>EvMick responds:
>This has nothing to do with a Free Market. The essence of Free Market
>Economics is Freedom....(Duh...I wonner why they call it THAT?)...Individual
>Freedom...to which Theft, Slavery, Torture and Murder are Anathema.
Total freedom often means the law of the jungle, were murdering (or at
least killing) competitors for recources is the smart thing to do.
If I kill all competitors before a job-interview it would be murder. But if
I allow somebody to starve to death that could have technically been saved
with a minute financial offer from me, it's OK (especially is the person is
living far away). From a Darwinian viewpoint ther's no difference between
the two. Each of us draws a line: that is murder, this is exercising my
right as a free person.
Where the line is drawn depends (IMHO) mainly on your own economic position
and of the standards upheld by the people around you (culture, how you were
raised).
What one person calls a free-market economy, others will call facism.
What others person calls social-democracy, some will call communism.
(Funny thing is that in practice facism and communism are not so much
difference, from the perspective of the individual living in such a country
- they both suck big-time. Just looking at works of 'art' created under
Hitler and Stalin should give a clear hint.)
>You make good choices you might be another Bill Gates.
Please don't, one Bill Gates is all that computer-users can handle.
(sorry I just *had* to say this ;-)
>You make bad choices....you might die.
Lot's of people die because of choices others make (drink & drive) or just
of 'bad luck'. Many life-influencing events are beyond the control of the
individual (wars, diseases, market fluctuations and other 'acts of god')
>Call it "Evolution in Action"
Of course in a true 'Darwinian Economy' optimising use of resources would
mean elimination all non-productive individuals (like ants). After that all
individuals that aren't productive enough given their consumption of
limited recources). So after we kill all physically- or metally chalanged,
unemployed and elderly we give IQ-test to all 5-year olds, score below 110?
Kill them to. Then up the minimum by .5 point per year. Combined with
automation of simpler work we should see some dramatic increase in the
standard of living of smart, hardworking people.
Very optimal, very efficient.
I'll pass...
I'm not calling anybody a facist or labeling them with other -ism's, I just
arguing that taking a single principle all the way can lead to horrible
situations (No news, just something that needs to be said every now and then).
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Arjen Kamphuis | Learn as if you will live forever.
mountain@knoware.nl | Live as though you will die tomorrow.