tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464977109229359349.post9085826502811520489..comments2023-10-21T03:54:12.029-04:00Comments on A Gift Universe: Errors of the capitalistsSheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853868724554947854noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464977109229359349.post-42385255737950426902013-12-08T09:24:56.192-05:002013-12-08T09:24:56.192-05:00Very true. And that's why I say many of the p...Very true. And that's why I say many of the problems in the economy are social and spiritual problems, not legal ones. Sure, there are laws that encourage bad behavior and discourage good behavior. But the most important thing, without which we will never have justice, is good behavior from each individual. That, I think, is the main thing the Holy Father was talking about in his words on the economy, and the people shrieking about government and law were missing the point.<br /><br />The trouble is, if you act like you do have a relationship with your company, you're likely to be screwed. My dad never sold his Washington Mutual stock because he worked there and he loved the company and even though it wasn't doing well, he didn't want to help the company's stock price fall by selling his stock. Well, the people in charge of the company were involved in some pretty shady stuff and the whole thing went under, leaving him with a bunch of worthless bits of paper.<br /><br />Or when John stayed working for the newspaper because he believed in its mission even though all the signs pointed to disaster, and was rewarded by losing his health plan and taking a big pay cut when he agreed to stay on. It takes some mutuality to form actual relationships, and when you are operating in good faith and someone else isn't, you're liable to get screwed. That's why so many people seem tough and loud about looking out for number one .... it's because they know if they don't, odds are good no one else is looking out for them either. It's a hard trap to get out of, once a society has fallen into it.Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10853868724554947854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464977109229359349.post-16300516666047768472013-12-07T16:19:14.238-05:002013-12-07T16:19:14.238-05:00+JMJ+
There's a LOT to discuss here, so I...+JMJ+ <br /><br />There's a LOT to discuss here, so I'll have to hop back later with a longer comment, but I wanted to say one quick thing. It seems to me that the problem with shareholders is the mirror image of the problem with employees (a.k.a. "wage slaves"). That is, there's no real relationship between them and the corporation. The corporation could treat them like kings and they'd still sell their stocks for random reasons beyond the company's control--just as an employee could bust his back for a company for decades and still be laid off without getting a say in the matter. <br /><br />The disconnection (dare I once more say, the <i>alienation</i>?) is really incredible. But then again, why should I be surprised? If we don't mind eating food that is grown for us by strangers and shipped in from another region, because it "frees" us up to do work that we may never see the direct fruits of, then we opened the door to disconnection in every part of the economy. =( Enbrethilielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03414765854670926854noreply@blogger.com