Capitalism is inherently flawed as it relies on infinite growth in a finite world, to put it simply.
Not really.
Are We Transitioning from Capitalism to Silicon Serfdom?
31–40 of 69 posts
Re: Are We Transitioning from Capitalism to Silicon Serfdom?
#32This is just nonsense
Re: Are We Transitioning from Capitalism to Silicon Serfdom?
#33The fundamental flaw in this argument is that it does not account for every corporation that came before tech. What about RCA, GE, Westinghouse? What about US Steel, what about Standard Oil, what about AT&T. IBM, Intel have already started to fall. What makes this crop of companies any different than all the ones that has come before them. Nothing. The singer sewing machine came out at 125 bucks per unit. The annual…
ATT was broken up by antitrust.
Re: Are We Transitioning from Capitalism to Silicon Serfdom?
#34I have listened to Bezos pontificate about how he’s leading us to a future where trillions will live in the solar system on space stations and take vacations to earth for a glimpse of the life they could have enjoyed if they were privileged. I don’t want any part in that.
I don't understand. The privileged remain on Earth while the lower classes live in space?
Re: Are We Transitioning from Capitalism to Silicon Serfdom?
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
Of course of houses. Houses are the best example - they can be built for invested money, then bought as an investment, closing the loop. The fact that you can't afford one is secondary, there are thousands of empty houses anywhere, their prices are just kept high by the incoming capital.
USA housing starts is collapsing. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/HOUST It's no wonder why house prices are so high when we are (inadvertently) cutting housing supply. USA production of houses needs to be twice as much compared to 50 years ago to keep up with population growth... But we've lost housing production in recent years, not gained it. We are moving in the wrong direction. ---------- There's plenty of deb…
Americans all want SFH but we have reached the reasonable limit of house density in most metro areas within commutable distances. That “commute circle” kept expanding from street cars, to car transit, to highway arterials to suburbs and exurbs. But we need another jump in commute speed/distance to open up the next circle of suburbs/exurbs but we haven’t had any such jump since the 70s.
Maybe high speed rail to city centers with ample parking, that was sort of the hyperloop but that was a sham.
I think the best thing for US housing will be FSD — we can designate arterial highways during commute times as FSD only and have them operate at higher speeds like 100 mph — though I know efficiency drops significantly so hopefully we are fully electric by then too.
Re: Are We Transitioning from Capitalism to Silicon Serfdom?
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
Did you not read the article? The premise is that the current tech giants are effectively only wanting to set up situations where they can extract rents. This is different from making sewing machines in a competitive market, or even in a monopoly. I think the argument has problems for other reasons - there's still lots of innovation going on, for example - but I think there is a line to be drawn between current vc pr…
I did read the article. Rent only happens when cost is high and supply is constrained. Look at housing. Rent seeking isnt sustainable as compute gets cheaper and cheaper. Access is knowledge, sewing, second hand cars: access is portion of knowledge.
Companies are increasingly using lock-in strategies too keep their users in their own walled gardens. Apple and Google can collect rent from the entire app economy solely for the privilege of being listed in app stores (while at the same time controlling the rules of that economy and being able to advantage their own offerings). Amazon can do the same with the Amazon marketplace.
There is lots of rent seeking going on.
Re: Are We Transitioning from Capitalism to Silicon Serfdom?
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
USA housing starts is collapsing. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/HOUST It's no wonder why house prices are so high when we are (inadvertently) cutting housing supply. USA production of houses needs to be twice as much compared to 50 years ago to keep up with population growth... But we've lost housing production in recent years, not gained it. We are moving in the wrong direction. ---------- There's plenty of deb…
Americans all want SFH but we have reached the reasonable limit of house density in most metro areas within commutable distances. That “commute circle” kept expanding from street cars, to car transit, to highway arterials to suburbs and exurbs. But we need another jump in commute speed/distance to open up the next circle of suburbs/exurbs but we haven’t had any such jump since the 70s. Maybe high speed rail to city c…
And the pandemic showed that we don't need to all commute. That remote work, does work.
Remote work mandates for companies would actually help revitalize americana economy, and provide more housing availability. While also reducing housing pressure from cities.
Heck, people living in smaller cities will likely also have better inter-personal relationships and more fulfilling lives.
But these companies that employ people are now anti-remote-work using made-up statistics.
Re: Are We Transitioning from Capitalism to Silicon Serfdom?
#38I have listened to Bezos pontificate about how he’s leading us to a future where trillions will live in the solar system on space stations and take vacations to earth for a glimpse of the life they could have enjoyed if they were privileged. I don’t want any part in that.
I don't understand. The privileged remain on Earth while the lower classes live in space?
That's pretty much exactly it.
Oye Beltalowda!
Re: Are We Transitioning from Capitalism to Silicon Serfdom?
#39Earlier quoted context omitted.
I did read the article. Rent only happens when cost is high and supply is constrained. Look at housing. Rent seeking isnt sustainable as compute gets cheaper and cheaper. Access is knowledge, sewing, second hand cars: access is portion of knowledge.
Companies are increasingly using lock-in strategies too keep their users in their own walled gardens. Apple and Google can collect rent from the entire app economy solely for the privilege of being listed in app stores (while at the same time controlling the rules of that economy and being able to advantage their own offerings). Amazon can do the same with the Amazon marketplace. There is lots of rent seeking going o…
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Re: Are We Transitioning from Capitalism to Silicon Serfdom?
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't understand. The privileged remain on Earth while the lower classes live in space?
That's pretty much exactly it. Oye Beltalowda!
If his envisioned space experience is known or planned to be shitty, why would Bezos say so? How would he sell it?