Don’t know if this goes here or in /AskLemmy, but just wanted to know the best FOSS social networks, why are there so good? What would be the propietary equivalent?

  • jackalope@lemmy.ml
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    3 years ago

    I think most people think of Big Biz when they think of capitalism, but in my mnd, it is a world mostly full of small businesses and mostly devoid of businesses with over 100 employees.

    The only problem with this, is that it is objectively false: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/big-business-is-getting-bigger/

    Concentration of ownership in business is at highs we haven’t seen since the Gilded Age. That isn’t even an opinion, it’s a measurable fact.

    I don’t think you’re really understanding what people mean when they talk about “capitalism”. Capitalism isn’t simply “big business” or “small business” or even “government versus business”, because Capitalism is enforced and upheld by Government. Here is a short video by an economics professor that might help clarify what leftists mean when they talk about “capitalism”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnY_ZqJ64cI

    I think of Biden as Left, but what degree is he?

    You might consider him left but Leftists, or at least the kind of people who self identify as Leftists on Lemmy would disagree with you strongly.

    But, I also think conglomerates and other BIGGG players (central banks, IMF, WEF) are controlling or heavily influencing the left and right. They bait the Left and Right and the fools take the bait. They divide and conquer and are a bit outside of that Left or Right box.

    No, the IMF, central banks, and WEF are capitalists. They are right wing. They are exactly what Leftists oppose. They are not outside of divide between Left and Right. They ARE the basis of opposition. You are literally complaining about Capitalism.

    • GenkiFeral@lemmy.ml
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      3 years ago

      I thnk definitions/words matter a lot. The original meaning of capitalism was to own capital - any one. Owning a home or a small business is owning capital. I suppose owning stocks, bonds, or crypto may also fall under that category. The modern definition of the word seems to be BigBiz and/or conglomerate. I despise those and do not consider those capitalist. If we cannot agree on defintions, that confuses things. I am very well aware that money and power is being consolidated. I used to pass around those charts showing that and other charts showing what conglomerates own now (there are about 5 who own most brands, services, media, banks, etc). I call that fascism because anti-monopoly laws, anti-trust laws have not been enforced by government and BigBiz is now in a loose parnerships of sorts with government. They may not be the same, but they are danged-near twins or kissing-cousins. When BigBiz works closely with government that can be called an oligarchy or fascism. I’d guess I am leaving out various other terminology such as mixed economy. I just watched the video and was relieved that he agreed that not agreeing on definitions confuses conversation. But, he made it seem too clear cut - as though only social or capitalism existed. Nothng is that neat or all-or-nothing. the IMF, central banks, and WEF bait the common citizen with concepts about Utopia and equality (which are good to an extent), but are about their own gain and nothing more. They are FASCISTs who pander to the patriotism of the Right and the egalitarianism of the Left. Both are ways to manipulate people and tell them they are worth either the same as others or even more than others. I oost my home, but when I owned it, I was a capitalist. If I owned my own tiny bakery, that, too, would make me a captialist because I thought I had the right to own capital. That cabal of thugs called central bankers are above the right or left wing concept and use it to their benefit. Yes, they want money, but they also want 95% of the population to be EQUAL (equal outcomes, not equal opportunity…equally poor and powerless. They bait us - show us what we want, tell us we are good little boys and girls for wanting that and that they’ll help us get it. But, they trick us and lie, cheat, and steal. Wanting to be rich and powerful for yourself while not allowing others to own capital or speak freely is not capitalism. It is assholery. Not saying wikipedia is always right, but this is close enough this time: Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership and control of the means of production and their operation for profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, a price system determined by supply and demand, private property, property rights recognition, voluntary exchange, and wage labor.

      No where does it say government showing favoritism to FB or Google in exchange for forking over our private data. Nowhere does it say forgiveness of taxes to Amazon or government contracts to this or that company in exchange for major campaign donations and for hiring your brother as vice-CEO. Perhaps CRONY-captialism is closer to what you mean? Crony-capitalism is unethical.