Most capitalist action you can imagine.

errlloyd

I work as a contractor for a multi-national company in the tourism sector. (Makes it sound a lot better than it is). Anyway the company has a very small staff in Dublin which is a lead by a "manager". The CEO of this company is a bit of a paranoid, sociopathic maniac. So he often completely fires his staff and replaces them with people who will unquestioningly and ruthlessly do what he asks. It is not uncommon to hear of him asking his managers to fire people, just to test their loyalty - but that is not the most capitalist thing I have ever seen.

The most capitalist thing I have ever seen is just related and needed the context. Our internally promoted manager quit a few months back, and the company told us they were sending someone from abroad. Now someone they send in will inevitably get fired very quickly - I think they often move people here just to fire them. (We are a separately registered company, so they terminate their contract with our "Berlin" office and the company promises them a contract in Dublin, they move to Dublin, never get a contract and two weeks later get told they're fired, its pretty awful).

The most capitalist thing I have ever seen was when the new manager got announced, on the contractor FB page, we had an open betting pool on how long it would be till he got fired. The person who won is the most left wing, union loving, rights activist I know. Which is an amazing amount of horrible irony.




TL;DR: We had a bet in work on how long till someone got fired.

jimgoose

There's nothing particularly capitalist about that - your CEO is merely a lunatic.

catallus

What on earth is capitalist about that?: I've stated on here before that I believe that the placing of wagers on the outcome of events is one of the most noble and righteous endeavours that humanity can pursue, but to describe such action as capitalistic is just downright incorrect!

Bubbaclaus

Why do you associate capitalism with that? Do you consider capitalism a bad thing?


Would you like to go back in a time machine and live in the USSR instead?

I am pie

It's not really capitalist though, is it? Amoral maybe, perhaps profit-greedy, ,aybe genuinely just the actions of a sociopath, but capitalism needn't mean flying flunkys over to Ireland for a pint and a whiskey before firing them.

Capitalism has been hijacked by large corporations, it should exist with effective checks and balances, the absence and destruction of effective checks and blances (unions, regulation etc) is what has de-railed capitalism, not capitalism itself.

ps..if you had analysed the most likely outcome, pooled resources and placed a bet on the most likely outcome after doing some sort of risk assessment and drawing up a contract, that would be more capitalist. Risk based investing governed by the rule of law.

That's nothing to do with capitalism

jimgoose

bluewolf wrote: »

That's nothing to do with capitalism

...except insofar as nowadays it seems to be fashionable, especially among folk of a certain age, to associate Capitalism with all evil from the Black-and-Tans to MRSA.

Stone Deaf 4evr

Is your boss Douglas Renholm?

errlloyd

OP here, I'm no nostalgic socialist. I don't think I particularly condemned anything that was happening in the OP.

I just think betting on how long it would take someone you've never met to lose their job is pretty politically inconsistent with being someone from a very socialist union based background. Sure I could be wrong.

Birneybau

Yeah, weird.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

most capitalist thing I can imagine is someone having something I want and the two of us coming to an agreement where I give them some money and they give me what I want.

ooooh, scary. I better go donate to #occupy

jimgoose

errlloyd wrote: »

OP here, I'm no nostalgic socialist. I don't think I particularly condemned anything that was happening in the OP.

I just think better on how long it would take someone you've never met to lose their job is pretty politically inconsistent with being someone from a very socialist union based background. Sure I could be wrong.

Doesn't surprise me at all. The difference between a Capitalist and a Socialist is this: Poor-but-hopeful Capitalist sees a guy gliding down the road in a big Merc. He thinks to himself, Someday I'll have a big Merc just like that! Poor-but-hopeful Socialist sees the same thing and thinks to himself, Someday I'll have that bastard out of that, and he'll be standing on the road with his thumb up his arse, just like me!

burnhardlanger

Anyone outside of a multinational, Fortune 500esque corporation who refers to themselves as a CEO is a see you next tuesday.

Setun

Bubbaclaus wrote: »

Why do you associate capitalism with that? Do you consider capitalism a bad thing?


Would you like to go back in a time machine and live in the USSR instead?

Frustrating how so many people imagine that the only alternative to capitalism is soviet-style communism.

The op's story is not particularly capitalistic, but capitalism does regularly reward those who have a reduced moral sensibility, and who regularly engage in such examples of sociopathic behaviour.

I am pie

To nit pick, union based needn't mean socialist per se. Unions should form an effective part of the capitalist system in ensuring that wealth is distributed equitably.

Duggy747

When I think of Capitalism I always think of those 80's yuppies with the big grey phones, braces, and slicked-back hair while calling everyone "Ace"..............possibly coked out of it, too.

I am pie

I am pie wrote: »

To nit pick, union based needn't mean socialist per se. Unions should form an effective part of the capitalist system in ensuring that wealth is distributed equitably.

That's more like socialism

weisses

For me it would be Brian Lenihan with his bank guarantee

Birneybau

I am pie wrote: »

To nit pick, union based needn't mean socialist per se. Unions should form an effective part of the capitalist system in ensuring that wealth is distributed equitably.

That's just a contradiction in terms.

coolemon

There is no such thing as "more" or "less" capitalist.

The USSR was state-capitalist (wage labour, surplus value creation, class society, exclusive state property etc.) Fascism/corporatism is also form of capitalism Social democracy/welfare state is a form of capitalism.

Capitalism is a particular historical mode of production defined by relations to production and a given technological level/forces of production.

So no, it is not the most capitalist action I can imagine. All it is is plain old capitalism, or a variety of it.

Bubbaclaus

Lets get rid of capitalism and make everyone monetary equal so nobody has any motivation to work hard and achieve something!


Sounds Great!!

coolemon

Bubbaclaus wrote: »

Lets get rid of capitalism and make everyone monetary equal so nobody has any motivation to work hard and achieve something!


Sounds Great!!

Socialism, or in particular communism, does not aim to make people monetary equal.

As for 'motivation' - if you ever did business studies for the junior cert you probably would have encountered Maslows hierarchy. Monetary accumulation is not a specific feature.

Bubbaclaus

coolemon wrote: »

Socialism, or in particular communism, does not aim to make people monetary equal.

As for 'motivation' - if you ever did business studies for the junior cert you probably would have encountered Maslows hierarchy. Monetary accumulation is not a specific feature.

Junior Cert business? I can't even remember what I had for breakfast

coolemon

Bubbaclaus wrote: »

Junior Cert business? I can't even remember what I had for breakfast

Then you should probably inform yourself about 'motivation' before making wild and generally inaccurate assertions.

Ush1

Everyone is capitalist really. We're all products of Darwinian evolution, the most capitalist system of all.

Friend Computer

Bubbaclaus wrote: »

Why do you associate capitalism with that? Do you consider capitalism a bad thing?


Would you like to go back in a time machine and live in the USSR instead?

Are you capable of making a reasonable comparison? USSR? How do you go from the OP to that extreme?

I'll tell you what I'd like - something that takes the best bits of both capitalism and socialism. **** this ideological worship of either one.

jimgoose wrote: »

Doesn't surprise me at all. The difference between a Capitalist and a Socialist is this: Poor-but-hopeful Capitalist sees a guy gliding down the road in a big Merc. He thinks to himself, Someday I'll have a big Merc just like that! Poor-but-hopeful Socialist sees the same thing and thinks to himself, Someday I'll have that bastard out of that, and he'll be standing on the road with his thumb up his arse, just like me!

Meanwhile, in the real world...

Bubbaclaus

coolemon wrote: »

Then you should probably inform yourself about 'motivation' before making wild and generally inaccurate assertions.

What do you mean? I was saying that the Junior Cert was so long ago that I can't remember it. the breakfast thing was a use of hyperbole to get my point across.

I don't think the babied down version of Junior Cert Business should be used as a reference point at all anyway.

Bubbaclaus

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

most capitalist thing I can imagine is someone having something I want and the two of us coming to an agreement where I give them some money and they give me what I want.

ooooh, scary. I better go donate to #occupy

The horror! I hope I never have to encounter this. You shouldn't be allowed to post things like that until after 9pm.

jimgoose wrote: »

Doesn't surprise me at all. The difference between a Capitalist and a Socialist is this: Poor-but-hopeful Capitalist sees a guy gliding down the road in a big Merc. He thinks to himself, Someday I'll have a big Merc just like that! Poor-but-hopeful Socialist sees the same thing and thinks to himself, Someday I'll have that bastard out of that, and he'll be standing on the road with his thumb up his arse, just like me!

Bingo.

anncoates

jimgoose wrote: »

The difference between a Capitalist and a Socialist is this: Poor-but-hopeful Capitalist sees a guy gliding down the road in a big Merc. He thinks to himself, Someday I'll have a big Merc just like that! Poor-but-hopeful Socialist sees the same thing and thinks to himself, Someday I'll have that bastard out of that, and he'll be standing on the road with his thumb up his arse, just like me!

Bill Cullen has kidnapped jmgoose and taken over his boards account.

KyussBishop

If people are saying Capitalism is about a deliberately unfair distribution of wealth, then why do people defending that, also defend excessive accumulation of wealth as people 'earning' it - implying it is fair?

This contradiction in narrative, seems to imply that it's only 'fair' when the wealth is going to the CEO's/higher-ups - if Capitalism is about 'unfair' distribution of wealth then, where is the 'unfair' part of distribution?

Bubbaclaus

KyussBishop wrote: »

If people are saying Capitalism is about a deliberately unfair distribution of wealth, then why do people defending that, also defend excessive accumulation of wealth as people 'earning' it - implying it is fair?

This contradiction in narrative, seems to imply that it's only 'fair' when the wealth is going to the CEO's/higher-ups.

It's completely unfair that more successful people get more wealth.

I mean, how dare they strive to achieve something in life!

Rabelais

Blowing up a cow with a rocket for 100 dollars at a Cambodian firing range.

KyussBishop

Bubbaclaus wrote: »

It's completely unfair that more successful people get more wealth.

I mean, how dare they strive to achieve something in life!

So where is the 'unfair' part of wealth distribution? People defending capitalism, are defending it's 'unfairness' - where is that unfairness in distribution?

P_1

So what was the over/under line set at?

Bubbaclaus

Bubbaclaus wrote: »

It's completely unfair that more successful people get more wealth.

I mean, how dare they strive to achieve something in life!

Yeah... who even said it was about unfair distribution anyway?

le la rat

Selling your children so you can afford to buy bitcoins

KyussBishop

bluewolf wrote: »

Yeah... who even said it was about unfair distribution anyway?

You actually said it:

bluewolf wrote: »

I am pie wrote:

To nit pick, union based needn't mean socialist per se. Unions should form an effective part of the capitalist system in ensuring that wealth is distributed equitably.

That's more like socialism

Equitable: "characterized by equity or fairness; just and right; fair; reasonable" - you're describing equitable i.e. fair distribution of wealth, as being more like socialism - thus capitalism is unfair/not-equitable in its distribution of wealth.

"Ensuring redistribution of wealth" is the main point there, not how fair or unfair it is

Taking people's money off them without prior consent based on some arbitrary ideals, that's not capitalism

KyussBishop

Nobody mentioned redistribution, only distribution - everyone has money taken off them without consent (taxes), in order for government to exist - and nobody can provide a workable alternative to having a government, because there has been no political system developed without relying on government in some form, which does not make a lot of peoples lives much worse than when there is a well-run government.

keeponhurling

weisses wrote: »

For me it would be Brian Lenihan with his bank guarantee

Sorry did you mean to post in the "Least capitalist action you can imagine" thread and post here by mistake ?

Reekwind

bluewolf wrote: »

That's nothing to do with capitalism

Except that it involves a CEO treating people like disposable commodities. Capitalism

Clandestine

I guess abolishing government and making everything provided for by private companies, Anarcho-capitalism essentially.

Karl Stein

Clandestine wrote: »

I guess abolishing government and making everything provided for by private companies, Anarcho-capitalism essentially.

That would be a total free market (pie-in-the-sky) which means if I fancied myself as a dentist I could set up on a street corner like this lad. It would then be up to economically rational actors (lol, tulips) if they wanted to use my services or not.

kumate_champ07

theres a high percentage of psychopaths working as CEO's, its been researched and documented

kumate_champ07

Rabelais wrote: »

Blowing up a cow with a rocket for 100 dollars at a Cambodian firing range.

add another zero and apparently you can blow up something 2legged..

cantdecide

jimgoose wrote: »

Doesn't surprise me at all. The difference between a Capitalist and a Socialist is this: Poor-but-hopeful Capitalist sees a guy gliding down the road in a big Merc. He thinks to himself, Someday I'll have a big Merc just like that! Poor-but-hopeful Socialist sees the same thing and thinks to himself, Someday I'll have that bastard out of that, and he'll be standing on the road with his thumb up his arse, just like me!

I don't really agree with this. You just have to look at the Scandinavians are more socialist than us. Or maybe they are just more serious about bringing everyone to a decent minimum living standard. Society needs a certain standard to guarantee all citizens willing to participate.

In my socialist paradise, the poor but hopeful individual can apply for a discounted travel card and take the bus, hopeful that one day he can have his Merc.

kumate_champ07

I bought sony memory cards from Asia when the PSP first came out and sold them on buy&sell(print edition) for half the price the shops were selling them for, alot of the shops were sold out. I was selling them at twice the price I paid.

I got screwed over by 200euro tho, package never arrived. stopped then


the thing is I didnt need the money at the time, was doing it out of greed/for the buzz. I was a nasty capitalist

in my defence I offered a chaper authentic alternative and fair price

Earthhorse

Everybody knows exactly what the OP means when he describes the behaviour in his post as capitalist. It's not technically correct but you know what he means.

So why not share your stories of behaviour-like-that-in-the-OP-but-which-strictly-speaking-isn't-capitalist-per-se instead of carrying on a petty little spat over definitions?

tomwaterford

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

add another zero and apparently you can blow up something 2legged..

Penquin????
:rolleyes:

Wacker The Attacker

Does **** with a 50 euro note taped to your mickey count?

kowloon

Damn these electric sex pants.