Is Capitalism Really Human Nature?

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These days, at least in the West, there seems to be a consensus that capitalism is just "the way things are." Everyone from capitalist economists to your dentist to your weird uncle is firmly convinced that humans are just hard-wired for capitalism. Let's explore that idea. Hope you enjoy!
Is Capitalism Really Human Nature? - Second Thought
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[@onerevenant1211]

By your definition of capitalism (a few people owning most production) literally every non-tribal society since the ancient greeks has been capitalist, with a noble/aristocrat class having control over everyone else. By using this definition when quoting authors who clearly had a different definition in mind, you are purposefully misrepresenting their arguments. Also that claim about there being no proof of widespread historical trade is easily proven wrong by the fact that there are literal coins from thousands of years ago and many historical documents describing trade with non-standard currencies.

[@theforondas6162]

Can you please add the links to the videos you mentioned to the description

[@blackhogarth4049]

The problem here is that I can't trust Wren. Because of the system we live under, I have no way of knowing whether it's all just a scam.

[@blackhogarth4049]

@@onerevenant1211 Those are some good points, but I think I can address them. I think the fact that we've always been divided into ruler and subject is more a function of our predisposition to want a leader, rather than Capitalism. You can have a ruler without them personally owning all the property and extracting profits from it. There are ancient coins and other forms of currency, but the existence of currency doesn't directly mean Capitalism. Trade and Capitalism aren't the same thing. You can have currency, but still have the means of production collectively owned.

[@void9097]

JT, beautiful video, but please, do not discredit yourself, there is NO carbon offset. The waste prodused during the process exceeds the actual reduction. (Climate Town has a great video on that) So it's ultimately a money sink which gives people a false feeling of making a difference and loosing money which could have went to better cause. (They mask it by saying that they use many methods, which, if traced, ultimately don't work. Standart tactic of increasing complexity so people misunderstand or don't try to check at all.)

[@shreyassingh3236]

"Greed and selfishness is a part of human nature" "So let's create a society that solely promotes these qualities."

[@toyotaprius79]

"you need to provide an incentive for landlords and entrepreneurs"

[@aaaowski7048]

this applies aswell to communism. y'know, the system where everyone is equal, but some are more equal than others. wherever you have a position of privilege, people are going to take advantage of that. i think the correct assesment would be- regardles sof the system people are gonna turn it into shit.

[@nataliaofthenightlords]

we did actually, it was during the gilded age and the early 20th century. majority of humans hated it, thats why unions formed. People don't realize we had the whole "Libertarian Dream land" it worked for a handful and the rest were cast aside. Thats why people hate the current deregulated capitalist society we have now, because of the greed and selfishness.

[@kamranrowshandel6395]

Yeah but it's not saying that humans are truly evil "by nature", it just implies that there might be an implicit reason for which we are alive (to learn useful things and not be worthless and to not be extremely selfish. These things may PERHAPS be considered to change people during the course of life). No, nobody explains this stuff anymore.

[@kamranrowshandel6395]

Agreed: it's not a Maoist channel. Phew I almost wondered if it was going to be controversial

[@beasttitanofficial3768]

I studied cultural anthropology in university. We often talked about "human nature" in class. Early humans would care for one another, for the sick and dying, for the children. Because humans are gregarious animals, we are meant to form communities and that's how we survive. That's one of the reasons why we're living a major mental health crisis all over the world, because capitalism tears us apart instead of bringing us together. We're lonely because community is no longer encouraged as it once was. Human nature is togetherness and dependability, not gouging each other's eyes out for some gold coins we can hoarde.

[@calebdunlap7566]

Capitalisms flaw on an even deeper level is the inherent center of it being hyper individuality. Sure, capitalism embodies the idea of greed, but it also tells you that you could change the world for the better with great wealth. (There’s a reason the superhero genre is so popular.) It tells you that you can be the savior of the world if you just work hard enough. We measure the deeds of men not by how much work they put in on an individual level, but the contribution in resources or money. There’s a man from my home town of Battle Creek, MI named Bobby Holley who isn’t incredibly well off himself but is constantly running charity drives and helping the children and the poor and homeless. He’s a man with close to nothing, at least in Capitalist terms, but he’s willing to give every little bit of nothing he has away to someone else in need. Though popular in my city, it’s unlikely he will ever be known outside of it. The amount of lives he’s touched and the effect on our community has been huge. But if someone like Jeff Bezos donates 0.01% of his income, the whole country has to know about it. It’s a drop in the bucket for him. We’re made to feel that we HAVE to reach the top, but in reality it’s the contribution of the countless nameless people that keep the worst off in our society from just dying in the streets like flies. Individualism is important; there is nothing in this universe that equates to the value of a life. But when you start valuing your own life above others, thinking that you’re somehow special, you begin to abandon the humanity that keeps you tethered to this earth. We’re all greedy and selfless. Arrogant and humble. Vengeful and forgiving. And everything else. We’re all the worst and best of humanity, and we all do better when we work together, because no man will ever be perfect, but humanity as a whole can get close if we work together

[@calebdunlap7566]

To try to ascend above the sins of every human, you also forsake all the great qualities we have too. And that’s what these rich and powerful people try to do. They try to become “perfect”, or god, or whatever other term you can come up with

[@jessh4016]

The lack of physical community in modern society makes things really difficult in general.

[@alessandrosilvafilho8527]

Heck, maybe this is the cause for the growth of the flat earth group and others similar. All the need to live in community just goes to any new opportunity no matter how crazy or dumb society calls it.

[@RictusHolloweye]

@@calebdunlap7566 - Tolkein shared a similar view, expressed in Lord of the Rings. That great people can do great (or terrible) things, but it's the small, everyday acts of kindness that allow us to prevail.

[@commanderlopan]

I'm in the process of starting a co-op with a collective of others in my field. I was discussing this with a friend who fashions themselves as a "libertarian". He asked who we got to run the company and I explained that we're holding an election for our executive and management posts from within our current pool of members and that it comes with an annual review and option to hold another election (there is also a removal clause). He got all weird and said, "yeah, but what if the guy turns out to be a dictator that ruins the operation?" He said it like a "gotcha" moment, like a "checkmate socialist!" He unironically, seriously didn't comprehend that in a capitalist model you literally NEVER vote for your bosses or execs. Your boss is already a literal dictator that you have to obey under threat of unemployment and therefore starvation / homelessness. I'm really starting to think that capitalists are just beyond dense. Hopelessly stupid and irreparably oblivious.

[@commanderlopan]

@@michaelvanderlaan5629 I'm going to have to add that capitalists must also generally be illiterate as well. Nothing you said refutes the point I was making regarding my friend's inability to recognize the stupidity in being afraid of dictatorial rule in a business (resulting from an elected position) as opposed to a private entity where labor has no input on leadership. In fact you're only validating my opinion that capitalists are pretty dumb as you missed the whole subject. Address your reading comprehension, then get back to me.

[@calebdunlap7566]

@@michaelvanderlaan5629yeah being held accountable to shareholders doesn’t mean much because they’re high up bosses themselves. And that’d be true if they actually tied up loopholes and started enforcing the law

[@McHobotheBobo]

​@@michaelvanderlaan5629They're all ruling class capitalists, mate. You're being obtuse

[@kokorochacarero8003]

So let me get this straight: -You told him you're gonna setup a system in which you vote to elect leadership -You told him you're gonna hold them accountable to review, recurrent elections and a removal clause -Your friend considered the possibility of the leadership doing a terrible job -At no point he considered the leadership could be replaced through the review, recurrent election processes and the removal clause Why do I get the feeling your friend lived his entire life within the US culture/information bubble?

[@kokorochacarero8003]

@@michaelvanderlaan5629 key words: performing poorly. The only metric that takes into account is financial returns, profits, money, dollars Your middle mannagement, your boss, the CEO and the investors and stakeholders are only held accountable and beholdent to one thing: PROFITS The law can be skirted, tapdanced around and offuscated through those same profits

[@strippinheat]

The funny thing is that I grew INTO Socialism in My late 30s. Once you've experienced enough of the bad you start to realize that there's just a better way to do most things. People doing bad things is more often a consequence of their conditions caused by capitalism, so getting rid of the need to be greedy, lie, or cheat to survive brings out the best in people. Think about the times when you wanted to help someone but couldn't because you didn't have time due to needing to go to work or how you couldn't donate because you barely make rent. All "survival instincts" only caused by capitalism, not nature.

[@cyrileo]

I totally agree - capitalism is a big factor that prevents us from helping others and being kind.

[@ccam001]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKjRZ5mnl7OFgtE

[@agentorange20]

@@cyrileo ​ elaborate. As a worker your contributions increases the living standards of others and yourself. It doesn’t prevent you from being kind.

[@excalibro8365]

@@mlg3323 This would be the funniest comment's I've seen all day, if not for the terrible realities behind it.

[@coolioso808]

Very true. Everyday I drive to work I think about how much of society is built to separate people, yet many of us do have this desire to help and make things better. But our 'job for survival' is what takes so much of our time. Not to mention, upwards of 70% of jobs are BS and much of the tasks and duties within essential jobs like engineers, doctors, nurses, teachers, and food producers are BS because they could either be made much simpler by collaboration or automation or they don't need to exist at all. I look at all the projects around town that I'd like to help develop or I'm sure many people, if truly free, would love to help develop. Like more community centres, community gardens, mutual aid operations, repair, recycling and upcycling centres (these are barely a thing at all because capitalism has made waste management basically unprofitable, so it is disincentivized). I look at the city construction and how it is very car-centered and spread out, even in a small city. The new areas are alienating because they have very few essential shops and services nearby. Capitalism is the problem and then the excuse for why communities aren't being built very well and efficiently. I'll say "In that new area of town, why isn't there a new school, a daycare, a community centre, community garden, park, corner store and plenty of walking/biking paths?" and others will reply: "Well, it isn't profitable to do that." What a stupid system we are living in where the most efficient solutions aren't profitable. Instead of a 5-minute walk to a neighbourhood corner store that has a community garden that provides a lot of the fresh food for it, those residents have to get in a car, drive 10-minutes to a big box store, spend time in a giant department or grocery store that is mostly just making a few people rich - definitely not the people who work there daily - wasting gas all along the way. Insanity.

[@DerekSpeareDSD]

gotta love a system that rewards the worst sociopaths humanity has to offer!

[@aaaowski7048]

enter: stalin, and his trusty, rape-y sidekick- lavrenti beria. youre getting it wrong. whatever the system psychos are gonna take advantage of it.

[@ericocccams5865]

sadly people can't see elon musk for what he is, a sociopath, because most people don't know they are sociopaths.

[@turtleanton6539]

Yes

[@dartnight365]

And later on they fight the changing for the sake of "i was suffering, so all the other had to"

[@LordDomielOfElysium]

Thats Not what sociopathy is, don’t use mental disorders you don’t know anything about as insults.

[@gregorynuttall]

I grew up in a religious community that also believed that humans were naturally evil and selfish. Since leaving, I've learned that people are mostly kind. Whatever selfishness they do exhibit is usually because they're in a desperate situation and have needs that are going unfulfilled, not because they are trying to gain advantage over someone else for no good reason.

[@jaxthewolf4572]

Christianity sure teaches that all humans are born evil and worthless is a good reason why people act so poorly.

[@joeanthony7759]

Good insight. And correct.

[@Serocco]

Most people aren't kind to those outside their preferred group.

[@alexxx4434]

You probably just moved to more prosperous neighborhoods.

[@gregorynuttall]

@@alexxx4434 what are you implying? Can you elaborate?

[@SirNotAppearing]

“We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art, and very often in our art, the art of words.” ― Ursula K. Le Guin

[@freeofavia]

I love her, she had a gift for words

[@denelson83]

But a corporation is *much* more powerful than a single king.

[@SirNotAppearing]

@@denelson83 well, you got me there, we'll never change anything...

[@avinashreji60]

@@denelson83 European Empires are more powerful than corporations but they are all dead

[@sizlax]

Ursula clearly didn't live in a world of which the majority of communication was done over the internet, and majority opinion was decided by social media, which is cultivated and censored by those with all the money and power. Sure there's relatively tiny sects like the majority in the comment sections of Second Thought, but it'll never be allowed to form in great enough numbers to make a difference. That said, it can be quite difficult not to see things as immeasurably hopeless in the future moving forward.

[@stonetrouble5053]

If individuals are selfish and greedy by nature, it becomes even more important to have social systems that counter this destructive behavior.

[@discofishing]

Absolutely! Like the nuclear family?

[@christopherlee7334]

​@@discofishingWhy a nuclear family? Why not an extended, strong, multi-generational family that cares for and respects elders, uncles and aunts help nieces and nephews, cousins help and play with cousins, and grandparents spend time helping to babysit and educate the children while the mothers rest? Why is the nuclear family pushed so hard?

[@gabrielamaral978]

​@@christopherlee7334 Because it kinda worked since ever. Is not like capitalism that just emerged in a specific context. Nuclear families emerged since the begining of mankind, all over the globe time and time again.

[@gabrielamaral978]

@@ivandafoe5451 Not related. But oh, well. Kinda true.

[@ivandafoe5451]

@@christopherlee7334 "The nuclear family is pushed so hard" in a very cynical way by right-wingers, as a way to blame citizens as being at fault for society's ills, instead of the capitalism that forces families to have both parents working, which undermines the basic functions of maintaining the supposed ideal of a nuclear family. Extended families have been the norm throughout history until capitalism started supporting the nuclear family model as a way of increasing the consumption of goods and services. This support only lasted for a relatively brief time while workers were needed to build products and infrastructure and to provide a dependable consumer base.

[@richardbuckharris189]

"John Burroughs has stated that experimental study of animals in captivity is absolutely useless. Their character, their habits, their appetites undergo a complete transformation when torn from their soil in field and forest. With human nature caged in a narrow space, whipped daily into submission, how can we speak of its potentialities?" ~ Emma Goldman

[@krotchlickmeugh627]

Great point.

[@icyx9268]

y

[@annalieff-saxby568]

Desmond Morris talked about this in The Human Zoo.

[@richardbuckharris189]

@@annalieff-saxby568 Thank you!

[@Erde04]

From a worker's point of view, it's always been difficult to understand why companies neglect to cross-train. I believed it was because of cost, but more and more, it's because keeping the knowledge of how a system works as obscure as possible gives corporate leverage.

[@aaaowski7048]

bang on. i see the same pattern in software development. thats the reason for the push to replace C with toddlerlangs, but i digress. in all systems people who rise to the top usually like to accumulate and conserve power. therefor in every system you will have abuse. the best system is the system which leaves the most recourse for the individual, be it in the form of societal protection, or social mobility. sadly, within communism, the position that provides power is the very same that provides recourse for the society. and given the framework of communism, the party, the place where all the psychos will go, is your only recourse for whatever irregularity you are facing. food for thought.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@theshunzun]

@@aaaowski7048 I’m having trouble following this comment. What are you trying to say?

[@aaaowski7048]

​@@theshunzun in short, i see easily the same patterns, be it in comunist societies or liberal ones, or, in fact pretty much all societies and systems; it is a simple trend. namely: that psychos will try and exploit the system regardless of the internals. while liberalism is problematic, there isn't a silver bullet we could use to cure all society's ailments. history has shown time and again that every system, no matter how robust, can be corrupted. and starting from that point, i believe that the question we should be asking is not "which system is the best" but rather "which system has the most failsafes against abuse built into it". and honestly, communism doesnt rank very high on the list. definitely better than absolutist monarchy, but not by much to be honest...

[@ernststravoblofeld]

Specialization makes it easy to guilt people into not taking much vacation. If the knowledge was spread around, there would be a lot less control from above. People often think it gives them security, but it's a leash.

[@suchetachatterjee6089]

I always say that human nature is like water. It assumes the shape of the container you put it into. In this case, the container is the economic system in which humans have to survive. I’m capitalism, humans have to be greedy and selfish because that’s the container they’re adapting to.

[@suchetachatterjee6089]

@@LongDefiant Of course I’m not justifying those who design the system for their own benefit, but rather those who are forced to adapt to it.

[@ArgueWithTheMajority]

In other, less beautiful, words: Don't hate the player, hate the game. :D

[@davidalvarez7262]

"Competition is the law of the jungle, but cooperation is the law of civilization" Peter Kropotkin

[@evangelinsamantha5777]

❤❤❤

[@icyx9268]

yeah no but ontop of that you have to clairify and debunk at th rout cause of this whole thing of clairifying that it is not even real competition infact has ZERO associating factors what so ever with any correlation to competition that is an inapplicably inassociable attribute and so most of all you have to clairify th difference so they dont just keep going back and back and leaning on the 1% of possibility of truth in there uncontextualised illusion because it is broad vague loosely defined and out of authoirtarianism sheer sensless spam engulf reality by labeling it as that that is why it is so important to clairify that it is nothing more than sensless domination not competition

[@SaulOhio]

Capitalism is much more about cooperation than competition. Competition is just a minor aspect that helps keep businessmen honest. We compete at being the best at cooperating. In a free market (which we don't have) businessmen compete to bring prices down. But that is seen as "predatory" and so laws passed with the STATED (lies) intent of promoting competition actually create monopolies and cartels, and central banking inflation drives up prices. Look up a graph showing deflation rates in the 19th century. Thats what we would have in a free market capitalist system, which we do not have. There were two big bouts of inflation when the government was trying to pay off war debts (1812 and the Civil War), but otherwise businessmen brought prices DOWN!

[@RaMenace888]

I've searched (rather carefully) for the source of that quote, but can't find the original source. Any clues as to the publication it's in?

[@gelinrefira]

@@SaulOhio "Capitalism is much more about cooperation than competition." Ohh yea, those indoctrination are great, aren't they?

[@vivianriver6450]

I like the way you compare the privilege of the capitalist class to "the divine right of kings". It goes to show, as is printed on the Despair Inc poster, that "Just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid."

[@denelson83]

The "appeal to tradition" fallacy.

[@Thorned_Rose]

I also think in some respects, "the divine right of Kings" has never actually gone away - it's just the divine right is now handed down via wealth rather than bloodline. Capitalism is little different from the feudalism and monarchy it came out of - a giant invisible Pyramid Scheme with a small number of people at the top and ever increasing numbers of people with decreasing wealth as you head down and reliant on infinite growth of the economy.

[@sizlax]

Capitalists do like to frame things in a way that makes it look like we all have the equal opportunity to end up where they are. Not only does it take an insane amount of work and especially of luck, to end up where they are as a common individual, but most of the opportunity that there was, has already passed us. We're not reinventing the computer anytime soon, and even if we do (via quantum computing), only the wealthiest will be able to afford the means from which to innovate upon it. Furthermore, the current set of wealthy elite corporations and individuals, have so much wealth and power, that most companies are incapable of growing anywhere close to the size of the current giants, without either being bought out, or crushed under the weight of unfair competition.

[@soostoons1826]

@@sizlax no pain no gain

[@sizlax]

@@soostoons1826 unless you're born into wealth, then no pain, lots of gain, and far more power and gain over those that have been through far more pain. Or if you're just born good looking (top 10-20% of looks) good speech, and got plenty of support around you growing up. Then no pain really. In general, those that go through the most pain, tend to get the least gain in contrast to what they've been through.

[@purplehaze2358]

I've never been fond of people arguing that humans are "evil" by nature in _any_ context, but especially so in cases where such is being used to shut down systemic change from occurring.

[@presentfuture7563]

B-b-but... entire world religions depend on it!

[@aaaowski7048]

>systemic change been there, done that. communism turned out to be trash which allows for 100x more abuse than our pseudo-democratic current systems. at this point your "systemic change" is trying the same thing over and again, desperately yearning for different results than last time.

[@drphosferrous]

The human nature argument has historically been used to defend the worst elements of human behavior as inevitable. It seems like those crimes are defended by the ones profiting from people's acceptance. Its like saying "shhh,no, you don't need to change anything, its human nature that i sound be able to take from you without your consent. "

[@purplehaze2358]

@@aaaowski7048 Actual, real communism has never been attempted. It's always been corruptions of the theoretical system proposed by Karl Marx implemented by the greedy and power hungry. Come back to me when you actually know what you're talking about bud.

[@SonsOfLorgar]

@@presentfuture7563 well... yeah, just like every other protection scheme based criminal syndicate.

[@thethirdgeneration1738]

“Grow out of it?” Actually, I grew into it from 30 onwards. I was becoming Socialist, when I didn’t even understand what it really was, even by name. It’s true. I knew capitalism sucked, and the corporate structure, and my life was being affected by it. I knew I was strongly against it; but no one reached out with the concept of Socialism. Finally, I realised some socialist history and started reading! And I found others too who we’re reaching out. Now, I’m 60. Still learning, and hope for that day when this country will snap to its rightful Socialist pedestal.

[@MikeMW87]

Ye we know you are a leftie hyppie ... its ok to be born a beta.

[@jakekaywell5972]

@@MikeMW87 > Calls someone a beta. > Uses the word "we", like he needs the hypothetical approval of other people to make a point. You sure you're not the beta here, champ?

[@MikeMW87]

@@jakekaywell5972 Next hyppie poverty enthusiast. And than he likes cars ...well cars are symbol of capitalism you should use a bus since its the way to go for socialists. Lotus has no place in your fantasy world . Why are all commies so out of touch with reality .

[@jakekaywell5972]

@@MikeMW87 First of all, cars aren't an inherent symbol of capitalism. That's simply puffery. Second of all, I can like something without personally desiring it. Third of all, poverty is something much more tolerable than great riches. I can sleep soundly at night after all. Fourth of all, you say I'm out of touch with reality, but that statement is merely a projection. Last of all, you keep misspelling "hippie". If you're going to attempt to insult anyone, as weak as that is, at least have the brain cells to spell it correctly.

[@MikeMW87]

@@jakekaywell5972 yes they are since you do not know the history of the car:)progress created by ruthless competition.Socialism kills the competition . Compare the soviet cars to western cars. and the abiluty to pick and not be forced to to use a limited product . Yes you can be a happy hyppie antil you see someone you know in a better car a better house a better job and you feel envy . Lefties love to fool themself . Eng is not my native language . Plz do your research on the life standrads in the socialist nations cuz on paper it all sound good but that model of the world is a fantasy . kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGWvaKVtiNR-lbs

[@theshunzun]

I think the best part of about this channel is how there’s a consistent theme that a democratic economy is a better structure to run society. What we have now is controlled and dominated by so few people-it’s no wonder things are getting worse. Thanks for making your videos JT!

[@Richie_Alpha_Rabbit69]

Government only screws things up free markets work best. No such thing as a 1st country that has people doing whatever they like each day and having their stuff paid for by another. Nothing is free. Things are getting bad because the government is reaching their hands into our pockets to give the money to others . The middle class gets screwed in a socialist society until they end up poor . I feel socialism is being pushed mainstream so we can erase the middle class and only have extremely rich and extremely poor people who have to depend on the government for every they get handed to them in small quantities.

[@jamesalder8628]

I am a 43 year old army veteran. And if growing old is proof that you realize how the world works... well they are right. I am fed up with the way the nation "works". Change is needed. Enormous change. But so many people are dependent on this system, I am not sure it could change.

[@SonsOfLorgar]

Anything humans has built, humans can change. And you are correct about aging, the old capitalist fallacy of young socialists old conservatives relies on mispresenting their own cynical defeatism and active choise to assimilate into and become a perpetrator in the destructive system as wisdom...

[@cyrileo]

"Change is difficult, but not impossible! Let's work together to make it happen!"

[@TheNapster153]

Judging by our history, the jar needs to break by itself before we're willing to do something. But if were to be optimistic, one thing a man is good at is picking up the pieces and build something out of ruin. Supposedly, we're just too good at this so we tend to make it last till the jar breaks again.

[@mksmike]

They're actually not though. Most people do not benefit from capitalism's perks.

[@ziwuri]

I don't think that groeing older necessarily results in understanding how stuff works. Education is what causes that. There are many teens who know much more than their grandparents.

[@ienjoycardboard]

I often get caught up explaining to people that historically humans are not selfish. We wouldn't have survived as a species otherwise. But pointing out to people that even if someone is greedy and selfish they're gonna have a tough time convincing others to do what they want under socialism is a lovely argument I had never considered. Thanks for your videos JT and providing us with more tools for the struggle.

[@aaaowski7048]

americans are not humans. therefor you whole worldview is skewed.

[@alexxx4434]

The trouble is humanity was never social at a large scale. Family, friends, colleagues, local communities, sure. But many of those are being disintegrated right now, as capitalism have no real need in them, and these social structures restrict mobility and malleability. It's true that capitalism makes us atomary to reach it's maximum exploitative potential.

[@PhedelCastro]

@@alexxx4434 workers co-ops and other forms of socialism are completely fine with the current capitalist system. Capitalism however would be illegal in a socialist society. Capitalism seems to be the less restrictive model. Why not create a socialist town at least as a demonstration?

[@SonsOfLorgar]

@@PhedelCastro some people did, it was known as the Paris Commune, they were butchered with artillery and rifles while people like you smugly grinned from the sidelines and claimed the massacre was proof that it was impossible...

[@alexxx4434]

@@PhedelCastro I would love to see that too. Start small an grow it bigger. Yet, I don't know what problems co-ops are facing, and what prevents them from outcompeting capitalist organizations. I can only guess that due to more fairly distributed profits - there is less capital on hand to invest in business.

[@Anmeteor9663]

"You'll grow out of it" I was told at 14 years old when trying to duscuss socialism with my parents. Now, at 58 I am referred to as "the ultra left". Actually as a label I prefer Anarchist/Syndicalist. But I hate labels as they are used to distract and divide us.

[@Rob--]

Anarchist is ultra right. No governing authority.

[@neuroisis85]

@@Rob-- Dude just look up the definition of anarchism, it's as left as you can possibly go.

[@Rob--]

@neuroisis85 it's the removal of government. The right pushes for less government involvement. The left continues to want more laws and remove rights.

[@ArgueWithTheMajority]

I too have become more and more leftist the older I have become. I was about 11 years old when I started to get the feeling that something just isn't going right in this world. I am now 34 years old and have come to the conclusion that the abolition of capitalism is without alternative if we ever hope to become truly civilised as a species. Cooperation instead of competition is the way. I'm tired of self-inflicted social Darwinism.

[@noctuabird]

@@Rob--dude anarchism in most people belief is total abolishment of hierarchical structure

[@christianbarrett3040]

Another issue with Smith's assumptions is that there are indications that the creation of currency was tied to war, not economic trade. The theory is that by paying soldiers with currency that could only be redeemed in the country, they wouldn't overthrow the government when you armed them with all of the territories weapons and sent them to war because overthrowing the government would make the currency worthless.

[@yahiiia9269]

A yes, the species that developed complex language and emotional recognition patterns to enable superior cooperation is the one that needs competitive systems against its own species.

[@yahiiia9269]

Honestly, no wonder psychopaths increase in density towards the top of the capitalist food chain. You have to take all your wealth from somewhere and someone after all.

[@samdaniels2]

Great comment! Yeah I always thought it was dumb from an evolutionary standpoint, we like all other primates are social animals that ultimately survived and thrived because of our strength in community.

[@abelg9053]

Damn, what a great way to put it XD

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@franpp257]

Stop coping, we always traded and fought other tribes. We don’t care about every human

[@tgcid2018]

The other thing I keep thinking about regarding greed and false equivalency, is the equation of our greed to their greed. They are not the same, even if you want to call our desperation greed. It's true both the rich and the poor are desperate for wealth and resources, but the scale and character are entirely different. Poor people are greedy for spare time, comfort, and peace of mind while the rich are not content with owning most of the wealth of the earth.

[@joeanthony7759]

Indeed. Rich people (generally-speaking, I realize not every rich person is like this) seem to want everything; their irrational avarice is the symptom of a deeper sickness.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@etep878]

I thought humankind succeeded as a species because of our ability to cooperate with other, not because we were in competition.

[@wendylcs4283]

Looking at history, capitalism has brought more cooperation than socialism has.

[@wendylcs4283]

@Souven Tudu Free market capitalism is historically the system under which the greatest advancements for civilization have been made, because, in a free market economy, both parties VOLUNTARILY cooperate and both parties benefit from a transaction.

[@plumetheum7017]

@@wendylcs4283 Wrong. Organized Labor in collective societies lead to the greatest advancements for Civilization. As for "free market capitalism" that is an oxymoron because Markets when left to their own devices end up centralizing their entire share of each sector into fewer, and fewer entities until there's a total monopoly. The Centralization of Capital is literally an unavoidable contradiction. Why do you think the State exists? It's a means to reign in Liberalism's self-destructive tendencies. Even Adam Smith believed a powerful government is required to prevent Capitalism from obliterating itself. But if we want go get specific. The USSR, and the PRC are two of the most significant examples of improvements in living conditions in Human history period. In 1950 China still had the final bastion of Feudalism in Tibet, and in 2023 it's well on its way to surpassing the degenerating United States. The USSR went from a semi-feudal agrarian state to reaching Outer Space in mere decades.

[@ArgueWithTheMajority]

​@@wendylcs4283 Yeah, sure. Just like we voluntarily pay absurdly inflated rents to the owners of "our" homes, not because we are forced to seek shelter. Just like we voluntarily pay for the profits of shareholders of corporations in the food industry, not because we are hungry. Just like we pay for overpriced medication - voluntarily - and not because the alternative is death. You seem to confuse cooperation with extortion within capitalism.

[@crazyeight9]

@@ArgueWithTheMajority yes you do all those things voluntarily. You are free to stop paying rent or go homeless. No one is stopping you. You should be very grateful that you live in such an awesome country like america. Talk to a cuban or someone from one of the former Soviet states or islamic savage Iran. That might change your perspective

[@howlrichard1028]

When people claim that humans are greedy by nature, I always reply with the same answer: If water was free, would you have all your taps permanently open? Would you collect water infinitely? What about furniture, would you keep 200 chairs and tables at home if they were free? Then how about a home, would you keep moving between 20 homes, maintaining and cleaning them, just to keep ownership? I've yet to find a person who answers "yes" to any of these questions. Greed is only desirable so long as it feels worthy of our time and effort. Make it so that it's no longer useful to be greedy and suddenly 90% of all greed disappears.

[@Rob--]

Promoting restrictions on what people possess? Ration cards?

[@cubesolver2564]

@@Rob-- Money is basically our ration cards, though we *could* use them for other things if we had enough left over. Only problem is that unlike the food stamps given to the poor (which I hope you believe they deserve to have to eat), we have to work to earn them, and by extension, our next meal.

[@bastooo3]

the problem about humanity is not that we are evil or selfish, but very easily manipulated. no matter if child or adult, too many of us are too vulnerable this way and don't learn to think for ourselves properly. I myself am also guilty of this and I work on it every single day.

[@raywilson641]

Yeah, every single day we are blasted with thoughts and ideas crafted by other people and groups. From social media to commercials to advertisements in malls. There is no point in which a person can make themselves immune to these influences. (Outside of finding some remote island or deep woods to isolate themselves.) The best thing a person can do is be aware of the manipulations happening to them so they can consiousely inspect the information presented.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@geobot9k]

We're vulnerable because the sociopathic class has developed a society over centuries that robs us of the tools to think for ourselves properly. It's on us to relearn how to do this and share this knowledge with the people around us.

[@pthomasgarcia]

People aren’t inherently easy to manipulate, capitalist society isn’t concerned with having a literate what’s more media literate or historically literate society. One of the first projects of all socialist societies to date has been to educate and make literate the population. More than that, socialist political education is the teaching of how to think in a way that looks at the whole of the world, the material factors that lead to certain facts or ideas, like the idea that people are greedy or easy to manipulate Edit: if you question those ideas on their own without regard to the historical environment that made them possible, you’ll be lost in a world of ideas, which people do manipulate, rather than the real world, which contradicts universal greed and ignorance

[@cyrileo]

It's true that people are easily manipulated, but I don't think capitalism is the answer.

[@arthurrodrigues451]

Arguing that greed is human nature and using said argument to justify a system that heavily rewards being greedy, uses the same logic that children should be let loose in candy stores because it's their nature to eat candy

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@mcgoombs]

Wow!!!! I just made a TikTok summarizing Debt the first 5000 years and it blew up! So happy Graeber, and this crucial history, are getting due recognition. Excellent work as always JT!

[@MK_ULTRA420]

Compound interest and fractional reserve banking are the devil's work.

[@TheFalconerNZ]

My argument against "Selfish Human Nature" is a documentary l saw more than 10 years ago that involved kids too young to talk but old enough to understand simple instructions. In this study they showed kids hand puppet shows where one puppet was being hurtful or selfish to another then introduced another puppet that showed kindness or generosity, the puppets were removed for a few minutes then put on the table & the kids were allowed to pick one, NEARLY ALL PICKED the kind/generous ones. Swapping which puppet was which didn't matter so it was not appearance that influenced their decision, it was their actions so the kids were drawn to "Good Behaviour". So we are born caring but live in a world that shows greedy behaviour is reward everywhere therefore they learn to become greedy. Parents learnt this from their parents with statements like "You can get/need to get a better job than that when you grow up" so in turn teach that to their kids. So called primitive societies shared resources (which is why the greedy European cultures called them primitive) knew for the tribe to survive everyone had to have the same access to everything or those that got less would be too weak to fight against a hostile tribe wanting to take away their resources. Yes we will fight another tribe to live but sharing in the tribe makes the whole tribe strong while limiting access makes it weaker & breeds discontent. This inter tribal fighting is explained by capitalists as the "Greed of Human Nature" but it is really the most basic of impulses in the reptilian part of our brain, the hindbrain, "The Will to Survive" that causes them wars, not the desire to get rich. The next, higher segment of our brain, the mammalian area, the Midbrain, is where caring & sharing is found as communal animals learnt they have a better chance to live & reproduce as the group which can fight back where an individual can't. But now we have the even higher brain area, the Forebrain, where logic is centered so we should be able to act above our basic desires and work towards a system that does hurt anyone but instead works towards helping everyone because just like a small tribe if we don't come together we will tears ourselves apart.

[@Generic_786]

It's crazy to think people think corporate overlords and immense wealth inequality, as well as rampant poverty are all human nature.

[@aaaowski7048]

myeah, thats notr what happens. rather: human nature turns everything it touches into shit. in capitalist economies you have landlords and corporate overlords. in communist societies you have the party pigs who will fuck you over just because they can. the real difference is that in communism theres even less that you can do than in democracy. its like, in democracy, someone fucks you over, you go to someone else to complain. in communism, the person you are supposed to complain to IS the one who fucks you over.

[@Generic_786]

@Zaydan Alfariz Do you mass produce and hoard all the resources and keep them from each other? Actually never mind, don't answer that.

[@jaxthewolf4572]

@@Generic_786 Its in quotations so he/she was probably quoting someone else.

[@Generic_786]

@@jaxthewolf4572 I'm pretty sure it the quotation marks were used in a sarcastic sense and my response was playing along

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@russelljames5631]

It’s funny how they make the human nature argument then at the same time cape for billionaires by pointing out that they are generous for donating to charity.

[@TirgaTheMadcat]

You really know those folks are trying to gaslight you when they say contradictory things almost in the same sentence.

[@russelljames5631]

@@TirgaTheMadcat somehow I’m always surprised

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@cosmicllama6910]

@Chicken Sandwich Like when you criticize capitalism and people point to children mining in Africa or something and say "You are privileged, you could be like these struggling people! Capitalism has lifted more people out of poverty than anything else!" As if Capitalism hasn't played a huge role in why those children are mining right now. Like yeah, sure, Capitalism has lifted SO MANY out of poverty, that "fair trade" coffee and chocolate became a thing, yaknow, because it was ALREADY so fair and everything 🙄

[@RosscoAW]

@@cosmicllama6910 Just hit them with the, "No, Karen, those children are mining in poverty because it benefits the company that makes your jewellery and cell phone for them to be in a state of poverty. They weren't mining that shit before American mining companies showed up. They mine so you can have nice things. They didn't mine before capitalists rolled in and divvied their resources up. Capitalism doesn't lift anyone out of poverty: capitalism *profits off of and requires the existence of poverty,* capitalism created and creates poverty." They'll completely ignore you, so just trip them down a flight of stairs afterwards, or something.

[@GhostOnTheHalfShell]

Humans most significant trait is collaboration. Every good dam social creature, apes, horses, dolphins, elephants, wolf packs contain an interplay between competition and cooperation, cheating and altruism. It’s why it’s complicated. Reductions to too competitive is like saying mankind exists by trying to kill each other every second. Or ignores reciprocity as the most fundamental human interaction.

[@kevinroscom]

I mean theoretically if you justified greed as part of human nature, you could also justify murder as part of human nature. And even under a capitalist society we take measures to avoid that outcome, so why would we not do the same thing for greed or any other sin? Even if you understand human nature as this vial ugly thing and all humans are bad, there's no reason why we shouldn't do things to prevent those qualities from becoming the cornerstone of a society

[@MidwesternMarx]

Smith did what so many intellectuals do, identifying the specific culture of his historical era with some invented universal form of human nature. In reality human nature, like culture, is conditioned by the mode of production at the base of society, which is eternally in a state of change & development. And thus, human nature is in a constant state of change as well. -Eddie

[@MidwesternMarx]

Also that Graeber book is pretty good. I love comparing it with Engel’s Origins of the Family Private Property and the State, and I cite it a lot in our reading guide for origins.

[@ourmobilehomemakeover662]

I often think that the “people are selfish and greedy” argument is sincerely made by the few people who really are selfish and greedy. Such people seem to honestly believe that altruism and compassion are weaknesses. Further, they want to live in a world that rewards their skills at ruthless violence or manipulation. So they spend a lot of effort convincing other people that there’s nothing to be done about it.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@BD-yl5mh]

I’ve often wondered if there’s a thing where the people who rally against a socialist system with a line like “well no one would work if everything was free?” are basically self reporting.

[@Eibarwoman]

@@BD-yl5mh I reckon they are the people who self-report they'd have no motivation without money as I've seen others do labor specifically to keep busy even without pay.

[@BD-yl5mh]

@@Eibarwoman well I often find there’s a weird flip side where people, myself included, who outside of our regular capitalist jobs, never really do much, insist that if all our needs were taken care of, we’d be more productive and do creative stuff and call our moms more. I do wonder if there’s an element to which we’re also projecting a personal failing onto a systemic preference. (Doesn’t make me think that systemic change wouldn’t still be better though)

[@doctorrobert1339]

Just because they're selfish and greedy they then assume that everyone is like them.

[@qw3rty45df]

BRO I'm so happy to finally see someone mention Graeber's "Debt" book. It's sooooo good. I've seriously listened to the ebook about 20 times. I spent the entire video until you mentioned it actually thinking, "Wow, this video is really giving me big David Graeber vibes" and then you went and did it my boy

[@chrisparsons2791]

Never back down! Never compromise! Keep doing what you do best J.T., debunk the lies, and speak the truth. I admire your courage. Honestly, you're an inspiration bro. Best random recommend I ever got from youtube was your channel. I love your videos man!

[@dartnight365]

The main argument that i use when they said that people doesn't do nothing without a greedy return... Is "why don't you charge your 5 year son for the food that he eat? Why you give food and shelter to a dog that can't repaid you in an economic matter?"

[@alexxx4434]

They repay you by different means. And children can be viewed as a form of investment, and self-continuation (a form of selfishness).

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@benhuang2773]

Considering how certain parents are, do you really want to give them ideas?

[@dartnight365]

@@benhuang2773 nope, but on internet it usually work, becouse they can't say out loud that XD

[@dartnight365]

@@alexxx4434 oh really? So a child had to repay you if he want to live?

[@fnordywings]

It's human nature for those who are the greediest

[@voidwarden1413]

human nature is made through material conditions, and it can always be changed

[@nessaj6359]

People are greedy because we live in an Inequality where rich and poor exist which is Capitalism. Always remember that when you are born in this world. You don't know anything. So if you are born in a world where Money doesn't exist and all people are equal. And you see people helping each other. You will be like that too.

[@user-ej5gx7ph7q]

Excuse me... Greed is a reaction to environment... The evolution of language was selected for. If it was selected for to lie and steal, resulting in violence and murder, we would not be here. In fact, we know our main adaptation is to connect, communicate and cooperate in building our world, for mutual self interest . Population density as the environmental effect you talk about. Because, in a system of structural inequality, greed, deception and violence are systemic. Lots of people, anonymous strangers, different languages different religions, same Homo sapiens. For a few thousand years we have been using zero sum default, because our cultural abilities were not yet up to the task. So, this system developed. Now the knowledge and technology can hand people their world back and allow our evolved natural diversity, to be appreciated for the adaptive wonder it is and not continue to be suffocated and killed, forcing this structure, when today, we have much better alternatives. This is why we are dumb down, the knowledge and technology is waiting for the wisdom. Dominance is decadent dumbness... Dominance maintains itself, until humans no longer give it power in their lives. This is something we need to do together, alone we are fractured, together unstoppable... At least in my not so humble opinion

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@user-ej5gx7ph7q]

@@VeganSemihCyprus33 not so much, technology is how we evolve...

[@jeremiahbaxter6887]

Damn, this is one of the best explanations of socialism I've ever heard. Way to put it in perspective, JT. The fact that socialism is just about what strategies are rewarded and which aren't really resonated with me.

[@geroffmilan3328]

Quality work as always. To those who say "it's just human nature" & think that's it, we should give Hitchen's Razor: Assertions made without evidence can simply be dismissed without evidence Collaboration is a force multiplier, competition's benefits are much more limited.

[@sebastian2009xd]

The US now is like two factions that think, "humans are naturally good" and the other one thinks "humans are naturally bad so we must design systems to protect ourselves ". I'm more familiar with the second one that's why is longer.

[@based5574]

Your video made me made me realize why it so happened that the world arrived to a system in which the greedy and the selfish have the most power and wealth. The reason why the world arrived to be this way is because only the most selfish cared enough to make the world system work in a way that benefits their type, the type of selfish and greedy people. Fundamentally, the most selfish, from their selfish drives wanted to determine how the world economy will function more than any other type of humans, so they made that system for themselves, a system that rewards mostly them.

[@based5574]

Other types of people, philanthropists, socialists, egalitarians etc seemingly were and probably still are just less driven and motivated compared to the selfish and greedy. I guess it could be a survival thing, living beings in general would rather save themselves first and then they might help the others.

[@thefatherinthecave943]

@@based5574 I think those people were simply not wealthy.

[@Prownilo]

The world if shaped by narcissists, a core part of narcissism is instead of trying to work within a system, they will instead impose how they think the world should work on the system. This leads to both visionaries, and tyrants. People who see the world and decide it is better run their way, people who will change the world according to how they think it should work. The rest of us see the world and try to adapt to it, narcissists change it according to how they think it should be.

[@based5574]

@@thefatherinthecave943 wealth could've been accumulated throughout the history, yet the system remained one that rewards people with certain traits (selfishness and greed).

[@dartnight365]

@@based5574 yeah... And history prove that, with few execption, only who had wealth can accumulate more wealth.

[@drphosferrous]

We can choose and create our socioeconomic organisation methods deliberately and collectively. That's a huge evolutionary advantage, regardless of the successes and failures in our history. There are many among us who want us to think we have no choice. Great vid,btw

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@drphosferrous]

@@VeganSemihCyprus33 did we really choose this system democratically or collectively? Seems like it was imposed from above and sustained through constant ongoing deceptions.

[@juliav.mcclelland2415]

The key word being choice. Let socialists open co-ops and share profits and means of production and equally distribute resources to everyone in the group -- everyone who wants to should be allowed to do so. Just also let people who prefer not to be responsible for strangers keep what they earn or what customers and stockholders willingly give them. Just give people the choice of communal ownership or individual ownership, and everybody operates, sells, buys, functions in the group of their choice, and everyone wins.

[@drphosferrous]

@@juliav.mcclelland2415 sounds good but who owns things like the water in the ground, the space the public needs to exist, or the infrastructures that were built with taxdollars that commerce depends on? What about government itself? Shouldn't those things be collectively owned and democratically controlled? Are there any good reasons for those things to be in control of whoever has the most wealth?

[@cyrileo]

I completely agree! We have to change our perspective in order to create a better world.

[@lymb3914]

I feel like education is so important right now, and I think we could all - myself included - use more of it

[@cyrileo]

"I completely agree! Education is paramount, and we should all use it to fight for a better society."

[@Gigamokin]

and yet higher education now is pro comunist pro socialist indoctrination

[@coolioso808]

Education, and the transference of education passed down from generations, maybe well be the greatest gift humanity has and the root of any of our social progress as a species. Knowing that, we might as well use education as a key to our next evolution forward. I'd like to see people desire to understand more than to desire to seek confirmation bias.

[@owfan4134]

As far as I'm concerned, the Chinese philosopher Mengzi (Mencius) made the most concise and sufficient argument for innate goodness and that has never been meaningfully expanded on or eclipsed since. He says, “Why do I say that all people possess within them a moral sense that cannot bear the suffering of others? Well, imagine now a person who, all of a sudden, sees a small child on the verge of falling down into a well. Any such person would experience a sudden sense of fright and dismay. This feeling would not be something he summoned up in order to establish good relations with the child’s parents. He would not purposefully feel this way in order to win the praise of their friends and neighbors. Nor would he feel this way because the screams of the child would be unpleasant." He goes on to describe how bafflingly unthinkable such an exception to this rule would be that such a person couldn't even be described as "person" (ren) at all. The words he used are Chinese, and thus have nuance not easily translatable to English, but the concepts are roughly identical. We are social animals that, from our earliest conception, are dependent on each other. Anyone who seems to violate the principles of interdependence or denies their concern for others is shutting down a core motivating force that underlies the whole of our cognitive endowment as living organisms. You have to make a *choice* for this to happen, it doesn't occur as a result of "growing up" or "learning how the world works". The greatest flaw in our society that can possibly exist is one which undermines the fundamental reality of human consciousness. Mencius' philosophy was primarily based on arguments which took the fundamental likes and dislikes of the king he was speaking to and extended the roots of those proclivities to the common people, who he asserted were of identical nature. To the Confucians, all members of society were part of one chain of being that, if exhibiting filial piety to those above and below them, would naturally result in harmony and goodness. Mencius' philosophy was philosophy only in the sense that it directed the attention of others to their own basic needs and desires and extended their implications towards all others in the Confucian chain of being. It's true that he never conceived of a world without a king or without a vast portion of the population in positions of forced labor, but as later philosophers such as Hume, Locke, and Kant would expand the perfidy of systems of belief and governance in denying this fundamental reality, none have more accurately identified that flaw's root. There were other schools of philosophy during Mencius' time as a roaming counselor to kings, such as the Mohist, Daoist, and Legalist schools; Mencius represented what he believed was authentic Confucianism, and marketed himself as such to kings by relying heavily on mythical tales of China's ancient past and the likely fictional Sage Kings who ruled them. Even if Mencius were to realize that evidence to support the existence of a primordial era of sagely rule is virtually nonexistent, it wouldn't have mattered to him at all, nor should it matter to us. Historical precedence and observable behavior play a role in specific legislation or practical policy, specifically in regards to making convincing and thorough arguments- they do not have any effect on the process of self-awareness that each human being goes through in awakening to their core nature as social organisms designed implicitly for service to others. Mohism advocated for militant discipline, Daoism for non-action, Legalism for draconian laws of extreme punishment; Mencius simply wanted to convince people to stop murdering each other. His belief system and school of "philosophy" were pretty much whatever they needed to be to get people to stop murdering each other, leading to his later criticism by those who rightfully observed his hypocritic tendencies towards self-justification regardless of circumstance. I hope you enjoyed reading this, and I encourage you to read about Mencius and his career as a traveling court counselor. Take care, friend.

[@jamesrocket5616]

Thanks for sharing ancient Chinese wisdom here

[@MutualistSoc]

Majority of Americans aren't even Anti Socialism. I will often describe Free Market Socialism to them and they will agree with it. And then I'll take it a step further and say eventually we can make it where there is no profit incentive. (This is when their brain starts ticking) and they say, yeah that'd be nice but it'll never happen. My American brothers and sisters are Pro Free Enterprise, but they aren't Capitalist when you break it down to the principles and ignore the bold text words like Capitalism and Socialism.

[@MK_ULTRA420]

Corporations killed free enterprise. A corporation is a business that has signed a contract with the government to pay taxes and follow regulations, in exchange for money if they're useful enough to the government. Also, Ancom wouldn't work in America the moment any major argument arises that would require an authority to intervene. Ancap is even less viable because the government is always the biggest customer. As nationalist as it sounds, maybe American Exceptionalism could make a Socialist Republic work. I still doubt it because that would mean sacrificing the USD's reserve currency status, which is almost priceless.

[@roughgalaxy7990]

This is a great point, back when I was doing gta5 RP, I did twitch overlays for the people that streamed it totally for free. It felt great to see my work out there and get requests for more. Giving away my overlays ended up with people sending me donations on paypal for what they thought it was worth.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@ncyikcvjxiw8936]

it sounds like it was in your self interest(selfish) to do that because you profited in feeling good and donations

[@amycollins8832]

There are remnants tribes that are still barely hanging on in corners of the world. They naturally practice a form of socialism in their hunts and the take care of their own. If someone were to be deprived of meat from the hunt the one that is trying to take a double share would be ostracized and ultimately banished by the elders in a well organized tribe. Ones reputation is directly related to how fair they are.

[@Nevarek_]

Yes! Thank you for mentioning David Graeber's work here. He destroys the Adam Smith premise so thoroughly and actually gives many examples of alternatives that had existed and worked perfectly fine. Some were bizarre, too! It was thrilling to read, and even better to find further reading elsewhere when you know what to look for.

[@knowledgeanddefense1054]

"Capitalism is natural" Feudalism: hey back off buddy, I was here first

[@hithere9393]

I have ADHD put I make sure to play the whole video just to promote it on the algorithm, workers unite 🙏

[@anonymousinfinido2540]

Same here, got my meds today

[@aaaowski7048]

worker unite... under the domination of the party. its like, you own the means of production... but still produce what the party says, how much the party said, and sell it for the price the part decided. thats not ownership. thats being a janitor.

[@planefan082]

@@aaaowski7048 Except you control the party via democracy and pretty much every model of socialism I've seen over the past few years involves the ability to choose what work you do.

[@aaaowski7048]

​@@planefan082 hahahah there is no democracy under communism the party regulates itself. all the votes are done internally. plebs get no say. and yes, you can choose your work. usually. wasnt the case in cambodia, or china for quite a period. but thats not ownership of the means of production, not in the slightest. where im getting with that is that even the prime argument for communism. is a blatant lie.

[@aaaowski7048]

​@@user-yf7hy7bp8l friend, however you might look at it, socialism is not democracy. in all of its flavors, in order to have a say in socialism, you had to be a memeber of the party. and a high ranking one. to have political decision power or to take part in decisionmaking through vote you had to be part of the central committee. still have to be. wherever communism still exists, like china. theres a saying in socialist countries: everyone is equal, but some are more equal than others.

[@coolbanana165]

I watched a program where a few normal people were dropped on an deserted island to try and survive for a few weeks. It always ended up with communism. Everyone shared tools, and all food gathered was shared at the end of the day. People would help others build shelter if they understood how to better. And by the end of the show, that society had develop beyond what it was on day one. Of course that's different from living a whole real life, but it shows it can work to some extent, and it's what people naturally fell into when left to make their own little society. Cooperation and sharing. No one trying to create money or gain more resources for themselves.

[@sethlindgren8130]

When you spoke about bartering systems, it reminded me of Graeber. Now I see it in your video description!

[@Nikolajnen]

My man! These kind of things need to be discussed for the better good, and people's well-being.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@cyrileo]

"I wholeheartedly agree! Let's keep the conversation going!"

[@thantosking1556]

Good day JT! Just finished binging The New F Word the other day. You continue to prove time and time again how great you are at providing educational content that is easy to comprehend and entertaining. Solve to support all the great work you do comrade! Never give up on the fight! Your work makes ripples that we will see the effects of for a long time to come.

[@BaldingClamydia]

I think they are good examples. My go to response is to point out how selfless people are during a catastrophe. We have hurricanes down here, everyone ends up checking on each other, people that don't know each other will share food, etc. If you're having a rough time in general, I know several Karens that will feed and clothe you. There ARE tons of ways humans care for each other all the time, whether they know each other or not. People are shit in a crowd, but that's a psychological effect.

[@dasritzoo9234]

The Olds: When you grow up, you'll be more conservative Millenials: Hold my beer. *Swings far to the left with age*

[@logans3365]

The answer I always get is “that’s just the way things are” anytime I question how we do things and come up with a better way. I don’t understand how the majority of people are so complacent.

[@that_viewerguy]

This is the result of TINA (There-Is-No-Alternative) capitalism. Such that even those who criticize the system do it with hopelessness: it's bad, but there's really nothing else. Read Mark Fisher's Capitalist Realism if you want to know more about this.

[@carrieullrich5059]

They gave up hoping for better. That's it. 😥❤

[@Simboiss]

Most people are not active enough intellectually to produce a full concept of socialism in their head. And since most of the time, we spend our days not hearing about such things, any idea vaguely ressembling socialism feels alien to most people.

[@logans3365]

@@Simboiss getting screwed by the owner class doesn’t feel alien at all, I would think that would motivate more people to look for a better way. Of course I guess some people just can’t connect those dots .

[@a-garden-of-worlds]

If I could live my life being able to create art without having to make money to survive then I would likely just give stuff away that I make for free, even taking free requests. I love making things and sharing those things. I hate having to make money to survive.

[@sebastian2009xd]

Well, the world doesn't care if you don't wanna do anything in order to survive, or just grow your own food or something 🤔 🙄😒

[@coolioso808]

You are doing an important critical thinking exercise that I wish every child, every adult and every person got a chance to do: Imagine a Moneyless Society. There are some great TedTalks about this, one by Colin Turner, I'd recommend people check out. The truth is we have the resources and technology to meet all human needs, in abundance, without any need for people to labor for income. We can localize and automate most essential goods and services. We can collaborate and share to add to that abundance of access. We would, over time, need to work less and have more free time to do with it what we want. Funny enough, if we had more truly free time, like you said, we would often use it for things that also enhance our community like creating and sharing art. Maybe if you lived in a Moneyless Society and the local community centre needed some refurbishment, you and some other artists would paint a mural that is truly inspiring and meaningful for the people in that town. If I was in a Moneyless Society, I would be happy to do just about anything that added to the parks and recreation opportunities of the community. I'd be involved in building a new gymnasium and rec centre. I'd be involved in instructing classes. I'd be participating in fitness and sport-related activities on a weekly basis, to maintain and enhance my health. What would other people do? I'm sure so many amazing things.

[@sebastian2009xd]

@@coolioso808 what? Quedeeee

[@coolioso808]

@@sebastian2009xd please note my comment was not intended for people unwilling or incapable of critical thinking. Those with a selfish mindset are free to move along.

[@sebastian2009xd]

@@coolioso808 your comment is public for everyone to see, and your comment also lacks critical thinking (no hate).

[@peanoman]

"Businesses could be run by the people who work there...instead of your boss just being some random guy with money." I laughed out loud at this. What a thought! But really, what a world we're living in when the first possibility is often ridiculed and the second is praised. Thanks for introducing me to this channel by the way!

[@sspipes8739]

Great video! A great book that I'd recommend, "The Origins of Capital" by Ellen Meiksins Wood, deals very much with this issue. Her argument is that capitalism can largely be traced to 15th century English countrysides, where England's unique land rights created "market imperatives," or in other words, incentivized more efficient production from the land, which was markedly different from all previous forms of trade that relied on "market opportunities." Instead of markets based on scarcity in one place and abundance in another, markets were based on the efficiency to produce. Put another way, rather than we produce x, you produce y, markets in England became based on we produce x at a fraction of the labor time than our neighbors. This would have a snowball effect leading to "enclosures," which would create a mass of displaced English people to fuel a burgeoning wage labor pool to create the goods necessary to also sustain that burgeoning, displaced population, and this was distinct to England compared to contemporary, even economically large and successful, European powers. All this to simply agree with you that capitalism is not actually human nature, but rather a very specific way of organizing production, which had the unfortunate effect of fueling England's military dominance and forcing the rest of Europe to keep up by adopting capitalist ideas, and exporting capitalism to the global south territories through European colonization.

[@user-em6ie2be7x]

Everyone watching this has probably heard this Classic "Young people want everything handed to them" despite the fact Old Generations (Mainly Boomers) had things like Free College and more opportunities handed to them.

[@aaaowski7048]

no, i rather heard stories of "work pioneers" who can do "10x the norm". those stories were promoted by fat, greedy party members who made a killing on sending all our surplus to the great brother rasha. communism? capitalism? its same same. a turd will always float to the top of the tank.

[@zmc9403]

We do and the copium makes sense too, from a psychological perspective. Older generations didn’t need to dream of having things handed to them in order to live a reasonable life. If they worked reasonably hard, they could achieve ‘the dream’. Contrast that to today where even some people making a couple times the national average feel they need to live with their parents because housing is so unaffordable. You have to dream of getting it for free, because there’s little chance you can earn it.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@kataruchitraketh]

We are not selfish and greedy. We are forced to be so. Upon realising the truth, I felt so sad for being so. I don't know how many times i scolded my best friends and my relatives.

[@williemherbert1456]

We are selfish and greedy because not we're forced into by ourselves, but by this world being finite with resources and time to do things and get things for the sake of survival and thriving in such short window of opportunity, limited by space too.

[@toyotaprius79]

We're forced and taught to be selfish out of fear and competition that someone would steal our lunch for themselves.

[@kataruchitraketh]

​@@williemherbert1456 We are not forced by ourselves but the conditions we live in make us selfish and greedy.

[@cetriyasArtnComicsChannel]

it feels like chiken or egg type thing. are we greedy cause we have to? or we have to since greed was at the start? just the fact that people are obsessed with 'exclisitivity' and desire to be 'better than the other person' makes me not have much confidence. In the same situation, you give a loaf of bread to 2 people and you'll end up with 2 different situations. The difference is, as I assume for this video, is that those who give kindly will actually fight to keep equality verse just randomly giving things out just to give out. so yeah, I agree that 'be cause we're greedy' is not a reason to keep capitalism as is, its just to keep the status quo. At the same time, we do need to be active in our social community to keep things in check.

[@williemherbert1456]

@Zaydan Alfariz And we're lusting that materialistic object for what exactly? Survival. Having more pillow casing of life as means of security would be everyone's dream in living a life here and then. No one want to tires themself into wrecked workaholics behavior that just disregard balance with living life into ominous degree, yet here we are.

[@seanb.6793]

It scares me how strongly some people will grab onto, and hold onto, power. They’ll dominate and exploit others in almost any system, and blocking that dominance needs to be the first priority of any system attempting to make change.

[@Dragrath1]

Yeah there seems to be a personality type which equates their self worth based on their ability to lord over other people they don't seem to be common but they are naturally inclined to bully and seek the highest positions of power they can in order to abuse it. Its hard to decouple nature versus nurture but they certainly thrive in capitalism making things worse for everyone else.

[@dansamarco1610]

I wanted to let you know - I can hear a bit of wall reverb in this video. I'm not sure if it's a new thing, or if I've only just noticed it, but it's definitely there. Also thanks for your work, etc, etc

[@avollant]

You forgotten to add that Scarecity reinforce Capitalime... so it is in the interest of the Capitaliste to keep the rest of us in precarius condition.... or to be exact locked into survival mode. Because while you are busy surviving, you won't be able to try changing the system... it is a win-win for the Oligarche.

[@Prownilo]

We've spent generations saying the only way to get ahead is to be selfish and to exploit others, then turn around and are shocked that people act that way? Maybe we need to go into the nature vs nurture debate. It's not human nature to be selfish, it's nurtured in us.

[@DMO-DMO-DMO]

ALSO - despite what people say about Adam Smith re greed and the "invisible hand," etc... He also had the explicit assumption that all people participating in society have functioning feelings of EMPATHY. He said that a person can't help but feel pained at the sight of someone that needs help

[@tiagomoraes9150]

Libtards be like " socialism doesn't work because people are greedy, but capitalism works because people are not greedy"

[@anasabdelrahim963]

Ubuntu: I am because we are. “An anthropologist studying the habits and customs of an African tribe found himself surrounded by children most days. So he decided to play a little game with them. He managed to get candy from the nearest town and put it all in a decorated basket at the foot of a tree. Then he called the children and suggested they play the game. When the anthropologist said “now”, the children had to run to the tree and the first one to get there could have all the candy to him/herself. So the children all lined up waiting for the signal. When the anthropologist said “now”, all of the children took each other by the hand and ran together towards the tree. They all arrived at the same time divided up the candy, sat down and began to happily munch away. The anthropologist went over to them and asked why they had all run together when any one of them could have had the candy all to themselves. The children responded: “Ubuntu. How could any one of us be happy if all the others were sad?” Ubuntu is a philosophy of some African tribes that can be summed up as “I am what I am because of who we all are.” In 2008, Bishop Desmond Tutu gave this explanation of “ubuntu” . . . “One of the sayings in our country is “Ubuntu”, the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our inter-connection. You can’t be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality - Ubuntu - you are known for your generosity. We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.”

[@reversefulfillment9189]

You really produced a quality accessible video here. You're just so damn good at this. I just watched young Karl Marx a film from 2018 It was really good. Anyways I'm just leaving this message for the algorithm and to tell you that you're doing great.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@reversefulfillment9189]

@@VeganSemihCyprus33 I'll check it out man

[@DecolonialGato]

JT hitting another home run with this one. Great content, I love getting that notification of your videos published every week!

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@Chickadee2202]

5:57 I literally just watched a video on social media this morning of a dog trading one of his favorite items for something his human had. I'm sure there are more examples of other animals trading (as well as just giving each other things) if people actually watched animals and considered their actions as intelligent and intentional. We're not the only ones to trade and give others desired items.

[@Mirvra]

There have been a hilariously large amount of cases of crows, ravens, and other corvids trading shiny stuff with humans they like for food. People often forget that the only difference between humans and other animals is that we grew intelligent faster. Other animals were either content with the level of intelligence they had, or have been slowly getting close and closer to humans as the years pass on by.

[@Loud2013]

I was thinking of this too, that whole argument is so obviously pulled from thin air

[@clusterstage]

Great points about (4:40) wrong justification. I'm using some key things you said for another animation I'm working on.

[@Spectral-Spiff]

The funny thing is these videos always get uploaded right before i go to work XD

[@Adrian-wh3mk]

Here’s a thought. Economists ran with the misappropriation of Darwin’s statement of “survival of the fittest”. They emphasize competition because it was beneficial to markets and capitalism. However, at some point, everyone forgot that no market would exist if it was not for cooperation, Cooperation, greater than competition.

[@denelson83]

Cooperation is found within a species. Competition is found between species.

[@Adrian-wh3mk]

@@denelson83 competition also exists within species, numbnuts, at the very least for mates.

[@denelson83]

@@Adrian-wh3mk Ooh, an ad hominem.

[@in_haunt]

Human nature has always had a super fluidity about it. The nurture part of nature vs nurture

[@frankfilippelli]

Man your channel is truly top notch! As a capitalist myself I often find it very hard to dispute your arguments and I can’t really see how any rational, open minded person could disagree. You make very valid points and your delivery is flawless. Great work! 👍

[@JD-qq8fz]

"Man, since we can't seem to agree on what is a good way to organize our society, so let's just do it in the way we all agree is bad. Waaay simpler." (shrugs) -Adam Smith, probably

[@Lincoln_Bio]

Pretty much, Wealth of Nations is wildly uncritical of the systems it sets out in such detail, I think it's around book 4 he casually states the primary function of the state is to protect property owners from the poor

[@alexxx4434]

Humans are lazy (read economical), they would only change the previous simpler system if it becomes completely unsuitable. So far it's not yet painfully clear to everyone that capitalism is failing. But capitalism has found a loophole through fascism to preserve itself and repeat the cycle, after massive killings and destructions.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥🔥🔥

[@BostonRobb]

💚Keep educating the people JT. Revolution doesn’t come thru brute force, but Revolution happens in the hearts & minds of the people. 💚✊💚

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@xambersand2002]

whether you “waste” time on “minute” subjects or not, you still share gallons of information which is the point of the video in the first place. love the videos, keep it up!

[@jimleon6634]

Excellent, as always! But, I wanted to offer a few respectful criticisms: I’ve read Wealth of Nations cover to cover. I don’t know if you have, but my reading of the text did not cause me to take away the sort of silly “pro-capitalist” tropes and axioms that are typically proffered by the neoliberal ideologues of today. If anything, I read Smith as having an almost “proto-socialist” view on society, albeit one that saw barter and trade as central. Given that he was writing at a time when modern bourgeois towns and cities were just beginning to spring up in Scotland, his text conveys an optimism about the power of “free trade” to counter the excesses and abuses of the mercantilist forms of government at the time. But, when his “free trade” mantras are taking together with many of the other ideas he saw as important to a fair society, it’s hard to imagine he’d place himself anywhere remotely close to the “free market” ideologues of today. I’ve also read Marx’s Capital and was surprised to find a large share of footnotes dedicated to Smith. Many were critical of Smith, but almost an equal number were not. I think this further supports the idea that Smith would absolutely reject the capitalist system as it has developed today and the “neoclassical” (just neoliberal) economists and thinkers that continue to use Smith as their “Founding Father”. Just my thoughts! Love your channel! Keep up the great work!

[@fake10hourentertainment17]

I think even if it is, in a hypothetical situation where only machines work and people don't (a scarcity free society, like Star Trek for instance) this wouldn't matter.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@detheater128]

This is the best part of my Friday morning

[@aaaowski7048]

>watching half bake propaganda what a sad life you must have

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥

[@PatriciaCross]

Human altruism is simultaneously the answer to "how do good works happen under capitalism?", and something that magically doesn't really exist the moment we talk about socialism. Even is Addams was correct about the idea our nature is to trade and Capitalism is the latest step in our improving on that, it doesn't mean the next step is not Socialism. If we find a better way of doing things, that is what we should do. Even if it were this ideal system we came upon, it can have its flaws that need improving on. We can see very clear flaws, it is a system strained beyond its limits. It is a system preventing us from advancing. Scale is always a flaw needing addressing, and never one we can truly plan for. We need to replace Capitalism with a system that works at the scale we need right now and into the future. He is not correct, as you laid out; but even if you take the arguments at face value, it implies Capitalism is just a step.

[@GayBrain]

If only the capitalists would take the next step then, huh? Wonder why it hasn't improved for anybody else, why every people's children look so clueless at the prospect of a future in this economy.

[@sonic8005]

Watched this literally after listening to a review on Ayn Rand's book The Fountainhead... and it's kind of interesting to me how even the books that glorify capitalism as if it's the only system that works, actively demonstrate the flaws in that Howard Roark *constantly* goes against what would make him money because it would compromise his vision as his artistic vision mattered far more to him than the actual profit.

[@temi6034]

This guys just be dropping most thought provoking videos

[@MikeMW87]

and being wrong all the time with his naratives.

[@sebastian2009xd]

He literally just repeated the same thing for 18 minutes. You have to question yourself if you're thinking the world is so simple that you believe people actually think the world can be explained by "humans are just naturally greedy", or "those people are saying that because they want to keep oppressing us". Even though he has a point, these explanations are no different.

[@kcaustin904]

@@sebastian2009xd that’s about a vague of a comparison I’ve seen

[@sebastian2009xd]

@@kcaustin904 I didn't even make a comparison

[@kcaustin904]

@@sebastian2009xd you said those two quotes are no different

[@FallopianDismay]

Thank you for this. I get caught up in the human nature argument. I point out that there are many ways we don't monetize behavior. But you're right. That's not the conversation to have.

[@mythic_snake]

Another great video, as usual! I was wondering if you might cover the topic of NEW businesses. You touched on this a bit in your video about creativity. But I'm curious specifically about starting a business (like how Apple and Microsoft got started in the '70s when there were no other businesses like them yet). In our current model, new ideas are promoted to businesses when someone with a big idea and a LOT of money (either through investors or generational wealth) put that money towards starting a business. Because of that, they "own" that business and all the capitol involved. In a socialist model, we usually focus on existing businesses (like energy corporations and internet and media corporations) being owned collectively. But in a collective society, who STARTS new businesses and how do they do that and at what point does that idea become public property?

[@wendylcs4283]

great question

[@melusine826]

As someone in carbon space.... I really need to check out Wren because that asterisk is MASSIVE😔, and most don't do squat. Plus offsets tend to legitimise continuing emitting so also need to be careful who buys and why

[@knightofsvea604]

"I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… small acts of kindness and love." (Gandalf the Grey, in The Hobbit) by J.R.R.Tolkien

[@54tisfaction]

This always reminds me of how Conservatives think that faced with a natural catastrophe the population of a city will go berserk and try to kill, loot, and plunder each other and their wealthier neighbors for survivals sake. So their first response is to call for authoritarian measures like sending in the military to protect their lives and property, rather than send in humanitarian aid and support for the population to put their resources to good use. Like when hurricane Catharina hit New Orleans. While the mostly black population tried to help one another, bands of heavily armed white mercenaries, police and National guards descended on the city to control (and in some cases murder) people in need of assistance.

[@scumbagdyln]

another banger, jt! keep em' coming

[@DrBaldhead]

4 days and this is just showing up on my feed. Great vid!

[@Joachim_Meyer]

It also just takes one world history course to learn how hunger gatherer groups were equitable between men and women, everyone that was able contributed to the work effort, there was no leader, decisions were made in group meetings, and there was no private property with tools and food shared freely. They tended to avoid violence and formed wide social networks where people were free to leave one band for another. Hunter gatherers also worked less and had more leisure time and social connection. Studies of the Hazda show they work just 30 to 35 hours a week to meet their needs, which is considerably less than their farming neighbors. However, with the rise of farming societies and “civilization” came private property, capital, patriarchy, slavery, organized warfare, and the state. I’m not saying “return to monke” and I don’t want to revert to a hunter gatherer lifestyle, but it seems clear to me that “human nature” was not selfishness, and instead was twisted with the rise of slave states, feudalism, and now capitalism and class warfare.

[@Meeko4eve39]

Yeah, no. You have some good points. Especially regarding the "working hours" and leisure time part. But "no leaders" at all is probably unrealistic because leaders do exist in hunter-gatherer societies that still exist around the world. If nothing else there definitely exists a deference to communitiy elders, people with the most experience and/or expertise in a certain area. And a community of hunter-gatherers tends to count way less people than modern nation states. The options for how you can organise "small groups" of 50 to maybe 200 people are different than groups as big as, say, 60 million people^^ And while people might tend to avoid violence within their own group/community aka their "in-group", the same is NOT true for so-called "out-groups". There*s a reason why we only know of the Sentinel Island People, but don't actually know anthing substantial about them. That reason is that they aggressively attack and ward themselves off against ANY intruders. Which, truth be told, is probably good for them considering how history tends to play out whenever it doesn't work out like that... In-group vs. out-group dynamics/tribalism has been the cause of many, many of humanity's most cruel moments in history like the countless wars and instances of genocide. Which is why it's so damn important to TEACH people, especially young people!) about in-group/out-group dynamics and how it relates to bullying, racism and other forms of discrimination. As much as bigotry and hatred is usually taught the same can be said for things like sharing and speaking up for each other and so on. Because humans all have potential and capacity for both. Under the right circumstances all of us are capable of murder. But under the right circumstances all of us are also capable of showing kindness and other altruistic and pro-social behaviours. But that's the most important thing IMHO: Before we can discuss in what ways we wish to organise ourselves in a MEANINGFUL WAY with a REAL chance of SUCCESSFULLY implementing what we want human society to be like, the first thing we need to tackle is how we can overcome tribalism on a HUGE scale^^ And even then discussing and agreeing collectively on one way to organise an entire society is HARD. In German there exists a word called "Zwietracht". It's a noun and translates as "discord". So it's about not agreeing on something and also somewhat synonymous with having a fight/arguing. The first part of that word "Zwie-" is related to the German word for the number two. The idea behind it is that as soon as there exists more than one person in the room there's a chance for diverging opinions and thus a chance that you might disagree and even argue/fight about said disagreement. That alone should make it obvious why agreeing on and implementing a single idea on how to organise a society is so, do difficult. And if you need more proof for how dofficult that kind of endeavour can be, look no further than the history of Germany's first democratic parliament that convened at the Paulskirche in Frankfurt: That parliament convened as a result if the 1848 Revolution and was solely concerned with comming up with a constitution and way to organise all the thus far existing and loosely connected German kingdoms, dutchies and city-states into one German nation state. They discussed many political systems and also which concrete territories would actually belong to the newly-formed nation state (among other things). Among the suggestions were things like being a democratic republic vs. being an electoral monarchy vs. being a hereditary monarchy, for example. In took them a whole year to finally settle on SOMETHING, which meant among other things that the momentum was lost in the general public and people were actually pretty fed up with their politicians. But more importantly, in the end when they finally offered King William I. of Prussia the crown to be the emperor of Germany he discarded that crown, didn't accept that title, mainly because he felt it was actually an insult to his person as it was a "dirty crown" handed to him by the people as opposed to the crown being a "natural consequence" of his basically being appointed by God to rule over his people. Fast forward the German Empire is founded in 1871 as the result of THREE Wars of Unification, mainly isntigated by one dude's schemes. That dude's name was Otto von Bismarck and the most famous of said schemes was the purposeful misrepresentation of the content of diplomatic writings (Emser Depeche). But on the (low-key hilarious) flipside of that Bismarck and his schemes is also the reason why Germany has the kind of universal health insurance system it has to this day. Because Bismarck was very displeased that as a result of the not so great working conditions and lack of worker's rights/social security a lot of working class people in the German Empire kept piling behind and voting for the Social Democrats (a political party that exists to this day in Germany btw). So to make the more conservative parties that he favoured more popular again (actually originally intending to show how bad/pointless/not helpful socialist policies are iirc) he implemented a bunch of universal health insurance plans (like for when you can't work any longer because of an accident etc.). But joke was on him because the people LOVED those insurance plans, of course^^ And as a result there were even more people who thought: "Eh, looks like the Social Democrats actually might have some points. I'll give them a chance now." But of course Bismarck (now furious because his plan backfired) couldn't take those policies back anymore. Because that would've made him and his conservatives even more unpopular. So those health insurance policies were here to stay^^ But my actual point is: Politics is complex and complicated, And so are people.Trying to act like there's only one thing that is true about human nature (like it's all only greed and competitiveness and anti-social behaviour OR all only lovey-doveym altruistic and pro-social behaviour) is not realistic. So discarding either one as patently untrue is neither correct nor helpful.

[@Joachim_Meyer]

@@Meeko4eve39 I appreciate the criticism! I think you are correct that we should be a lot more nuanced when discussing "human nature". I tend to believe that humans are inherently good, but can be twisted by the systems they live in, but I understand the point of view you are presenting. I should have also phrased the "no leaders" part better. I was using a PowerPoint slide from my class this semester, but because of that the wording was a bit simplified.

[@Meeko4eve39]

@@Joachim_Meyer I am very glad you took my criticism as constructive/well-intended feedback, not as an attack on your person. Conveying intent over text can be quite difficult. Especially when you're talking to many people with many different cultural backgrounds. And as much as I try to be conscious of that fact, I can still unintentionally come off as rude sometimes. So I'm very glad it worked out the way I hoped it would! Also, I apologise for the many typos. With that said, I also totally get your point about systems in which you live having an impact on how capable people are to act on their better instincts, if you want to call it that. In fact, that might be precisely what I mean when I say that people inherently have potential/capacity for both pro-social and anti-scocial behaviour depending on their circumstances. I can think of a couple of real life/historical examples, but I won't go into those for the sake of (attempted) brevity. And you are probably even correct in your assessment that humans are (mostly) tending towards the good part. Otherwise we'd probably be incapable of having even just halfway functional societies or indeed functioning in-groups, I suppose. I maintain, though, that to some extent pro-social behaviour is learned and that in-group/out-group dynamics (or tribalism) is an important thing to consider. This is one of the reasons I consider education and a nurturing of (honest/genuine) curiosity about the world and everyone in it to be crucial. We need to learn about and from each other. And while I think that rose-tinted glasses for either socialism or communism or indeed capitalism or whatever else may exist or be heralded as "the ideal way" aren't helpful or a realistic view on any of them (especially when that rose-tinted view ignores things like the tribalism stuff or the Zwietracht/discord stuff), I definitely agree that striving towards making the world as fair and accessible and sustainable and healthy (not just in the environmental sense, but in the societal sense, too, I suppose) is a big and important goal for humanity to strive towards... But I suppose as German I am somewhat jaded with the idea that there's one "glorious" idea/way/system that'll take care of all of humanity's problems and will be a "one size fits all" kind of deal. We've had that/been told that before. Twice. Within one and the same century. One of those times it lead to war and genocide. The other time it lead to a police state that imprisoned its own citizens and made its own citizens stab each other in the back and also included a border that was so deadly that people avoided it long enough even after the end of that regime that nature was able to reclaim that land. Thankfully, the second time was ended in a remarkably peaceful way. But yeah. I suppose, that's where my sceptical point of view comes from with regards to stuff like that.

[@ericpeterson2960]

We are social animals. Yes, we are competetive. We are also cooperative. Generocity is in our nature. If you are not generous, cooperative, and competative you are not human.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Technology chose capitalism and is going to kill us all 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]🔥🔥🔥

[@MikeMW87]

4% of population are psychopaths ... I had a friend who broke a random dudes nose for 5 cents. In school we used to make the losers get into dumpsters. Same dude would get out of a car and help the old lady cross the streat. Start learning about human psychology and you will learn we are animals and we only cooperate if there is always a reward ...i help you today you might help me some other time...

[@ericpeterson2960]

@@MikeMW87 sounds more like the people you affiliate urself with are psychopaths. The people i have known are generous and kind hearted. Sure there are a few who are crazy arseholes but thats maybe one or two vs the hundreds ive met. Ive helped many people in a tight spot, all it cost me was time and effort. Rarely saw them again, also had people help me when i was in a tight spot, rarely saw them again. The idea of "pay it forward" is real. Its natural for a social creature. The reward is simple, doing whats human.

[@notoriouswhitemoth]

The first human civilizations were communes. The first economies were built on gifts, trust, and debt and equity being the same thing. If capitalism were natural, why wasn't it proposed until the 18th century, and why did it take more than a century and a global war after that for it to become the status quo?

[@andrewthought3350]

Very informative content. I am happy to see channels like this gain popularity and become known to a broad audience. Would you like to make a video about socioeconomic transformation ? In wich you will explain the process make feudalism collapse and capitalism arise between 16th and 19th century. Aditionally, make some estimations about possible scenarios of socialism transformation in coming centuries.

[@faultier3215]

I have "Debt - The last 5000 Years" right next to me in my shelter. Read it twice, can only recommend. Amazing Book! R.I.P. David Graeber

[@Shwimmer623]

Just signed up for Nebula through your link! Thank you for producing content like this

[@PetrGladkikh]

The biggest problem is power concentration and tar pit of powerty that comes with extreme wealth. But any system that has chance to survive should accomodate opportunities for individual initiative.