Re: capitalist religion

From: J. R. Molloy (jr@shasta.com)
Date: Fri Jul 20 2001 - 20:09:23 MDT


From: "Lee Corbin" <lcorbin@tsoft.com>
> On the contrary, I think that the rich can afford to
> be much more irresponsible (at least for a while) than
> the poor can. When I was poor, I had, in order to escape
> poverty, to be quite responsible in saving every dollar.
> Now that I'm no longer poor, it doesn't matter if I blow
> a hundred dollars on something.

You're right, I hadn't thought of that angle. Of course it's the rich (more
than the poor) who get to define what's responsible. Economic responsibility
can enable one to become rich enough to scoff at responsibility of another
kind.

> What is the difference between greed and self-interest?

Self-interest recognizes the perils of greed better than greed understands
self-interest.

> I'll guess that we use the term "greed" to depict those
> highly self-interested individuals whose behavior goes
> beyond the confines of good taste and respectability;

Greedy folks take more than is in their self-interest to take.

> e.g., the complete lack of charity and compassion that
> characterized the fictional Ebenezer Scrooge.

Yes, that's a good example, I guess. Ebenezer let greed overtake his own
self-interest, which would have been better served by showing some concern for
people over money.

> Self-interest, on the other hand, need have no such
> negative characteristics.

That's how I see it too. Greed is not in one's best self-interest.

Glad we got that squared away.

BTW, the subject line "capitalist religion" seems like a self-contradiction to
me, because no one invented capitalism (unlike religion), it's the natural
order of things.

Stay hungry,

--J. R.

Useless hypotheses, etc.:
 consciousness, phlogiston, philosophy, vitalism, mind, free will, qualia,
analog computing, cultural relativism, GAC, CYC, and ELIZA

     Everything that can happen has already happened, not just once,
     but an infinite number of times, and will continue to do so forever.
     (Everything that can happen = more than anyone can imagine.)

We won't move into a better future until we debunk religiosity, the most
regressive force now operating in society.



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