A Socialist Perspective on the Pursuit of Happiness | Aaron Bastani | TED

Several crises are set to define the next century -- but journalist Aaron Bastani believes we have the technological ability to meet our biggest challenges and create unprecedented levels of prosperity for all. He shows how we could get there by ditching capitalism as the world's economic operating system and adopting "universal basic services," where governments would freely provide life essentials like housing, health care, education and transport. (Followed by Q&A with head of TED Chris Anderson and public finance expert Maja Bosnic)
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• A Socialist Perspectiv...
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[@supamarx5782]

This is a real wake up call as to how far our shared consciousness has shifted to the right, that floating the idea that people have access to the basic necessities of a functional society and taxes are fair is considered mind-blowing. However Aaron does an amazing job of presenting and his book is much more visionary in terms of imaging post-capitalist possibilities.

[@TomMAF4]

@@austindenotter19 communism≠totalitarian

[@alwaysright3943]

@@TomMAF4 But more productive people have to pay for the necessities of less productive people? Your leftist sophistry and deception are wasted on people who have done even a tiny bit of research.

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@GorillionDollars]

No, but it requires a flavour of totalitarianism to enforce.

[@thomaslillibridge6103]

Historically it ALWAYS has.

[@appoNo1]

“You have to act as if were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time” - Angela Davis. Change is possible, and necessary, don’t be fooled by the thought that capitalism is the end of history. As Aaron said, if man has ambitions to terraform Mars, surely we can be equally ambitious about earth and the future we want for our species.

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@dinsdag6juli2010]

"You have to murder people to get what you want" - actual murderer Angela Davis

[@TitusRex]

Most countries in Europe have a kind of UBS already. In my country, Portugal, health and education is free, public transport is very cheap and if you live in Lisbon it's free for students and elderly. For housing it's a little trickier, but there's social housing for the poorest, but housing is something that needs to be improved.

[@tomasgomes]

"Free" is a nice way to put it. Not everything is exactly free, nor does it work that well. It's still better than most of the world, so I'm not complaining too much, but if you go to Norway, for example, you'll see a very different reality (a better one).

[@evanli421]

@@tomasgomes it's free when you are poor

[@baberRuth]

Metro transit in some US Cities. Is a Den or cesspool of the worst in society. No rules, fare skipping is high. No rules. Smoking anything. Booze. Heroin use & sales. Radios at full blast. Complain...take heed. Very old Men have been shot. Robbery. Not most cities. But too many

[@northernnaysayer1240]

@Tomás Gomes its free, the economy isn't a household budget, stop treating it as such.

[@tomasgomes]

@@northernnaysayer1240 Maybe I've been leaving in a different Portugal for the last 23 years, then.

[@twogsds]

Yanis Varoufakis suggests that as all tech advances developments are paid for by the state, tax payers, then given to private companies to make profits, these companies should pay dividends from profits back to those, tax payers.

[@user-tt5lf3ft9j]

Isn't that the corporate tax?

[@twogsds]

@@user-tt5lf3ft9j as dividends that support universal basic services so that the tax payer benefits not just tax that government takes, similar to a sovereign wealth fund like Norway has from its Fossil Fuel reserves that it sells to other countries.

[@jimmiegregory6370]

Excellent talk Aaron! - Keep up the good work!

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@arizonabayla496]

Housing, education,healthcare and transport. I'd add a big one ,Energy, to that.

[@user-tt5lf3ft9j]

Can admit, finally hearing the socialist voice from TED tribunes makes me very happy. If you think about it, there had pretty much never been a positive socialist representation on the TED stage.

[@BusCord]

seriously though

[@lukasbosina301]

There was a pretty good talk about universal basic income by someone from the Netherlands. Look it up.

[@user-tt5lf3ft9j]

@@austindenotter19 the truth will only be seen in practice, yet I believe the new socialist movement, given it's gonna be massive enough, will be beneficial for humanity, not detrimental. Still, no matter your views, if you believe democracy is the way, you should believe no voices should be silenced. It's through an honest an open discussion on a level playing field that we can decide what's best for our future.

[@fionafiona1146]

@@austindenotter19 I am not sure what hurt you are pointing at because historic authoritarian regimes haven't been worse than average on their "socialist" ventures. Canteen kitchens, public housing and recreational travel were none of the issues with politicians who knew enacting these policies would be less awful than their broader agenda.

[@fionafiona1146]

@@austindenotter19 I was asking for the harm you appeared to have identified, where it wasn't exceeding historic averages and frequently below them. Why would people develop such feelings at all? Because of 10k years of conditioning, contemporary rivalry or would their private military accent bias them?

[@ductuslupus87]

Yet, for some unknown reason, people are against this? I don't know as to why.

[@user-tt5lf3ft9j]

It's very hard to argue against the idea itself, so many argue against different implementations of it that, as they see it, might bring more harm than good. Many others argue that any implementation of socialism is harmful, since it inhibits some important property of capitalism (the most common example is the notion that socialism stifles innovations as it doesn't give the innovator a chance to gain incredible wealth on the thing they invented) Also, there are some dreamers that sincerely believe they have a chance at becoming billionaires, and as such they don't want to propel the system that won't let that happen. If I'm allowed my 2 cents here, I'm sick and tired of that "innovative capitalism" thing. I'm a researcher myself, and I worked in the field of commercial research, as well as presented my own revolutionary startup project to VCs - and I can tell you from the inside it's all BS. Honestly it all begins with a notion that there is literally no chance any startup will turn into a big business. If it is successful, big companies will come in and either buy or destroy it. And it's not that they are as generous as some American films demonstrate - they will pay you crumbs, no matter how profitable the idea is. And that's considering you'll actually get investment for your startup (meaning you'll be in charge and will have a share of profits) and it will not be bought off straight away. Despite being a competent researcher with quite solid cases behind my back, I'd be much happier to work in a socialist society, hands down. As for those wishful thinkers willing to become billionaires...well, I don't think it needs much explanation, you have better chances winning a national lottery.

[@SuperDeathunder]

Because utopian society never works. As he said it sounds utopian and u know why the speaker said that? Cause it is. Give everyone housing? HOW? He didn’t say did he? Government takes land by force and builds apartments and puts people in them? Private owners want money for their investment. Free healthcare like the UK has? Ok we have 2 billion poor people to the USA’s south with an open border. Does the UK service billions of people? Hmm probably not. He said raise taxes. Then he said u work 4 hours a day. Sooooo how much tax is taken from those 4 hours of work? Hmmm the US is 31 trillion dollars in debt. If u took every nickel from the richest 10% you’d get about 1.5 trillion? 2 trillion? Then what? See free free free sounds wonderful. I love free. But like in a household there needs to be a voice of reason as to why we can’t buy a 500$ purse every week. U want that purse but the numbers don’t work.

[@XavierJAlexander]

@@user-tt5lf3ft9jhaving been in the VC system myself the people who make investment decisions have the mistaken beliefs they are more intelligent than the inventors and business creators, but as is often the case they’re mostly morons who get lucky spread betting. Your chances of investment rely much more heavily on your ability to bullshit and sell. Also, lots of innovation comes from public sector institutions like universities, the NHS, NASA, and other government institutions. The idea all innovation has come from capitalism is a myth

[@coopsnz1]

@@user-tt5lf3ft9j socialism policy kills savings too

[@jacobjones630]

@@coopsnz1 The savings of the incredibly wealthy maybe.

[@eoinotoole2755]

Anyone else noticed the “to not just thrive but to survive” bit?

[@TJ-TJ]

Great speech. More like this please!!

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@superpowerdragon]

UBS is definitely more practical than UBI, out of the 4, housing and health care is probably the hardest to solve, but transportation and education especially should be free

[@carsonhunt4642]

@@KenH60109 You’re not aware everything is paid with imaginary unlimited money via debt nowadays? 😮 the innocent naivety is adorable. Let me guess, next companies will start actually distributing the surplus value created from employees back to them 😂

[@glennsimonsen8421]

The problem is, he envisions a State education in a closed system without choices. This has been done...

[@daniel2501]

Fantastic job giving socialism a great explanation in such a short time. Well done! 👏👏👏👏👏

[@davidpennmiller354]

Oh wait, he forget to mention the part where people start dying of starvation and civil rights are permanently suspended as has happened 100% of the times it has been tried.

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@jamesdaniels1036]

@@davidpennmiller354 Cuba?

[@damagednoob]

He invokes South Africa as an example of a failing capitalist state, completely ignoring the fact that it's actually a kleptocracy. I challenge him to find a communist country that doesn't end up as a kleptocracy.

[@jacobjones630]

Cuba, the country under US embargo that sent it's doctors out to help with covid.

[@SoloRenegade]

correct. This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@jamesdaniels1036]

China, Cuba, USSR, North Vietnam

[@damagednoob]

@jamesdaniels1036 thank you for proving my point

[@Baraz_Red]

So I see here we have to re-teach ourselves the basics, after our universities have systematically promoted neoliberalism is their teaching, to an extent that is undignified of what should be university studies and sciences. And I live in Canada, where our system still maintains public services, although they are actively being eroded, privatized, and weakened.

[@AmberAmber]

TY for acknowledging what many neolibs up here refuse to accept. XO

[@theGuilherme36]

Promotes neoliberalism? What is it actually? I know many authors from the XX century who defined themselves as classical liberals. Hayek, Friedman, Mises, Röpke, Hazlitt, Sowell, Jouvenel. And are they teached in school? Actually not. But Marx, Foucault and so on is always there.

[@Baraz_Red]

@@theGuilherme36 You have not suffered through the basic economic classes in universities, that all teach neo-classic economic theory, often as if it was the inevitable laws of nature? The book we had for international economics was filled with ideology, claiming that any criticism of their models was ideology from unions (really, it said that, non stop throughout the book, in a university in Canada). Marx and Foucault are taught in sociology and philosophy, notably, but probably not in other domains.

[@theGuilherme36]

@@Baraz_Red I agree that maybe universities should teach more views. And that doesn't mean that these are necessarily supportive of state regulation in opposition to free markets. It's contrary to that in many cases, actually. For instance, Mises and Hayek, cited above, aren't neoclassical economists. They deffend a dynamic view of market (as a complex system). And they are staunch defenders of the free market.

[@jacobjones630]

@@theGuilherme36 Why should we defend the free market? Is it really something worth defending? Colleges refuse to even ask the question.

[@keepitsoggy]

Completely agree. However we run into this issue of affordability and costing. While I believe in the long term we cannot afford not to put in place the UBSs, politics only sees as far as the next general election or presidential race, and their idea of affordability is taxation Vs spending over course of the next 4/5 years, not the next 100 years over which debt can be distributed over. The idea that economies work the same way as household incomes or small businesses is the most persistent untruth told by politicians since the inception of neoliberalism. We need to redefine affordability and recognise that not every pound/dollar the government spends is equally contributing to inflation or the future cost of borrowing. It is the cost of borrowing that should define the affordability of government spending, not what numbers appear on the balance sheet every year. I'd like to hear why Aaron believes encompassing the food system into UBS is unaffordable?

[@BusCord]

maybe he forgot it's possible to cut military spending

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@blahdelablah]

"However we run into this issue of affordability and costing." If you're in the US, start with healthcare. The US pays way more than it should on private healthcare, and a public healthcare system would be cheaper and give better health outcomes (better health outcomes as prevention is better than cure, and you're more likely to see a doctor sooner if you don't have to pay out-of-pocket for it). There's zero reason not to proceed with public healthcare, it's not a matter of affordability because it's cheaper than the existing system.

[@jackm1758]

If we can bail out the banks for 100s of billions we can afford to distribute their wealth in a way that pays for our basic services. It is a question of Socialism or Barbarism and unfortunately our struggle won't come easy. That's where we read Lenin, and I know Bastani won't go there! Lol I like him a lot though he's great

[@Humandriver5280]

A mixed economy that balances the excesses of the two systems would be best. A rebalence every few years would be needed.

[@smileyeagle1021]

That is almost exactly what he is proposing.

[@coopsnz1]

Uk is a mixed economy the government steal half your money

[@jacobjones630]

Gotta cut down the excess of 0% homelessness?

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@blahdelablah]

Did you listen to the talk? You don't need to "rebalance every few years" if you have the ability to tax excess profits and reinvest in public services.

[@ankurm4100]

"Saving Capitalism from the Capitalists" a classic from the early 2000s written by a bright-eyed Raghuram Rajan+, who went on to become the Governor of India's Central Bank - Reserve Bank of India, and then resigned as a mark of protest against the current ruling party in India, has been espousing many of these ideas with evidence from the developing as well as the developed world. I really hope after the dust settles this century, much like in the early 20th century, we'd be able to make a "renewed deal" again.

[@andrewreynolds912]

As a socialist, capitalism is an obsolete system that has to go just like it replaced feudalism all those centuries ago and socialism is the future where humanity can really reach its true potential because capitalism stagnates innovation

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@TomMAF4]

Great talk Aaron!

[@clusterstage]

Free basic services is like The Orville's economic structure, with their matter synthesizer. You can wish any thing into existence but it's still not a utopia, because problems still exist. Problems like divorce, practicing a performance, winning the olympics, falling in love, etc.

[@woody40000]

I've not seen the Orville, but Star Trek pretty much is luxury gay space communism so I imagine the Orville is similar

[@clusterstage]

yeah, made by americans @@woody40000

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@winstonsmith09]

In the words of great socialist thinker Zizekİ "Don't worry. There will be new problems." Socialism won't stop heartache illness or personal struggles. It doesn't promise to. It's a combination of better planning and thoughtful consideration.

[@SoloRenegade]

@@winstonsmith09 socialism causes problems. Ask the Soviets how it worked. Ask Sweden how it worked. Ask Cuba how it worked. Ask the Nazis how it worked.

[@clusterstage]

UBS is like UBI on steroids. It's like Star Trek's economy

[@potapotapotapotapotapota]

UBI is UBS on steroids actually. But I much prefer the UBS. It cost way less and does what we need UBI to do the most - allow everyone to have the opportunity to survive and thrive.

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@omarguillan-perez]

There is no such thing as a free lunch, aka, heavy taxation.

[@Jukepace]

Are there any people that will argue this? Why does everyone just accept these soft words without question?

[@TRAMWAJAZ1]

I think most of us don't want to comment one more time the nonsense of such visions. Everybody will have everything for free without answering from whom, acting like corporations are magical beings printing money they don't want to share ;)

[@LegendLength]

The left don't like counter opinions these days

[@solus1021]

@@TRAMWAJAZ1 what's frustrating is that there are issues this is meant to address, which the current systems we live by are not adequately addressing. Something has to be done, and often people who decry this kind of solution provide no alternative - they just naysay.

[@glennsimonsen8421]

Notice there's a pre-planted question set up for him at the end!

[@jamesdaniels1036]

Mostly because people trying to argue against it, aren't educated enough on the subject to properly critique it. If you want actual intellectual critique of socialism look no further than socialists themselves - they are the biggest critics of it as there are multiple different types and systems.

[@hybridroid]

*HE SAID THAT* 1:39

[@maysaldo7129]

"we tax work more than we tax wealth"

[@maysaldo7129]

There is a few to limited free services here in the Philippines. And when I say free, it's free but limited. It has "free education" yet there are students from public school who are expressing their struggles due to other fees (e.g., projects, uniforms, etc.) plus the frightening transportation fee. What exactly is free? (by definition and scope)

[@maysaldo7129]

In addition, isn't it weird to pay for a land that was once just free?

[@maysaldo7129]

Well, all of the countries shall stop giving funds to the military sector for weapons and stuffs that can trigger massive war, and just settle with a little fist fights or rock-paper-scissors lol. Just use the fund for other services/sectors. [The countries be polishing their vessels, rockets, bombs, and guns to the extremes, and it feels like a war will breakout any moment.]

[@melvingeraldsy1552]

I definitely agree that prioritizing creating a better living standard for everyone on earth would help us then achieve our ambition of colonizing mars/universe more efficiently and peacefully.

[@menosproblemos6993]

Water and food oughta be part of UBS yeah? Could cut down on healthcare costs.

[@metalhead2550]

Great job Aaron, clear and to the point, I would've liked to hear the numbers that UCL had come up with and their reasoning as part of the answer :) Keep up the great job you do with Novara Media etc.

[@DeputyChiefWhip]

Id like to see a discussion between Aaron and Rutger Bregman

[@andrewreynolds912]

As a socialist for what he said is what socialists want to get to have equity, and people have better lives for the working class and privatization of industries and corporations who have control on artificial demand, high prices, etc capitalism is the cause of our worsening lives and socialism needs to replace the outdated system of capitalism.

[@BusCord]

You would very likely need to nationalize the energy sector as well -Otherwise, your free transportation system would be beholden to the whims of fossil fuel giants

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@glennsimonsen8421]

Of course, everything free!. And I saw this work really well in an old Star Trek so we know it can be done!

[@dahliacecily]

What about all the people who are diagnosed with things which make it hard or impossible for them to go by the system of receiving in education and working.

[@EEC350]

I would imagine Aaron would say that people who are unable to work and study would, like everybody else, receive the universal basic services of housing, health care, transport, (and education, should they ever want it), and that they would also be able to access a means-tested disability benefit to help them with the cost of food, toiletries, and general life-enrichment.

[@jacobjones630]

They'd all have a place to live and be able to go to the doctor which is a lot more than they have now.

[@charliethemagpie523]

I personally am in favour of a UBI, I think that it can be both effective and affordable (and is more flexible than just UBSes). But I find the idea of UBSes interesting, and what's most interesting is that we're already partway there, at least in Australia, with medicare and public education. Seems like it would be a pretty workable step to expand those, and expand public transport and housing into UBSes!

[@jacobjones630]

UBI is a convenient excuse to cut the payouts of public pensions and the private market will just adjust prices upwards to account for everyone having money. Just look at Obamacare in the US which is state SUBSIDISED healthcare not state PROVIDED healthcare, everything was still provided privately and the prices skyrocketed for everyone because there still needed to be profit and the insurance providers knew they could get away with it because the government would cover the difference. US healthcare is now more expensive than ever.

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@piccalillipit9211]

*I HAVE A FORM OF UBI* Im an author and my past books sell enough to just about pay my bills - THIS WAS THE SINGLE MOST LIBERATING EVENT IN MY LIFE I don't have to work tomorrow to pay the bills. Ive done a university program, Ive leant to tailor historical suits, and Ive taken 2 years off with long covid and not had a mental breakdown as I would have if I had to work to pay the bills.

[@alestevez950]

Smart and refreshing

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@JeffreyRufino]

Very interesting!! I certainly think that providing people with basic services would help to bring about a fairer and more equitable society. Even providing better access to mental health can go a long way in improving people's lives and helping them to find a greater sense of fulfillment in their everyday lives. I find it interesting that he mentions improving access to technology - do you think that we can use technology in addition to providing basic services as a means of improving people's lives, or do you think that our focus should be on providing basic services alone?

[@jacobjones630]

A way to invest in new technology in these fields is to have these services not be free but incredibly cheap at the point of service and all the funds go into R&D instead of some investor's pocket. That's one way you can have both but there are others.

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@barraqali336]

Brilliant. The only way to reverse the rapid march to the abyss!

[@glennsimonsen8421]

I like the whole Jetson's thing better, as long as we're talking science fiction, but this guy's "free State education" scares the crap outta me. You can still get a ticket to Caracas if you want to check out some of these ideas in real time. Have fun!

[@GuyWithGaming]

What’s the alternative to state education? If you privatise it then you essentially carve a hierarchy into society from birth. In fact, privatised education is one of the biggest reinforcements of a tiered society

[@thabom9791]

He is bright!

[@sgordon8123]

Who would you trust with so much power is the only question to ask.

[@asmiivarshney3380]

He mentioned the concept of elderly care, I think that there is really no need of elderly care centres. I appreciate the idea of making societal clubs for elders but not really centers, where the children would leave the elders. If we talk abt UBS, it also mentions that we spend less time/space for non effective things. Orphanages are good, i agree but elderly care?

[@blahdelablah]

Elderly care encompasses both live-at-home care and care centres, it doesn't have to mean one or the other, they can co-exist. As for why elderly care centres can make sense, in some circumstances an elderly person requires a level of medical care that can't be easily administered at home, and it makes sense to bring doctors and nurses into the same building as the elderly people requiring this around-the-clock care. For elderly people that are more physically able to look after themselves, then they wouldn't need to go into an elderly care centre.

[@Mo0n1111]

Very impressive! ❤

[@jbob34345]

Interesting. I think break-throughs in AI and energy production may make this a possibility, one day!

[@cybersekkin]

flat value growth on housing in Japan? houses sold here a few years ago at 150-200 thousand dollars, same type housing is now going on the market for 350-400 thousand. in the same neighborhood. I dont know who told you the cost here is flat..

[@LCOF]

Across the entire country, not just in your specific area.

[@jacobjones630]

Price GROWTH RATE is flat. Get wrecked!

[@cwhn]

It sounds so good when nobody debates it, a lie detector would burn out

[@funnyskeleman1739]

be my guest..

[@glennsimonsen8421]

There are so many. His unstated vision here is a State education in a closed system@@funnyskeleman1739

[@jamesdaniels1036]

Please list 3 things that were lies, you've had 6 months to think about it

[@GuyWithGaming]

Enlighten us then mate, or have you not thought past the mind-bending concept that capitalism is the best we can ever do, what all the billionaires peddle to you through the media? Look at yourself, your repeating the doctrine of the rich and powerful, have you ever thought that you might be the one being manipulated and that these ideas might have some credibility

[@cwhn]

Lies: -you can't go through college because your mind is busy with bill. That's life. - the pursuit of happiness is given by the state. Go to north korea. - the market is oppressive. You are free to live in a cave and hunt

[@instantpotenjoyer]

this is essentially what Keynes proposed in the 30s 😂

[@thariqulabrar318]

Social democracy (welfare system) is different from socialism.

[@jacobjones630]

Right, it can be rolled back whenever convenient for capital 👍

[@johnbee7729]

Good words and something that is a long way from happening in the western society. There are tons of free resources that could be used to help our society- they are the retired professional.

[@Noum77]

It's funny how people in France are protesting against the rise of retirement age bill yet when you actually ask retired people if they want to return to work if someone is willing to hire them, most of them will say yes

[@SoloRenegade]

This guy is a Communist, advocating Communism.

[@NapGod]

Amen.

[@cristiandecri]

What about energy?

[@glennsimonsen8421]

Certainly! Throw that in too. Everything's free in this guy's mind. I saw an old Star Trek episode where they had this, so yeah, it can be done!

[@potapotapotapotapotapota]

yes de-privatize all human needs sectors, especially and most importantly housing

[@davidpennmiller354]

Yes, brilliant. Let the government control our houses and decide where we live. I’m sure they would do as good a job at that as they do at everything else. Oh, wait….

[@glennsimonsen8421]

Exactly! Pol Pot did it in Cambodia in the 70's so we know it can be done.

[@danaspielbusch4610]

Illusory,wow!

[@gavin4981]

Also from books..

[@hpc5680]

“Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. In the first stage of life the mind is frivolous and easily distracted, it misses progress by failing in consecutiveness and persistence. This is the condition of children and barbarians, in which instinct has learned nothing from experience.” George Santayana, The Life of Reason, Volume 1, 1905 US (Spanish-born) philosopher (1863 - 1952)

[@bigbenji6]

deep

[@illuminaus]

The BEST Socialist Marxist is the one that got the Nicolae Ceaușescu Treatment in Romania back in the 80s hahahaha 🤡🤣

[@temurnormamatov]

I was surprised

[@circleoflife3806]

Repeat the same idea and expect a different result = insanity

[@GuyWithGaming]

Who’s tried this idea?

[@barristophilliesiii5863]

How does a channel with 12.5m subs not break 100k views in the first day or two of posting? Someone needs to do a talk on that hahaha

[@chetgaines1289]

great talk except he's wrong about ubi

[@jacobjones630]

UBI is a clever way to defund social services and pensions. sounds good, doesn't work.

[@JohannahJagger]

You're forgetting a key to survival.... Food production.

[@menosproblemos6993]

UBS is norm here in Sweden (except for free communal traffic). It's great really is. Anyone gets health care - Fits right into the '_basic human needs category'. However I would be cautious about this man handling it. If he thinks it's the only way then he's rather nearsighted im my mind.

[@HAPPY-Ansan]

Yeeeees🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

[@MikeFromDownUnder]

💯❗👍🤙👌

[@depro9]

The Buddha believed that most suffering is caused by a tendency to crave or desire things. A person might crave something nice to eat or desire to go on a nice holiday or earn lots of money. Buddhism teaches that through being dissatisfied with their lives and craving things, people suffer.

[@williamfigueroa9923]

Elohim teaches that people suffer because we live in a fallen world where suffering exists. A world where everything dies and anywhere there is death there is suffering.

[@depro9]

@@SL-jn8cz I love how others get to decide what others should desire. 🤷‍♂️ Do you not see the problem with any of this?

[@AmberAmber]

@Depro Nine *edited* clarity & syntax ‐ currently losing my eyesight. ···························· I was a Buddhist for 12 years after being deprogrammed from Abrahamic Hierarchical faith (within which I was abused & have c‐ptsd from - an incurable & often even unmanageable condition). I'm Canadian & am pretty far left wing & utterly fine with socialism ‐ In fact i feel its preferably as its been shown over numerous studies & through history to reduce human suffering. I agree with most of Buddhism theoretically (except I don't believe anything without solid evidence & hence I don't believe reincarnation is a demonstrated fact). However another piece of me has issues with a main Buddhist tenet. It's why I eventually embraced full secular humanism ultimately); →The tenet: • Desire = misery · agreed·but this breaks down in practice cos there's no way to stop one's desiring (for most · I accept some aren't predisposed to desire & can Jedi Mind Trick themselves into an enlightened mind). •one can't truly chose how they feel; •all feelings might/mightn't be sound *but* they're always nonetheless valid. •I'm not referring to material wants(shown to stem most from adverts) but basic needs (as we're neuro‐wired to survive) & I'm *def* not good with this final, *most* toxic model of *end‐stage capitalism at all* ... •Except for my OWN most *basic needs* , I stopped participating in Cap all together. I only acquire items beyond my basic needs (ie. communication devices like like this 📱) 2nd‐hand & ideally recycled/recyclable/supportive of local & humanistically‐run commerce (ie. The battery ingredients issue•90٪ of the ingredients come from mines in ‐ *I think* ‐ the Congo Basin?, & *kids* are dangerously & forcibly lowered into deadly mines to acquire the ingredients ‐hence I try my best to find & encourage those who work on alt power & battery sources in order to best not support sick practices ‐ but its also so hard to avoid cruelty in manufacturing under greed. ie. my mobile's from a fam near my old apt. who've built pcs & mobiles from ♻️s just >25y now & are anti capitalist & enviro‐helpers they barter). I'll do this as long as I'm able... But yeah ‐ I'm looking for an address of the mind's inability to 'control·its·damn·self' (ie. we grieve over death & grief may last 1d/a lifetime; or ppl. with depression · its a out of my control; only moderately handled by meds. Mind you? Anti‐depressants prevented my un·alive 2× · I'm grateful · still profoundly sad tho'). •My own desire stems from grief & loss • ptsd makes the ability to move past trauma nearly · if not fully · impossible. I awaken from recurrent nightmares daily · abuses & grief over my lost childhood ‐ how it this affected & affect my life still? It feels near·impossible to trick my brain into not feeling misery ℅ desire to be emotional pain·free (I meditated for years). I'm just curious how Buddhism (& you) sees brain issues & disorders. Looking for a new take · I'm earnest XO Namaste 💗 🫂❤

[@depro9]

@@AmberAmber TLDR 🤷‍♂️

[@AmberAmber]

@@depro9 All right. I'll try to shorten it ‐ im earnest here ‐ are there ways to stop oneself from feeling desire since we can't control our own minds nor our feelings? And I agree wholeheartedly with socialism. XO

[@YukiChannelShibaInu]

10:41

[@Zerobob26]

Aaron... You've taken my entire political and social ideology and articulated it perfectly. Thank you. The ultimate goal of technology is surely to liberate people from the drudgery of work. It's amazing how few people can see this. However, as I see it, the only ELEGANT way to transition to an automated society, and ensure that society profits from automation (not companies) is to start taxing companies who replace workers with automation, then use this tax to fund a UBI. As time goes on this UBI will get bigger and bigger, until money can be removed from the equation altogether... Automated services will serve society for free.

[@UToobin75]

1) Not sure why he didn't include food in his UBS equation. That should be a given. 2) He mentions how an effective UBI would be unaffordable. Perhaps, but the overall cost of his proposed UBS would be equivalent, so it's more-or-less an apples-to-apples argument. While I agree that centralizing necessities and not have money change hands is preferable, I'm not sure the entrenched capitalist systems of the developed western world is prepared to give up on the exchange of money so abruptly without a stepping stone like UBI.

[@jacobjones630]

UBI is a scam of moving money around and STILL leaving everything to the market in the end. Just look at Obamacare and what it's done to the cost of healthcare.

[@goldenSugar123]

Hi

[@ason4641]

Cause the welfare system and the people usually on these kinds of programs have been nothing but glowing success? No successful person will ever be found in their parents' basement getting their bills paid by them, and yet, how people have convenienced themselves the government equivalent is somehow going to garner a different result is beyond me. It's time people grow up and quit looking for handouts.

[@jacobjones630]

You people DO NOT LISTEN. These proposals would make it easier to get jobs and to hire people because we wouldn't need to have employers be responsible for everything. And YES they are successful! look at the happiest country on earth Denmark and the way they run their system. High taxes for great service. You get what you pay for.

[@jacobjones630]

@@ason4641 Every child in the US gets to go to public school free of charge, we have an interstate highway system, electrical grid and retirement pensions that are admittedly under funded but provided none the less through taxation. You have clean drinking water in your house because of local governments. If you live in a city you have sewage and waste management all government provided. The thing about debt is when you pay up front, you don't accrue any. The reason we borrow so much money is because the wealthy do not pay hardly any taxes. Rich people lend their money to the government and get paid back interest. The government has the authority to tax these people at whatever rate they choose. the highest level of sustained economic growth in US history had a top marginal rate of 90%. Today it's 37%. Hence all the borrowing. Rich people have never had it better in this country's history and the infrastructure we al use is failing all around us because they aren't throwing in their fair share. They are hoarding it all in offshore accounts to the tune of trillions, with a T, TRILLIONS of untaxable assets in foreign accounts. The reason we don't solve homelessness with public housing is that it lowers property value and in the US that is a sin against god. Even worse than letting people starve under bridges or having sick people go without medicine. When you understand that our government exists to protect the interest of property owners since it's inception you can begin to understand capitalism and how to deal with the problems capitalism creates.

[@ason4641]

@@jacobjones630 Name one thing our government has completely fixed because of more taxes? Homeless, welfare, school system, crime, climate change, anything? 32tillion on the Government CC on top of what is paid in our cash and nothing, but problem that needs more money. Grow up and look around.

[@jacobjones630]

@@ason4641 Every child in the US gets to go to public school free of charge, we have an interstate highway system, electrical grid and retirement pensions that are admittedly under funded but provided none the less through taxation. You have clean drinking water in your house because of local governments. If you live in a city you have sewage and waste management all government provided. The thing about debt is when you pay up front, you don't accrue any. The reason we borrow so much money is because the wealthy do not pay hardly any taxes. Rich people lend their money to the government and get paid back interest. The government has the authority to tax these people at whatever rate they choose. the highest level of sustained economic growth in US history had a top marginal rate of 90%. Today it's 37%. Hence all the borrowing. Rich people have never had it better in this country's history and the infrastructure we al use is failing all around us because they aren't throwing in their fair share. They are hoarding it all in offshore accounts to the tune of trillions, with a T, TRILLIONS of untaxable assets in foreign accounts. The reason we don't solve homelessness with public housing is that it lowers property value and in the US that is a sin against god. Even worse than letting people starve under bridges or having sick people go without medicine. When you understand that our government exists to protect the interest of property owners since it's inception you can begin to understand capitalism and how to deal with the problems capitalism creates.

[@daskrumpl7570]

Universal services have been a resounding success yes :) the only welfare systems that have failed are underfunded or non universal ones. That's why the American welfare system sucks so bad. And no successful person will be found without a home or food or education either.

[@BobQuigley]

No life form made a conscious decision to come into existence. Nor does a life form decide when, where, how, why. Accept this and possibly awaken to realization all life forms interconnected in an endless dance. We dance to the tick tick tick of time. Words from Hannah Arendt offer a good start to this realization. When challenged over why she criticized some Jewish leaders as she was a Jew and should fall in line her beautiful reply '...at first I am human....'

[@remyllebeau77]

What a load of waffle.

[@wmurray689]

Question: What would Aaron do with dissenters and political opponents to his socialist utopia?

[@adamdymke8004]

What do we do with them now?

[@glennsimonsen8421]

Gulag!

[@marshallesmay25]

Hmmm

[@cheeselovingtree]

Love this guy

[@josephsego1095]

I've never heard a valid argument in favor of capitalism. Proponents of capitalism only ever try to implement gaslighting and/or logical fallacies. Really. Try to have a sane, civil, honest conversation with any proponent of capitalism, and they'll prove my point. But if you like all manner products within the capitalst matrix, if you own a business, and have employees. and you still want a much more sane and harmonious economic system, You're Not A Fucking Hypocrite. Don't let them silence you with that weak argument . It would be just as ridiculous to argue that one is a hypocrite for drinking city tap water, when they had no other options , and therefore one shouldn't be able consider better sources of water. Narcissistic personality disorder is an epedemic. And when they project "well the problem is nobody wants to work. " Ask them what landlords even fucking do . Ask them what the CEO of Starbucks actually does . Etc. No shade at seasons of nondoership. But shade @ projection. "so much depression, anxiety, stress & suicidality is caused by capitalism. we really really need to talk about how not being able to meet our basic needs and how giving away 80% of our days to jobs that drain & exploit us leads to serious mental health issues for a lot of people" - Alexis Isabel

[@HillbillyHippyOG]

A UBI based on the understanding that a right to life comes with a right to the resources necessary for life. This UBI should be gleaned from renting the sources of all other resources… land. ✌🏼

[@jacobjones630]

UBI would be a giant bureaucracy with constant money calculations and adjustments that would need to happen in real time. Governments are much better building large scale infrastructure like trains, power plants, housing, schools and hospitals that can be used for decades without a ton of attention payed after they are done. The best way to give more resources to people would be to raise the federal minimum wage which is still $7.25 which is enough to afford a studio apartment in exactly 0 US cities.

[@theyellowishlimeace4735]

I'm sure you'll find it fun to talk about, but you don't even know how to begin thinking about implementing anything once you look at the scope of checkboxes.

[@jacobjones630]

raise top end marginal income tax to 70%. End capital gains tax exemptions. Abolish offshore tax havens in the cayman islands and the bahamas. Nationalize rail and energy production. Provide medicare for ALL. Begin subsidized new construction on green energy, transport and housing as well as creating a trust fund for a national health service. All these things take political will power, that's all. The US government negotiated between labor unions and big business not to go on strike and not to raise prices for 4 years during WW2. And they did it! we used tax payer dollars to put men on the moon! we can make sidewalks and apartments for god's sake.

[@SuckerforMetal]

Wow he found the solution

[@clusterstage]

Well, you're wrong about education-for-jobs. This talk could've been good in the 1990s but not today. 2023 is about AI, mass layoffs, and point of no-return.

[@formulacoolade]

This is why there needs to be a labor party and unions formed for every worker.

[@clusterstage]

@@formulacoolade and also an additional skill that makes a worker impossible to layoff, which I also talked about in my channel

[@appoNo1]

It’s like you didn’t listen to the speech

[@funkyplaya]

Socialism sounds great in theory but unfortunately it is too disconnected from reality. I simply don't see how we could possibly make it work. You will always have people trying to take advantage of others no matter the economic system. Remember those team projects in school when one student would end up doing all the work and the others would just sit back and pretty much free-ride? Now extend that to the societal level. And that's just one of the many problems you are bound to have in a system that favors equality of outcome. I'm all for creating more and better opportunities for everyone--something which the current capitalist order is failing to accomplish--but at the end of the day, people must be held accountable for their life choices. My father escaped from Eastern Europe before the fall of the iron curtain. You'll tell me that was because of communism and not socialism, but the problem with socialism is it is likely to evolve into some form of communism if left unchecked. The moment the government sees itself above the people, that's when socialism turns into a communist nightmare. Socialism creates more resentment than capitalism ever could. What we need is to find a way of striking a nice balance between the two by coming up with some kind of a hybrid system. But that certainly won't be easy. Anyway, just my two cents.

[@TomMAF4]

@funkyplaya That middle point between socialism and capitalism is called 'social democracy'. I understand where you are coming from but I would recommend having a watch of Second Thought's recent youtube video "Why Social Democracy Isn't Good Enough" for explanations of the issues with it and why it's predicated on the exploitation of the global south, wastes resources and will continue global warming and is inherently unstable inevitably devolving back into standard capitalism.

[@trisF1981]

Yeah capitalism really seems to work pmslol 😂

[@jacobjones630]

Wouldn't want people getting to comfortable being able to go the doctor now would we?

[@northernnaysayer1240]

But we could never do that. Why would anyone want to let the poors have anything? They deserve the poverty they are born into, because they live in a deprived area that's been sucked dry by the 1%.

[@user-tt5lf3ft9j]

Ideally, the organized masses of poors should leave the rich no other choice. Let's take strikes, for example, that are commonplace in developed economies. If your workers refuse to work unless you improve their working conditions, what are you gonna do?

[@duppyshuman]

I'm American and part of the generation of my (Black) family born into poverty in the 50's and 60's. Their were 16 of us. Despite oppression from the 1% ,and with the help of social services programs, we've all done very well for ourselves and families. But of course there was much, much less systemic racism, over policing, etc., back then unlike today.

[@NeferkaMichael]

Rubis

[@johnwesterman]

@15:05 Mr Bastani believes that anyone that thinks different than him is "delusional". I was along for the ride right up to that point where he negated his entire message by this one comment. And this type of talk is likely why we "as a species" can't figure this out together. It seems counterproductive why there is "us" and "them" in these discussions.

[@Mad_Mithra]

How might you describe the situation of the wealthiest in society garnering such an large amount of wealth to the point where they they can basically use a fraction of their oligarchic wealth to influence political systems at the detriment of the rest of the population around the world?

[@johnwesterman]

@@Mad_Mithra I don't know about all that but I can tell you the more we draw lines in the sand the less likely Mr Bastani will find people who will take him seriously. At least serious enough to make the social change he desires.

[@Mad_Mithra]

@@johnwesterman My good sir, there are already individuals in positions of power on this planet who implement authoritarian and fascistic actions on others. What Bastani overall implies is that he would like to see positive changes within society that encourage our better qualities as human rather then our destructive ones, which is going to be needed if we want the survivability of future generations with our rate of consumption, wealth inequality and environmental impact as of today. Societal change is inevitable whether we want it or not. Though Im speaking for myself here, I would be okay with living in a world without multi-millionaires and billionaires.

[@duppyshuman]

Yep. Organize ourselves around common ground based on our commonalities. Not a common enemy.

[@Mad_Mithra]

@@duppyshuman While I agree that in order to bridge ideological gaps, the best way to do that is to find commonalities, however there are individuals who actively use their economic prowess to influence the political and media landscape to further enrich themselves. You have oligarchic entities basically ruling the US, Russia and China (2 of the latter are modern fascist dictatorships that crack down on dissent). These are examples of ideological bridges that cannot be crossed if you still wish to have a functional democracy in which disagreement without punishment can still occur.

[@johnthefisherman2445]

So few thoughtful leftist views. Great job.

[@Rebelconformist82]

And there are many thoughtful right wing views?😂

[@pathowogenempire9968]

​@@Rebelconformist82like what?

[@PrRomuloPereira]

I don't see socialism or communism in his proposal; it's just a wellfare state capitalism, which, by the way, defeated USSR communism in the 20s

[@paulharrisharris5761]

I will never listen to anything Bastani ever says again ,not the person I thought he was and has started to lean towards the Conservative Party. Especially with his new boy appearances on GB not news .

[@homewall744]

Funny that his fixes are for health care, food, housing, education and transit, all those which government already regulates and monopolizes and everyone agrees is poor in quality and not innovative whatsoever. We support our veterans and I'd never suffer the VA "health" system.

[@LCOF]

Which government? US transit and healthcare are all terrible. Data doesn't lie. As for the military, that's a con job money laundering operation that you've all fallen in love with.

[@jacobjones630]

We have no public option for healthcare for everyone, we have no public option for housing we have no public option for food or in most places transit. what are you talking about?

[@davidpennmiller354]

Oh no, it doesn’t sound utopian. It sounds dystopian.

[@daskrumpl7570]

How

[@shaunpatryck]

Nothing should be equal when it comes to means, wealth or ability. If so then get rid of all protected classes.

[@williamfigueroa9923]

The only equality is “Liberty”!

[@shaunpatryck]

@katherandefy that's great, still never a need to have both protected classes and welfare programs if you want to bring full socialism. Life has to be hard idc who it's hard for rich, poor whomever. Never make it easy just because.

[@teejayburger2136]

@@shaunpatryck life is already hard, the point is that everyone should the intrinsic right to live. This means that if you happen to lose your job or get in a car accident you shouldn't end up homeless and dead. If people want luxury they should have to work hard, but there should be support systems so that people can have the right to live

[@shaunpatryck]

@Teejayburger if you're fired because of yourself you deserve nothing. Unemployment is fine for 8 weeks or less. You deserve to live but you don't deserve to live outside of your means.... you don't deserve help because you have 5 to 7 kids on a McDonald's salary etc.... you aren't entitled to a single thing

[@AmberAmber]

@@shaunpatryck I don't think you realize that our entire planet defaults to social reciprocity & progressive ideas ‐ its how we have society & its how you're even on the internet ‐ especially sad is you genuinely don't realize that these awful outcomes which befall our fellow human can also befall you. Compassion is a strength & the inability to yield to kindness causes one to break.

[@mpearch8682]

I watched 20 secs.. every problem he names is because of socialism. My question is.. What is the BEST socialist country that migrants migrate to? What's the best socialist country to retire? What countries are migrants migrating from, and why? Top 10 communist countries to retire?

[@TheGerm24]

Seems like you didn't even watch 20 seconds. He hadn't named any societal problems by 20 seconds.

[@mpearch8682]

@@TheGerm24 I had to rewatch to make sure. You are correct. 1:02 second. Insufficient funds part. I'm sorry, but as an American Capitalist, why not own the place you live? The problem we have in America, is the American citizens have more money then the government. So the government tries to take everything in its power, to take everything my family and ancestors worked for and even died for. People have the potential to be greater, richer and smarter then socialist governments allow them to be.

[@mpearch8682]

You can actually be rich. You can have so much money you that you can help people. I think people punish the rich for the success they have in their ideas and the inherited wealth of their ancestors and their Ideas and work.

[@baberRuth]

@@mpearch8682 you hv a lot bc our govt is $30T in debt. Don't say you don't prosper fr that

[@daskrumpl7570]

In what way are the problems he named because of socialism?

[@ATAP...AnotherTime]

Food is the only true need his list didn't even address that

[@gallectee6032]

He did in the Q and A section when he was asked whether he crunched the numbers at 17:10.

[@potapotapotapotapotapota]

the food industry is highly competitive, it doesn't need to be regulated

[@shorgoth]

@@potapotapotapotapotapota that's completely false, first we are internationally in a crisis of fake food fraud second there are plenty of monopolistic or near monopolistic parts of that industry and price goudging is frequent. Look at the current eggs prices in the US...

[@i8thesheets]

While I agree with the sentiment, and live in the US where our healthcare system is almost entirely dependent on our employers... The NHS is a bad example for a perfect system to compare this to.

[@MrWolfPants]

The NHS is fucked. But since the 80s every government has undermined it, underfunded it and privatised massive parts of it. And with an aging population, a pandemic and rising cancer rates it needed the opposite. So yeah the idea of the NHS is a good example. The current reality of it is not.

[@BusCord]

pound for pound, like 4x better than the U.S. and he mentions it needs more funding -good point though

[@LCOF]

Best to look at the NHS pre 12 years of Tory rule.

[@jacobjones630]

Everyone complains about the NHS and everyone still doesn't use private insurance. hmmmmm......

[@benfisher1376]

​@BusCord The NHS is also sometime badly managed, and abused by the public, who go to Aand E etc for minor problems that can be treated at home.

[@Cabledeluz1977]

Aaron brought up good talking points however that’s all they were. Mentioning in a few sentences that Dwight Eisenhower and Margaret Thatcher had high tax rates while in their political positions has empty meaning. Aaron complaining about fossil fuels in Britain and the US without acknowledging India, China, Malaysia and African countries who prioritize gas emissions and fossil fuels at the bottom of their priority list! I’m not saying don’t do anything in the US however we have been making enormous strides in the US. Quit attacking the US as if we aren’t doing enough when we aren’t the problem.

[@alectang1614]

Why do they need to be acknowledged? Climate change has been accelerated primarily because of the industrial revolution of the West and the US. You can't deprive China, India and African countries from development when it was the west who started the pumping of CO2 into the atmosphere. China and India are some of the largest polluters in the world because they have the largest populations in the world. The only developed nation to ever pull out of climate change initiatives have been the United States. Sure, China still relies on some fossil fuel plants but China invests more on renewable energy than the US, Japan, India combined, China has more electric cars in the world than the whole of Europe combined, they produce more solar panels than the next ten countries combined and they have reforested areas larger than the size of Belgium. These are just facts.

[@Cabledeluz1977]

@@alectang1614 The Paris Climate Agreement serves what purpose? Why is there a “club” for countries who agree that we need to lower CO2 emissions? Isn’t this already called the United Nations? Why is the US dropping billions into this group especially when only a few countries are donating money into it? When the US left the PCA what was the chain reaction to the other countries? Their emissions skyrocketed? Lol! At least the US saved money for a few years. We spend too much money on frivolous committees and groups especially when most of it lines the pockets of those running said organizations! The US emissions has decreased 10% in 10 years. That’s progress! The world has bigger problems with other countries who are doing nothing and are increasing their output every year, namely China and India! China’s emission has increased 33% in 10 years more than doubling the emissions output by anyone else! Improving CO2 emissions clearly isn’t their priority. Providing heat, cool and electricity-daily survival clearly is! According to the NYT in 2021, “Last year, China built more than three times more new coal power capacity than all other countries in the world combined…” India is having the same issues as China. According to the Washington Post in 2022, “…as India broiled under a historic heat wave and consumed a record amount of electricity for cooling, the Coal Ministry announced it would reopen old mines and increase output by 100 million tons.” “Like India, China has also raised its annual coal production target in recent weeks - by 80 million tons - while its miners broke a one-day output record.” When you read articles about the problems in other countries they then read or listen to TedTalks who blame the US for how China and India are trying to survive makes me wonder how deep their brainwashing goes. Do they lap up all the vomit their professors, the mainstream media, the extremists they listen to spew at them? Why not research this themselves? Too much work I guess

[@jacobjones630]

We are the problem! we have the most capacity and power to change and we prevent it from happening.

[@Cabledeluz1977]

@@jacobjones630 China is building 1 coal plant a week. Who is the problem?

[@jacobjones630]

@@Cabledeluz1977 China is also putting more money into green energy than any other western nation including the US. The US has 6% of the world's population and uses 50% of the world's resources. of the 100 companies that have supplied 90% of global emissions most are either british or american. Oh yeah and the Inflation reduction act has subsidies for new oil and gas production on US public land. It's us genius.

[@homewall744]

Life should be easy for all without effort, risk or innovation. - Socialism

[@jimmytimmy3680]

This guy just wants a strong social welfare, he is not a socialist. That's the problem, people don't even understand ehat they are talking about.

[@BusCord]

you mean people like.. you?

[@jimmytimmy3680]

@@BusCord Nice ad hominem, do you actually have an argumwnt kid.

[@AmberAmber]

@@BusCord Why don't you tell the class what YOU think socialism is; please compare & contrast it with current & previous capitalist models. Thanks.

[@imrannazir6931]

You do a TED talk then big shot.

[@phtm35]

A socialist is someone who advocates for socialism, like free healthcare, free dental etc... Please do your homework before replying

[@enricoevangelista7825]

Poverty and income inequality are the products of the monopoly of private central banks such as the Federal Reserve and bank of England. Let the common people use or mine cryptos. Minting gold and silver and mining cryptos are not monopolistic. Printing your own money will make you a criminal. Mining your own crypto is called Universal Basic Production. Paying cryptos for your grocery purchases is called Universal Basic Barter.

[@Itsdeadfrosty]

11 seconds and I’m out

[@thatomofolo452]

I choice Abba Father God Most High way all or nothing 🙅🙅🙅💯

[@thatomofolo452]

@@padlockeussy Yesssss Sir King Jesus Christ Yeshua💯🤧

[@mpearch8682]

First they killed my Father was a good movie. It's about a little girl and her family's survival story in Cambodia. The socialist came into her home and stole all her families possessions. Threw them on the street and they had to share rotten rice with bugs in it to survive.

[@BlowFarAway]

To call the Khmer Rouge socialist is laughable at best, disgustingly self serving as a staunch capitalist at worst. It is the same vein as calling Hitler a socialist. Calling oneself or one's party by a word or using phrasing to veil the true intent (genocide) is not practicing socialism. There are millions of people each year that die under capitalistic reign; to pretend another system would be a failure because people could die is preposterous.

[@daskrumpl7570]

"socialist" lol

[@ddoherty5956]

"I'm a writer, journalist and all round W⚓..."