this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2023
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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

so all you did was oversimplify (aka strawman) an argument about capitalism and socialism intertwining, and talk about how that's contradictory.

Except you failed to touch on any of the topics that people actually argue make european cities more livable and comfortable.

You just go on a monologue about basic ideas of capitalism and communism (which is different from socialism) like you just took a freshman class in economics and think you're enlightened. Pretty bad video.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Where was the straw man? I've seen this argument a thousand times when discussing politics and there's never any clarification on what they mean. Socialism is the means of production being owned by the workers, if you think that that's communism then I don't know what to tell you. It feels like you barely got past the introduction before deciding to stop watching, because he explains directly and in plain language how they are incompatible systems (the background of socialism and capitalism is an essential part)

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Socialism is the means of production being owned by the workers, if you think that that's communism then I don't know what to tell you.

Yes, that is communism. In communism also, workers control the means of production. Socialism is supposed to be the transitionary stage - where a revolution has happened, a post-revolutionary state has been built, but a classless society has not yet been achieved. A communist state is supposed to be a quasi-utopia where all the contradictions of capitalism have been overcome; there is no class, no private property, no religion, and so on.

Or at least this is what the word communism means in Marxist theory. Others may use it differently.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If this was a troll 🧌 comment. Good effort, you met your quota. If this was an honest opinion, read this to understand the limitations of social democracy. This was an overview by Hakim. If you want a more detailed understanding, check out some of his linked videos.

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

If I wanted a detailed understand I would stay far away from this dude. The article you linked is more nuanced, but I'm not arguing about that.

Talking about the flaws of some hypothetical is completely useless when it's so clear that many other european countries succeed in ways that the US completely ignores. You can waffle on about macro-economics all you want, but it's practically totally irrelevant because you're not getting anything done. Meanwhile EU countries are busy building efficient public infrastructure.

All that matters is that we do better, and debating about why one ideology is imperfect while failing to offer a better way of making progress is a complete waste of time

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

It’s not hypothetical. Social Democracies exist. They can be studied. America can be described as a social democracy. I interpret that you want more socialist policies, which is fine. This video and the article isn’t arguing against that, it’s saying that social democracy will never be enough because money will always corrupt the system. As for the better way, Hakim is a Marxist-Leninist. So, that would be the better way, in his opinion. Although he didn’t explicitly say that in this video.

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

I can definitely agree that greed corrupts all. However 'Hakim' has a really disagreeable and unclear way of presenting his opinions. Right from the beginning it just seems like half-brained propaganda and I will admit I didn't watch the whole video because of that.

However I strongly disagree that America is really a social democracy, even though it may have been intended that way. The current state of the country is a representative corporatocracy.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Hakim is an acquired taste. Try Second Thought instead. His take on propaganda might be more to your liking.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is so unbelievably true. I watch his videos regularly, and I still find him a bit too rushed in some videos. He also requires a decent amount of background information to properly grasp the topic in a lot of videos. I think I like him more on the Deprogram, where he has to slow it down and explain things for the podcast

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

That’s true. I find Yugopnik the most affable. Partly because he’s long winded and I relate. JT is nice but very intentional, like he’s thinking about how what he says will be interpreted. Hakim gets a little anti-white at times, but I cut him slack because America literally bombed his home. My favorite episode so far was when they critiqued American history. I learned a lot that day.

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

I will admit I didn’t watch the whole video because of that.

And yet you think your opinion on this video is worthy of other people's time and effort. 👎

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

Economics is astrology for men

[–] [email protected] -3 points 1 year ago

LMAO I wish it was that harmless. Unfortunately though these people directly impede progress with their zero-sum thinking.