You falsely attribute an increase in standard of living with an unequal economic exchange (i.e. capitalism) rather than the rise of technology and education. The rise in technology was the outcome of the Enlightenment.
Long before capitalism was born (about 250 years ago), the world was slowly making progress. Writing, algebra, the discovery of antibiotics, gunpowder – you name it- came about as a result of people being educated, having the time to experiment, and discretionary income. It was governments – progressive governments – at the end of the 19th century, that provided education for the masses of the people.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressivism
It wasn’t private money and private capital that educated the masses sufficiently to bring about mass progress. There were always plenty of rich monarchs and rich aristocrats. They kept the people in poverty to serve them – same thing that is happening now. Workers are paid minimal salaries so that business can be kept profitable. Same system – different jargon.
Next, with regard to profits in business being responsible for the increase in health, on the contrary, it was government programs that vaccinated people. America, the wealthiest country in the world, has the worst health of its citizens in any developed country. It has both more deaths in childbirths than any developed country and the worst state of mental health in the world. And 80% of its Nobel prize winners were won by people educated in other countries.
With regard to the aggression, having to have the same conversation over and over again is irritating. One would think that people took the time to educate themselves. You’ve repeated to me the same argument I’ve had heard for more than 60 years. I’m tired of it.
It wasn’t the systems that I hate that produced the innovations. Humanity has always built on the shoulders of their fathers. If one generation invents writing which takes a long time to invent, then the next generation can learn it in a year or two and then have time to learn and discover other things. Innovation automatically becomes more rapid as people are educated more and more earlier and earlier. This has nothing to do with business profits.
The system I hate is neoliberalism. I grew up in a mixed economy, and I can assure you that without DARPA (American military research paid for by government) inventing the internet, it would not exist. And without CERN (in Switzerland) inventing the WWW (world wide web), it would not exist. The system you’re using to talk to me would NOT exist without progressive governments.
The majority of CEOS have been born into wealth, and they did not put in that much work. I know because my late father was a CEO and I went to a very posh, very expensive private school. I mixed with a lot of very wealthy people at one point in my life. Studies in the UK show that the people with the LEAST stress are small time business owners.
Just to tell you about my late father. He was obviously born into wealth, although that was never mentioned (my father was a holocaust survivor), but when 19 year old students have access to famous film stars, rocket scientists, etc. you can bet he didn’t come from a poor home. Besides that, he was educated at the Sorbonne in Paris, Berlin and Heidelberg universities. He had degrees in law, engineering, and journalism. He spoke 11 languages. Where, in the 1920s did one get that kind of education without coming from very wealthy parents?
He lost it all, of course, when the Nazis came for him. But he had an education (paid for by rich parents). So, of course, he made good. I won’t list his achievements, but my father said the only reason he opened his open business was because nobody would employ someone who only started work at 10 in the morning. He somehow, despite owning a very profitable business, managed to be president and chairman of the astronomical society and the engineering society, write numerous articles that were published throughout the world, lecture on topics like reaching the moon (in the 40s to the Royal Air Force), etc. He went dancing, dated, etc. He most definitely did not work a 40 to 60 work week. You need to read the book, Capital in the 21st Century. Money makes money. Jeff Bezos was not born poor – nor was Bill Gates.
A few months before my father passed, I told him I hated capitalism and explained to him why (that was 1984). He said to me, “You’re speaking about the excesses of capitalism. That is what Marx spoke about.” What is interesting is that I have a lecture my late father gave in 1944 about life in a 100 years. He said that there would be a big fight between capitalism and socialism, and you know what? He was right. It is happening.
You wanted evidence? It’s all around you. There’s a mass of research out there, and I would normally provide it. I simply used myself and my sister as evidence that your statement that nobody would work if they didn’t have to. If nothing else, some people would. Of course, greedy bastards wouldn’t. I’m not sure that’s a motivation to be proud of.
I’m not going to be responding to you after I’ve provided this. I really don’t enjoy wasting my time talking to people who should be better educated than they are. You need to question your brainwashing.
QUOTE: The results indicate that the association between salary and job satisfaction is very weak. These results have important implications for management: if we want an engaged workforce, money is clearly not the answer. In fact, if we want employees to be happy with their pay, money is not the answer. In a nutshell: money does not buy engagement.
https://hbr.org/2013/04/does-money-really-affect-motiv
QUOTE: Compensation is perhaps the most frequently used motivator. It works, but studies show that only the prospect of receiving money in the near future is a strong enough motivator to change behavior. Once the employee receives the money, its power to motivate ends very quickly. Some studies say within a week.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/247333
QUOTE: In his best-selling book Drive, Daniel Pink explores three fundamental motivators: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. He explains that all people are motivated by at least one of these and often a combination of the three. It is interesting that money is not on this list. Pink asserts that while people are initially motivated by money, if you pay them enough to meet their needs, money becomes less and less effective.
https://www.destinationcrm.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?
Here’s the bottom line, if it was important to me, I could prove every single thing I say. However, I’m in the middle of my 5th intercontinental move, and although I’m far more expert at it than I used to be, there are still things to be done and people to see. I won’t be responding further.
Water can easily be provided - it is valuable. Nothing to do with rarity factor.
