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James Randi and Objectivism

I think Ayn Rand's view of capitalism is unrealistic and unworkable for one simple reason: we tried it before and it resulted in disaster.
 
Weak Kitten said:
What level of Government control is she talking about? Freedom to lie about your competitors? About your product? Freedom to drive the competition out of business through undercutting and then raise your prices through the roof? Freedom to buy up or intimidate all the manufacturers of machinery for making your product so that no one can make a competing product? Freedom to use substandard or outright toxic materials in your products and not tell the consumers?

Freedom is a great word to wave about, until you find out the actual price of total freedom.
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Ayn Rand would apparently have loved modern-day Somalia :rolleyes:
 
MattusMaximus said:
I think Ayn Rand's view of capitalism is unrealistic and unworkable for one simple reason: we tried it before and it resulted in disaster.
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I'm not particularly an Ayn Rand fan, but what evidence do you have that the Great Depression was caused by her version of capitalism? Or that her version of capitalism has ever existed within the past few hundred years?
 
The Norseman said:
I'm not particularly an Ayn Rand fan, but what evidence do you have that the Great Depression was caused by her version of capitalism? Or that her version of capitalism has ever existed within the past few hundred years?
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Ayn Rand fans have a fondness for the nineteenth century. Many of them figure they would be wealthier and more important than they are now if they lived in a Rand-inspired society.

I doubt Rand's version of capitalism would even work and I'm certain it has never existed anywhere at any time.
 
Ayn Rand was a sociopath and Objectivism is the ethical equivalent of a five year old screaming for sweets and attention.
 
stilicho said:
Ayn Rand fans have a fondness for the nineteenth century. Many of them figure they would be wealthier and more important than they are now if they lived in a Rand-inspired society.

...snip...
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There's a quip I remember from Asimov, he was at a meal or function and someone was complaining bout how hard it was to find staff these days and things were better "back then", he pointed out that back then she would have been staff.

It does seem many people imagine that they would be "at the top" of the pile if only there weren't these terrible restrictions that prevent them from reaching their rightful place. It's a sobering fact but for most of us these "terrible restrictions" are all that are propping us up! We know what happens when they aren't in place and for the vast majority of people it is a life of abject poverty, short lifespans and great misery.
 
PixyMisa said:
Have you tried altering the parameters and re-running it as a control?
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In effect the answer is yes - and we find the same problems happen time and time again until similar supporting restrictions are put into place to prevent the misery.
 
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