Comments on: Global Warming: Markets or Socialism? Part II

By: GoogleBot

GoogleBot — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:25:48 +0000

As soon as it starts warming up, the let’s talk.

By: Darius T

Darius T — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:08:57 +0000

Just so we’re clear, that GoogleBot is not me.

But I do agree, once the global temperatures rise above the highest historical temps, then let’s talk. Until then, global warming (which hasn’t happened in 7 years) can be ignored.

By: Atanamis

Atanamis — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:01:42 +0000

Until then, global warming (which hasn’t happened in 7 years) can be ignored.

Fine, ignore global warming. Do you disagree that there is smog in LA? Do you disagree that fish populations in many areas are dramatically reduced? What about things like the ozone hole, which MIGHT have been produced by burning waste or MIGHT have just been a normal cycle? Not a single point of this article depends on the accuracy of the global warming claims.

By: Darius T

Darius T — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:47:42 +0000

That’s true, but it was specifically addressing global warming. The ozone hole… didn’t that close up long ago?

By: bob

bob — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:53:39 +0000

the ozone hole closes and opens every year. the size has been pretty consistent the last 5 years, so banning freon may have helped slow the growth of this problem.

colin, i don’t understand what you are talking about. the raison d’etra for capitalism is to maximize profits for the shareholders. anything that detracts from this goal goes against the entire concept of capitalism. things like pollution control, employee benefits, safe working conditions, etc. have all come from regulation or employee collective bargaining. rightfully so, capitalists should be solely focused on their mission of maximizing profits. just as social activists, employee advocates, etc. should work toward promoting their agenda.

By: Jew

Jew — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:59:24 +0000

bob: “capitalists should be solely focused on their mission of maximizing profits.”

I agree, that’s the whole reason capitalism works. Everyone is looking to maximize their own benefit, and so in the end everyone benefits. But I think most capitalists operate under the assumption that there is a standard of right and wrong. For example, it’s wrong to maximize profit by murdering someone. It’s wrong to maximize profit by stealing. It’s wrong to maximize profit through lying, cheating, and false advertising. There is an ethical framework upon which capitalism must operate. Otherwise, we’ve just got might-makes-right.

By: bob

bob — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:24:20 +0000

Murder, false advertising, cheating are all activities that are illegal. If these activities weren’t illegal than they would be employed for competitive advantage. I don’t understand how there can be a capitalistic solution to the pollution or global warming problem that doesn’t include socialist types of regulations or taxes that make it more expensive to pollute than to clean up. By definition capitalism must ignore anything that reduces profits unless it is illegal. This is exactly what happened with pollution up until the late 1960’s when regulations kicked in. I don’t see how global warming is any different. Am I missing something here? I really look forward to all being revealed.

By: Jew

Jew — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:48:47 +0000

bob said: “Murder, false advertising, cheating are all activities that are illegal. If these activities weren’t illegal than they would be employed for competitive advantage.”

No, no they wouldn’t. Capitalism is about rational self-interest. It’s people making deals whereby both parties profit. Murdering isn’t remotely a part of capitalism. Any system that allows a company to intimidate its customers and competitors by threatening murder isn’t a capitalist system. Capitalism by its definition is based upon respect for individual rights, including property rights and the right to life.

Unfortunately, people are evil. Even in a capitalist system, some people will try to cheat, steal, and murder. These actions are evil and wrong, and must be punished. That’s why we have governments and laws.

By: Colin

Colin — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:54:31 +0000

Bob, I will try and answer your objections in Part III’s comments.

By: matt

matt — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:17:08 +0000

Have any of you guys hear what the New Jersey Nets are doing to in the fight against global warming? Not only are there games now cabon-neutral, but they traded Jason Kidd to the Dallas Maveriks for the a “better enviroment” also. Julianne Waldron explained to the media that Kidd was giving off to much Carbon dioxcide. “Jason Kidd always hustles when he is on the basketball court, and we all admire that greatly. But all of that running up and down the court, pushing the team out on fastbreaks, expending extra energy just to make a few extra points and possibly win a game, caused all of the players to breathe a great deal more heavily and thereby expel extra amounts of carbon dioxide into the air, and we all know that is bad for the environment. We made the difficult decision to trade Kidd in order to save the planet.” Check out this article I found on it “Environmental Activism is the Key to the Current Success of the New Jersey Nets”