by flice
reply to post by xpert11
With all due respect to you two, the only thing capitalism teaches us is how easy men can become greedy and needy, and forget about loving their
neighbours for what they are... fellow humans.
It teaches us that we should be rewarded for the work we do, and that this reward is necessary to be in the currency of money.
It teaches us that all men apperently are not created equal, that some deserve more for less, and deserve to judge who gets more or less.
Well ok, we are all equal... some are just more equal than others.
And that is dispicable.
The funny thing is that once capitalism has dug it's way into every heart of man, it has ensured its own downfall. Man can only take so much of
something before he's had enough of it, and socialism will take its place, alas only for a while...
[edit on 2/8/09 by flice]
Wow, okay, that was VERY fluffy of you. Come ON, this is the real world, ECONOMIC POWER comes first, followed by "compassion and kindness and love"
and all that.
WITHOUT a good standard of living and economic stability, you CANNOT have compassion and kindness and love. True, those qualities are important to
make us human, but you forget we live in a REAL world. Look at children in Africa. They probably haven't been exposed to the kind of backstabbing and
conflict we see on a daily basis. But they are NOT happy.
It's easy for you to say that kindness and love is a priority, because you live in a place WITH Internet access. You live in a place where keeping
your job is your biggest concern, and not keeping your life.
Now go to Cuba, and tell me if you can say the same for Cuban citizens.
All the "human desirable qualities" should come in ONLY when there has been economic stability in a home country. For example, Nestle should STOP
charging villagers in Africa for water and sanitation when it has enough economic base AT HOME! And this becomes not the fault of capitalism, but of
the innate, greedy nature of HUMAN BEINGS IN GENERAL.
We are ALL greedy. But we can attempt to improve and become more compassionate and loving of "fellow humans" AFTER this greed has been, to an
extent, reduced, or "satiated". This is where capitalism helps. This is also where the government, a good, uncorrupt (hah!) government (paradoxical,
really, if you think about this) can help: A more capitalist environment for a good period of time, and gradually less capitalism once the economic
standard has been reached.
Right now Cuba isn't even HALF of the economic standard of other countries elsewhere, its people are suffering, worrying, and here Castro goes and
tells Clinton, "I would like to keep my socialism because we had a revolution eons ago, please."
Can you not see that the revolution is an EXCUSE for Castro to keep his power? He is using history, the revolution, as a lousy excuse for him to
maintain his corrupt throne!
In such a case I'd rather forgo whatever historical significance and just go for IMPROVING MY LIFE.
So, yes, economy first, compassion and love and kindness after.
With all due respect, you are not seeing the REAL need for survival.
[edit on 2-8-2009 by KarlG]