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Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

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Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#61

Post by squarefoot »

rightbyte wrote: post #26
dragontamer wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_r5UJrxcck Malibu vs Bel Air crash test. You better believe that modern cars are better, its incredible how _BAD_ cars were before we cared about safety. And that's just safety. Today's cars have better MPG, go faster, have more power, easier to maintain, consistently hit 150,000 miles, etc. etc.

I have to admit cars have gotten better. I wonder why, since pretty much any other machinery have become worse. Monkey wrenches, kitchen aids, washing machines. Even static tools like frying pans, screw drivers. You name it. But not cars.

Cars can kill people in numerous ways and as a consequence are more regulated pretty much everywhere except the useless things; other items are only where it counts. A washing machine might be a piece of crap wrt its function, but for sure must pass all sorts of certifications for electrical safety. That wouldn't prevent it from being crap, though.

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#62

Post by ClumsyPilot »

carom wrote: post #17

>Today, we live in a rentier's paradise. People don't aspire to create value – they aspire to capture it... don't provide a service, just figure out a way to interpose yourself between the provider and the customer I think the customer has just changed. Consumers don't have money anymore. Businesses do. Maybe said a different way, for the highest margin products you are targeting businesses. A consumer spending 100k…

> I think the customer has just changed. Consumers don't have money anymore. Businesses do.

The more inequality grows, the poorer average man becomes, the more this becomes true.

The more everything is enshittified, the harder it becomes to hold on to your money. It's a vicious circle.

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#63

Post by inglor_cz »

ajuc wrote: post #27
alexpotato wrote: post #25

> capitalism has died – but it wasn't replaced by socialism. Rather, capitalism has given way to feudalism: I wish I could remember where I heard this quote: "We find two things to always happen in human societies across time and geography: 1. People dancing to rhythmic music at night especially if it is a moonlit night. 2. Some form of feudalism." I wonder how much of it is game theory (e.g. all companies want to be…

feudalism vs capitalism is risk-minimization vs profit-maximalisation

In its beginnings in the Dark Ages, medieval feudalism was pretty risky for everyone involved (though less risky than a complete societal collapse, but that is a low threshold for judgment). The nobility was expected to defend the land against invaders, who came in droves (Vikings, Magyars, Avars, Pechenegs etc.), and the incessant warfare came with a high risk of death. The peasants were mostly unarmed and any enemy attack would cause them great harm. Not even the clergy was sure to survive such events, as most of the invaders were pagan and would gladly kill priests.

We tend to judge the whole feudalism by its late stage, when pampered barons lived in huge estates and their only real risk was eating and drinking themselves to death, but that was also the stage which led to the system's demise.

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#64

Post by paulddraper »

xeromal wrote: post #50
pjmorris wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I prefer 'crapification' (h/t 'Naked Capitalism') for its relative cleanliness and brevity.

Yeah, I like that more. Enshittification is awkward on the tongue

Enshittification rolls off the tongue perfectly.

But it's profane.

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#65

Post by w4termelon »

WillPostForFood wrote: post #55
maerF0x0 wrote: post #39

I still have a belief that capitalism and free markets are superior, but not the way we're doing it now. I'm not trying to no true scotsman here, but a man born in germany to 2 austrian parents and dressed in a kilt is no true scotsman. as i see things there are some major issues are - Removing money from gold standard, allowing power to accrue to those who can control the supply. Instead of competing for what consum…

You are getting downvoted, but the article makes a similar observation. The first capitalists hated rent. They wanted to replace the “passive income” that landowners got from taxing their serfs’ harvest with active income from enclosing those lands and grazing sheep in order to get wool to feed to the new textile mills. They wanted active income — and lots of it. Capitalist philosophers railed against rent. The “free…

[flagged]

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#66

Post by giantrobot »

xeromal wrote: post #50
pjmorris wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I prefer 'crapification' (h/t 'Naked Capitalism') for its relative cleanliness and brevity.

Yeah, I like that more. Enshittification is awkward on the tongue

I find both cromulent.

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#67

Post by sidewndr46 »

lcnPylGDnU4H9OF wrote: post #46
LapsangGuzzler wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It is less market choice but often produces a free or subsidized product. A lot of companies are going down the “captive customer” path wherever they can. Rental properties are a good example of this. Nowadays, there are a handful of compulsory services that you, the renter, must pay for on top the rent and there are no options to cancel (the federal government is currently targeting this practice). I worked for a…

> Nowadays, there are a handful of compulsory services that you, the renter, must pay for on top the rent and there are no options to cancel (the federal government is currently targeting this practice). Off the top of my head: - cable TV I don't use - a trash retrieval service my friends don't use (the service is to take it from the apartment door to the dumpster) - parking space someone without a car doesn't use Go…

The trash service is the one thing that as homeowner (and former renter) just baffles me. I totally understand the need and value if you are disabled or if you otherwise cannot. But seriously, every apartment I rented the trash dumpster was right there. Just grab the bag on my way out, toss it in

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#68

Post by [deleted] »

klyrs wrote: post #10
sameOldPpl wrote: post #4

More of this from the aging generations, huh? https://exhibits.library.duke.edu/exhibits/show/comic-book-c... Same with jazz, DnD, same with rock music, same with rap No one seems to have much rage for the environment, just their mind palace

Do you have a cogent argument as to why technofeudalism is either not sweeping the world, or is ultimately beneficial to its serfs?

[deleted]

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#69

Post by MrOwnPut »

maerF0x0 wrote: post #39

I still have a belief that capitalism and free markets are superior, but not the way we're doing it now. I'm not trying to no true scotsman here, but a man born in germany to 2 austrian parents and dressed in a kilt is no true scotsman. as i see things there are some major issues are - Removing money from gold standard, allowing power to accrue to those who can control the supply. Instead of competing for what consum…

Exactly right. I could not agree more.

If those downvoters would comment, we could all have a healthy debate.

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#70

Post by no_wizard »

lcnPylGDnU4H9OF wrote: post #46
LapsangGuzzler wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It is less market choice but often produces a free or subsidized product. A lot of companies are going down the “captive customer” path wherever they can. Rental properties are a good example of this. Nowadays, there are a handful of compulsory services that you, the renter, must pay for on top the rent and there are no options to cancel (the federal government is currently targeting this practice). I worked for a…

> Nowadays, there are a handful of compulsory services that you, the renter, must pay for on top the rent and there are no options to cancel (the federal government is currently targeting this practice). Off the top of my head: - cable TV I don't use - a trash retrieval service my friends don't use (the service is to take it from the apartment door to the dumpster) - parking space someone without a car doesn't use Go…

I really dislike the trash service we have. Its the same deal. They aren't taking it off site, just the onsite trash bin that we would have to take it to anyways, and its ~35 a month for the privilege. Can't opt out at all. They also have onerous rules:

- Can't have more than one trash bag per night

- Trash and recycling must be taken on different nights (I think largely as a result of the above)

- they don't service Friday or Saturday, the two biggest days for trash during the week. This means trash is often sitting outside for 24-48 hours because the complex doesn't have any rules around how long your trash can be set out for.

- Trash can't be too heavy or bulky. These things are not quantified, so sometimes the trash just isn't taken and you have no idea why

- You must use 13 gallon trash bags or larger. They won't pickup smaller ones (no idea why this exists)

- You must use their exceedingly small bin or they won't pick it up. The bin has no lid. If the trash doesn't slide out of the bin naturally, they will refuse to pick it up (IE, they won't tip it to empty it. If it pulls at all they just leave it)

On top of all that, they constantly leave fliers on our doors trying to sell trash bag subscription service through the company. I looked it up out of curiosity and they want $17 a month for the privilege

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