24th September 2008, 10:53 PM
Ah, so the math guy has generally the right idea?
Yeah, it's really ridiculous. The problem with thinking of the free market as a cure-all is you basically treat "the market" like it's a god unto itself that is wise unto all things and can solve everything itself. The market is very good at saying what people want to buy, and that's useful. It also generates wealth, and that's good too. I certainly don't think communism is any sort of good alternative. However, the "let it alone" completely hands-off market fails for what, in a sense, is the same failing of communism, that anyone can abuse the system. Also in both cases, those doing the abusing think they are in the moral right, as though someone completely broke actually has freedom worth calling by the name when a near-monopolistic company gives them only one choice.
Yeah, it's really ridiculous. The problem with thinking of the free market as a cure-all is you basically treat "the market" like it's a god unto itself that is wise unto all things and can solve everything itself. The market is very good at saying what people want to buy, and that's useful. It also generates wealth, and that's good too. I certainly don't think communism is any sort of good alternative. However, the "let it alone" completely hands-off market fails for what, in a sense, is the same failing of communism, that anyone can abuse the system. Also in both cases, those doing the abusing think they are in the moral right, as though someone completely broke actually has freedom worth calling by the name when a near-monopolistic company gives them only one choice.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)