edit) My criticism of op’s argument ends at “technically, not literally always”. I do agree with most of the arguments here but I also think that this kind of simple argument is more harmful than not.
What exactly are you trying to say here? That—because some guy thinks all of America’s problems are rooted in the left automatically siding with the little guy—the rich and powerful aren’t actually powerful?
They sure are. And this world needs changes. But the claim here is just wrong. Being rich and powerful doesn’t make them automatically accountable for everything.
No individual is responsible for everything. But there are a disproportionately small number of individuals with a disproportionately large amount of power over a lot of things that affect a disproportionately large number of people. And you can bet they talk to each other.
Question one: Yes. Watch the documentary Who killed the electric car for more. It’s old now, but it goes in to detail about how oil companies and car manufacturers took action to crush electric car development in the 90s.
People have wanted affordable alternatives to oil products for decades and these companies actively stifle progress in those areas.
Companies like Nestle pay minimal fees for our natural water sources then sell it back to us in plastic bottles. There was also the whole thing in the 70s where they fucked over a bunch of third world moms and a lot of babies died.
I’ll let you do your own browsing, but here’s the first source I found on the first one to get you started:
It’s old now, but it goes in to detail about how oil companies and car manufacturers took action to crush electric car development in the 90s.
So, irrelevant to today. Got it.
Companies like Nestle pay minimal fees for our natural water sources then sell it back to us in plastic bottles
No. Places sell Nestle water rights, and they do what they want with those rights. That’s no more dishonest or controlling than a California nut farmer doing the same.
Do you have anything current-day, or real at all, that you’d like to bring up?
But the claim here is just wrong. Being rich and powerful doesn’t make them automatically accountable for everything.
No, of course not. No one is responsible for everything.
But, as a very quick and simplistic example of what the post is saying, if someone hates immigrants because “they took our jobs,” that person is missing the very obvious fact that employers are the ones hiring people. Immigrants can’t “force” that. And of course even that employer is responding to pressures, both systemic and from above them.
Either you are being short-sighted or disingenuous. Of course they aren’t automatically accountable for EvErYtHiNg. But they are accountable for a vastly disproportionate amount of things that affect most people’s lives. Ya know, that’s how power works.
Actually no, this tracks. This guy is a specific example of another working class person actively fighting to protect the exploitative system – check his post history – proving it’s not just the rich doing it.
🤔 Though this is the second thread I found him in today, and not the first time I’ve seen him do it on Lemmy. I do wonder if he’s a genuine loyalist or if he was hired by someone to come in here and concern troll for the ruling class.
You should do some reading into complex systems analysis. No one is putting everything on any specific individual. The system we live in acts similarly to a living being. It broadly seeks to exist in perpetuity and will do what it can to see that through. In our societal system the more money you have, the more powerful you are and the powerful implement systems to further expand and entrench their power. They’re benefactors of a violent and corrupt system that runs on exploitation and they have a responsibility to dismantle it. They never will so everyone else needs to do it for them.
Ever heard of underdogma?
edit) My criticism of op’s argument ends at “technically, not literally always”. I do agree with most of the arguments here but I also think that this kind of simple argument is more harmful than not.
What exactly are you trying to say here? That—because some guy thinks all of America’s problems are rooted in the left automatically siding with the little guy—the rich and powerful aren’t actually powerful?
They sure are. And this world needs changes. But the claim here is just wrong. Being rich and powerful doesn’t make them automatically accountable for everything.
No individual is responsible for everything. But there are a disproportionately small number of individuals with a disproportionately large amount of power over a lot of things that affect a disproportionately large number of people. And you can bet they talk to each other.
Who are these people?
Last time i heard this inane shit, it was the Jews, so just wondering if that’s still the case.
The CEOs/Presidents/Owners of major Oil companies and major food manufacturers.
Nestle, Proctor & Gamble, Exxon, Suncor, BP, this is just off the top of my head.
Those ones and more. The jew bullshit (and the rest of Q anon) is there to keep us fighting each other so the problem doesn’t get fixed.
Are you one of those people that blames climate change on oil manufacturers?
This one’s way out of left field so I think it deserves its own explanation. The hell?
Question one: Yes. Watch the documentary Who killed the electric car for more. It’s old now, but it goes in to detail about how oil companies and car manufacturers took action to crush electric car development in the 90s.
People have wanted affordable alternatives to oil products for decades and these companies actively stifle progress in those areas.
Companies like Nestle pay minimal fees for our natural water sources then sell it back to us in plastic bottles. There was also the whole thing in the 70s where they fucked over a bunch of third world moms and a lot of babies died.
I’ll let you do your own browsing, but here’s the first source I found on the first one to get you started:
https://www.mashed.com/717227/nestles-water-controversy-explained/
So, irrelevant to today. Got it.
No. Places sell Nestle water rights, and they do what they want with those rights. That’s no more dishonest or controlling than a California nut farmer doing the same.
Do you have anything current-day, or real at all, that you’d like to bring up?
No, of course not. No one is responsible for everything.
But, as a very quick and simplistic example of what the post is saying, if someone hates immigrants because “they took our jobs,” that person is missing the very obvious fact that employers are the ones hiring people. Immigrants can’t “force” that. And of course even that employer is responding to pressures, both systemic and from above them.
Either you are being short-sighted or disingenuous. Of course they aren’t automatically accountable for EvErYtHiNg. But they are accountable for a vastly disproportionate amount of things that affect most people’s lives. Ya know, that’s how power works.
Can you name specific examples?
Can I name an example of how people in power affect others’ lives? Is this an actual question??
Actually no, this tracks. This guy is a specific example of another working class person actively fighting to protect the exploitative system – check his post history – proving it’s not just the rich doing it.
🤔 Though this is the second thread I found him in today, and not the first time I’ve seen him do it on Lemmy. I do wonder if he’s a genuine loyalist or if he was hired by someone to come in here and concern troll for the ruling class.
look, those boots aren’t gonna lick themselves
Lol that 0/3 comment really set you off, huh
It will always be true.
Pretty much the definition of powerful right? As in they have the power
No, “being accountable for everything” is not the definition of powerful.
Having the power to change things does make you responsible for the way things are.
You should do some reading into complex systems analysis. No one is putting everything on any specific individual. The system we live in acts similarly to a living being. It broadly seeks to exist in perpetuity and will do what it can to see that through. In our societal system the more money you have, the more powerful you are and the powerful implement systems to further expand and entrench their power. They’re benefactors of a violent and corrupt system that runs on exploitation and they have a responsibility to dismantle it. They never will so everyone else needs to do it for them.
The person who wrote that book is a political agent for the rich.