Is Capitalism Dead?

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It could be pointless, because people interpret all of the words differently, and half of the debate is trying to convert terms into either consistent or externally accepted formats.

I think this debate is entirely pointless now anyway. Why I think this is explained in my othr post. I am not much of an economst anyway. More interested in trade and methods of trading, etc.

Capitalism requires perpetual growth.

Perpetual growth requires unlimited resources.

The world has limited resources.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that it will crash down eventually. The sooner the better.

Money money money... I for one find the hunt for material possesions quite disturbing.

I agree with the above comment.

Premise 2 is flawed, as only extensive growth requires a change in resources, intensive growth requires an improvement in the usage of resources. I suppose one could argue that we could maximally learn how to use resources at one point, but I find that questionable given how much we still do not know and all of the technologies and social organizations we could create. I mean, it is hard to imagine that mankind will ever reach the maximum in production efficiency for all things.

Even granting premise 2 to a great extent, premise 4 still leads to question, because "eventually" can be a very long time. The sun will explode and kill all life on earth eventually, but that is an eventuality that will take a very long time to come into fruition. Meaning, that even if something could eventually happen, this does not force a change upon us.

So, I mean, without some way of knowing what extent we can intensively grow, or even knowing what extend we can extensively grow(extensive growth is sometimes related to intensive growth), then I find the criticism relatively toothless.

As for the hunt for material possessions, well, instead hunt for immaterial possessions, or even fund groups that desire to use material possessions for the good of something. I mean, it isn't as if you can say that money is useless to you.

^Thank you, AG. That particular train of thought was in serious need of a can of whoop ass.

Capitalism is hardly dead. It was never really alive anywhere in the first place. At most we have had approximately somewhat free market systems but the government has always had its hands in it.

ruveyn

Mostly to revive it when it attempted suicide.

secnded except for statement on material possesions.