There’s nothing morally wrong with being greedy by itself. If someone does a good thing for selfish reasons, that’s still a good thing. If I decide to become a doctor because I selfishly want respect, admiration, and social or monetary capital, the world is still better off for me doing so. Sick people will get better.
Greed only becomes bad when you empower people to use violence to keep themselves on top. Most often it is the threat of state violence that forces people into situations where abuse occurs.
No, you can’t disassociate from my factory because I own the patent (says the state), I own the land (says the state), and I own the distribution liscences, (says the state). If you violate my state given rights, the police will come and beat you. I can abuse you, and you can’t leave because the state will punish you if you do. It’s against the principals of the free market.
Right, but greed is just the term for self-interest that is harmful to others. My point was that the “non-harmful” greed that knitwitt was talking about is the same constructive self interest that drives society in both capitalist and socialist systems.
Emotions are inherently amoral. You clearly have an excess of them.
Do you take issue with the definition of the term free market or are you trying to imply that a system where private entities engage in trade largely without government regulation doesn’t exist?
There’s nothing morally wrong with being greedy by itself. If someone does a good thing for selfish reasons, that’s still a good thing. If I decide to become a doctor because I selfishly want respect, admiration, and social or monetary capital, the world is still better off for me doing so. Sick people will get better.
Greed only becomes bad when you empower people to use violence to keep themselves on top. Most often it is the threat of state violence that forces people into situations where abuse occurs.
No, you can’t disassociate from my factory because I own the patent (says the state), I own the land (says the state), and I own the distribution liscences, (says the state). If you violate my state given rights, the police will come and beat you. I can abuse you, and you can’t leave because the state will punish you if you do. It’s against the principals of the free market.
Says who?
What other mythical things do you believe in, liberal?
The tooth fairy, perhaps?
Self interest is a massive part of the open-source movement which is inherently anti-capitalist.
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/self-interest.en.html
https://archive.fosdem.org/2025/schedule/event/fosdem-2025-6540-the-selfish-contributor-revisited/
Self interest isn’t greed.
For example, philanthropy is usually done entirely in self interest.
Read about mutual aid. “Survival of the fittest” isn’t the only mode of evolution, even in other animals/organisms in nature.
Right, but greed is just the term for self-interest that is harmful to others. My point was that the “non-harmful” greed that knitwitt was talking about is the same constructive self interest that drives society in both capitalist and socialist systems.
And you are conflating self-interest with greed because… ?
Do you genuinely not understand the point that @knitwitt@lemmy.world and I are making, or are you just wasting everyone’s time Charlie Kirking?
Again - you are conflating self-interest with greed because… ?
How about you define those two terms yourself, and re-read the comment thread.
You’re not having a meaningful discussion by arguing the semantics around “self-interest” and “constructive greed”.
We are. Right now. And backpedalling because you got caught peddling ridiculous bullcrap isn’t going to help you.
So, again - you are conflating self-interest with greed because… ?
The only ridiculous person here is you.
Go Charlie Kirk somewhere else.
Emotions are inherently amoral. You clearly have an excess of them.
Do you take issue with the definition of the term free market or are you trying to imply that a system where private entities engage in trade largely without government regulation doesn’t exist?
Come liberal, don’t be shy… tell me all the magical thinking you engage in on a regular business.
I’m willing to bet the ridiculous idea of a (so-called) “free market” isn’t even the worst one you’ve swallowed.
Cringe.
Are you a flat earther, perhaps?
Howzabout “chemtrails?” You get panic attacks every time an aircraft flies over at high altitude?