• Gigan@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    12
    arrow-down
    10
    ·
    1 year ago

    I think human nature is inherently greedy and selfish, and capitalism is best equipped to use this in a way that benefits society. Workers are motivated to work harder and learn new skills to find the most rewarding job they can. Businesses are motivated to create products and run as efficiently as possible. Consumers are motivated to get as much value as the can out of their money. Everyone in the equation is acting selfishly and in their own self-interest (which I believe humans are inclined to do anyway) but when applied on a societal level, everyone benefits. However I will concede that this is a balancing act that requires some level of government regulation to maintain.

    On the other hand, I think communism only works when everyone acts altruistically. Which is noble, but unrealistic.

    • Grayox@lemmy.mlOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Lol, lmao even. Capitalism rewards greed it doesn’t mitigate it. You’ve got it twisted.

      • Jon_Servo@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        1 year ago

        It’s the inability to see the forest for the trees. We were raised in a capitalist economic system, as were all of our past family members. The failings of capitalism appear to be the failings of human nature. In reality, meta analysis of multiple studies on human greed show that people will be inherently more kind to each other than be cruel. Quick search will bring up many articles on these studies. Plus, exchanges in material goods within communities where money hadn’t been invented would show that people didn’t barter, they gave their goods away to their neighbors, and the good deed would be remembered and reciprocated in times of need. You can look up “Gift Economy” in Wikipedia.

        • Grayox@lemmy.mlOP
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          I also highly recommend reading or listening to the audiobook for The Dawn of Everything A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wingrow. It is extremely interesting and eye opening.

    • Taleya@aussie.zone
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      1 year ago

      Nope.

      Human nature is co-operative and altruistic, there’s evidence going back to barely recognisable AS human and it’s literally a key reason why we’re the dominant species.

      Capitalism rewarding sociopaths is the outlier

    • EchoCT@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      1 year ago

      Not going to downvote, but I do think you’re lacking quite a bit of insight into the reasons human society exists at all. Cooperation is the reason human society exists at all, so saying we’re inheritly selfish is kinda laughable in that context.

      I would encourage you to look up information on dialectical Materialism and the necessity of capitalism as a stage in that dialectical.

      Capitalism had a purpose, and it’s past time for us to move on.

      • Gigan@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        I agree. Businesses and owners have too much influence. I want more unions, trust-busting, and consumer protections. Workers seem to be organizing more at least, which is a good start.

    • Moxvallix@sopuli.xyz
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      Explain open source, free software, linux community, lemmy / the fediverse, and many many other things not formed around profit, largely maintained by people in their free time motivated by community over profit.

      People aren’t inherently greedy. People are born into a system that rewards greed, and punishes altruism. There have been many different societies with many different political and economic systems, and capitalism is a fairly new one all things considered.

      Rational self interest is irrational. If only a few can succeed, chances are you fail. If everyone only looks out for themselves, then everyone fails. Humanity’s biggest strength — what set us apart from many other animals — is our ability to work together and look out for each other.

      Capitalism doesn’t work, and is destroying the Earth.

    • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      Even if it was true that human nature was inherently greedy and selfish then it would be an argument for creating systems that discourage such behaviors. What you’re arguing is akin to saying that you should encourage a person struggling with alcoholism to drink more.