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Everything as a Service

curiositysink.substack.com

11–20 of 37 posts

Re: Everything as a Service

#11

It's always so strange to see one of these articles that endlessly seeks to philosophize modern political/economic circumstances but never directly reference labor theory/the alienation of man from his labor. I wonder if people are simply unaware of the large existing body of work on these issues or are just trying to use "politically neutral" language to describe the explicitly radical study on our existing structur…

> reference labor theory/the alienation of man from his labor. I wonder if people are simply unaware of the large existing body of work on these issues I’ve been interested in reading more about this. Do you have any pointers to good info?

[deleted]

Re: Everything as a Service

#12

It's always so strange to see one of these articles that endlessly seeks to philosophize modern political/economic circumstances but never directly reference labor theory/the alienation of man from his labor. I wonder if people are simply unaware of the large existing body of work on these issues or are just trying to use "politically neutral" language to describe the explicitly radical study on our existing structur…

> reference labor theory/the alienation of man from his labor. I wonder if people are simply unaware of the large existing body of work on these issues I’ve been interested in reading more about this. Do you have any pointers to good info?

Marx's theory of alienation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marx%27s_theory_of_alienation

Re: Everything as a Service

#13

It's always so strange to see one of these articles that endlessly seeks to philosophize modern political/economic circumstances but never directly reference labor theory/the alienation of man from his labor. I wonder if people are simply unaware of the large existing body of work on these issues or are just trying to use "politically neutral" language to describe the explicitly radical study on our existing structur…

There's that. What stood out to me was the philosophizing over how transactions won't fix the widespread outbreak of ennui/existential crises, but the audience here is tilted towards programmers who likely must advance this proliferation of XaaS, even if it is out of personal fiscal necessity. The political/economic circumstances would lead to this end, where the economic nibbles away at private spheres of life and everyone can sense something undesirable happening but cannot fight shadows.

Re: Everything as a Service

#14

The author is remembering a past that never existed. And one of the examples he used to illustrate his point is a university project done by a student, photoshopped (poorly) to appear real-- not an actual in-the-wild ad campaign. >NIKE FREE ad campaign for my Intro to Campaigns class. Photography by William Eason https://www.behance.net/gallery/16285493/NIKE-FREE-Ad-Campai...

Agreed, this is an extremely simplistic view and write up. No references to any grounding theory or heuristics, wide use of hyperbole, and now this photo… good grief. I’m not sure why this was posted to HN.

Substack is just reddit for grown-ups. It's "made up expertise". Well expressed nonsense.

Re: Everything as a Service

#15
post #5

It's always so strange to see one of these articles that endlessly seeks to philosophize modern political/economic circumstances but never directly reference labor theory/the alienation of man from his labor. I wonder if people are simply unaware of the large existing body of work on these issues or are just trying to use "politically neutral" language to describe the explicitly radical study on our existing structur…

I don't think it's strange at all. After the fall of the USSR and the revelations of its horrors all but the most radical in the west came to consider Marxism as a dead letter philosophy. One ought to believe what they believe to be right, even if it is radical, but you shouldn't be shocked when others don't join in your radicalism with you.

While I understand why someone may think that (just because Marx is important on both topics), they are not much related at all. The Capital is something on it's own, and Marx has the best explanation about capitalism so far.

Re: Everything as a Service

#16

It's always so strange to see one of these articles that endlessly seeks to philosophize modern political/economic circumstances but never directly reference labor theory/the alienation of man from his labor. I wonder if people are simply unaware of the large existing body of work on these issues or are just trying to use "politically neutral" language to describe the explicitly radical study on our existing structur…

Not gonna lie, Marx is hard even for Marxists

Re: Everything as a Service

#17
post #3

It's always so strange to see one of these articles that endlessly seeks to philosophize modern political/economic circumstances but never directly reference labor theory/the alienation of man from his labor. I wonder if people are simply unaware of the large existing body of work on these issues or are just trying to use "politically neutral" language to describe the explicitly radical study on our existing structur…

They could also be aware of it and reject the theory.

One man famously said "I reject your reality and substitute my own."

Re: Everything as a Service

#19
This essay seems to be about having a vague dissatisfaction with relying on other people so much. If you go along with it, you're buying into an individualist philosophy that you should do more yourself, somehow.

I'm wondering what a less individualist approach would be. Maybe it would emphasize joining or starting organizations more? Member organizations, created primarily for the benefit of their own membership, were once much more common.

Re: Everything as a Service

#20

It's always so strange to see one of these articles that endlessly seeks to philosophize modern political/economic circumstances but never directly reference labor theory/the alienation of man from his labor. I wonder if people are simply unaware of the large existing body of work on these issues or are just trying to use "politically neutral" language to describe the explicitly radical study on our existing structur…

Labor theory is an insufficient and poorly evidenced claim that does not align with reality.

That's the case for pretty much all theories attempting to model something as famously nebulous and poorly-defined as human society. In light of that limitation, labor theory provides one of the less-wildly-inaccurate models; the issues with it are more around people claiming to champion it while simultaneously imagining themselves as part of some privileged intelligentsia, the very existence of which is indistinguishable from the very thing labor theory directly challenges/criticizes.
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