this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2024
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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago (2 children)

What if you start to become better off, but realize so many other parents are unable to provide for their kids like you can, and you can’t hope to provide for your kids like the wealthy can? What if paying exorbitant amounts of money for your kids education drives home the point that we need to make that investment for all kids futures? What if you are more often on the hiring side and realize your well being depends on the next generation having opportunities and the means to successfully achieve them?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Then you're a good person, which is a statistical minority. Most people will never intentionally vote against their economic self-interests by raising their own taxes (although you can trick them into voting against their economic self interests; Republicans have been doing that for years by using racist dog-whistles to attack entitlement programs and pushing discredited trickle-down economic theories).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Then you are alright with me. I think a large amount of our problems as a species come from those with a lack of empathy. If everyone thought like you, then we wouldn't have the vast wealth inequalities and greatly varying qualities of life between working class and upper class.

On the other hand, if everyone had empathy in the first place, I think we wouldn't have the economic systems that put profits over people.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The Mode of Production determines social thought, not the other way around.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

You don't think that more empathetic people would be involved in creating fairer modes of production? I think sociopaths and those lacking empathy are at least part of the reason that capitalism still runs rampant in the world, but its just my opinion.

If you downvoted me don't know why, just adding my opinion.

I know plenty of people that grew up in capitalism and still have empathy, and also hate capitalism, so I guess I don't understand exactly what you mean, either.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You don't think that more empathetic people would be involved in creating fairer modes of production? I think sociopaths and those lacking empathy are at least part of the reason that capitalism still runs rampant in the world, but its just my opinion.

The base creates and reinforces the superstructure, which reinforces the base, not the other way around.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

The base creates and reinforces the superstructure, which reinforces the base, not the other way around.

I don't know what this has to do with empathetic people and sociopaths. I understand that the system that we live in is more likely to produce sociopaths than a Socialistic one, but I don't think that doesn't mean we can't talk about them and their hindrance to our advancement, considering that they do indeed exist.

I usually appreciate you spreading knowledge, but I don't really see what you are trying to add here. Nothing I wrote disagrees with anything you said, and vice versa.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You said if people were more empathetic we would have a better Mode of Production, but the process is reversed.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

OK I see now. I think that both are true in a way. It's kind of a negative feedback loop. The mode of production makes more people greedy and less empathetic, and that makes people more opposed to changing to a fair mode of production. Again, that's just my opinion, I am not an economist, just a simple Prole.

Definitely agree with you that it starts with the mode of production. Appreciate you clarifying, and hope you have a nice day.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

No problem! They reinforce each other, yes, but it starts with the Mode of Production, which is why as the productive forces improve, so too does social knowledge which causes a shift.