Current Affairs Elon Musk

[Bruce Wayne]

Any economist who directly provides economic advice to a fascist dictator like Pinochet simply because he aligns with their free-market ideology is, without question, a deranged scumbag.

Bowles is a self-described Neo-Marxist. Who do you think Marx himself inspired?

 

[efcste97]

Bowles is a self-described Neo-Marxist. Who do you think Marx himself inspired?

How dare I agree that the one man whom influenced Thatcher the most is a deranged scumbag

I'm not debating who influenced whom, but it's a fact that Milton Friedman had a significant impact on several world leaders, particularly those advocating for neoliberal economic reforms, such as Thatcher, Reagan, and Pinochet. On the other hand, Bowles had little to no direct influence on actual policy. He critiqued the free-market fundamentalism and the rising inequality associated with those policies, and his assessments are even more relevant today.

 

[Walken]

Bowles is a self-described Neo-Marxist. Who do you think Marx himself inspired?

I thinks it quite a step away from unintentional inspiration to willing employment

 

[Bruce Wayne]

How dare I agree that the one man whom influenced Thatcher the most is a deranged scumbag

I'm not debating who influenced whom, but it's a fact that Milton Friedman had a significant impact on several world leaders, particularly those advocating for neoliberal economic reforms, such as Thatcher, Reagan, and Pinochet. On the other hand, Bowles had little to no direct influence on actual policy. He critiqued the free-market fundamentalism and the rising inequality associated with those policies, and his assessments are even more relevant today.

I bet you haven't even read Free to Choose. Happier just to throw around childish insults.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I thinks it quite a step away from unintentional inspiration to willing employment

He'd died by the time Stalin and Lenin adopted it so we'll never know. As for Friedman, he gave a lecture in Chile. You'd think he was in charge of the economy or something, when in reality, the people that were were students of his at the University of Chicago. He's on record as saying he gave identical lectures in communist countries, like China and the then Yugoslavia. He's also on record as saying the biggest success of his proposed reforms was the ultimate transition away from dictatorship and into democracy.

Musk was (probably rightly) derided for A-level ramblings earlier. We shouldn't try to ape his simplistic understanding of things.

 

[NeilMorepies]

 

[efcste97]

I bet you haven't even read Free to Choose. Happier just to throw around childish insults.

I agreed with the tweeters assessment, I didn't throw out the insult tbf.

I fundamentally disagree with Friedmans fantasy like outlook on free-markets, privatisation, monopolies etc etc I wont bore you with all my reasonings

 

[verreauxi]

This is all perfectly normal.

View attachment 288079

Elon trying to act tough is a lot like this:

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I agreed with the tweeters assessment, I didn't throw out the insult tbf.

I fundamentally disagree with Friedmans fantasy like outlook on free-markets, privatisation, monopolies etc etc I wont bore you with all my reasonings

One may disagree with him all you like. I just don't think calling him scum is particularly mature nor helpful (and I know "you" didn't call him that).

 

[NeilMorepies]

 

[efcste97]

One may disagree with him all you like. I just don't think calling him scum is particularly mature nor helpful (and I know "you" didn't call him that).

I personally think he's scum also tbf, he's down below with Maggie

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I personally think he's scum also tbf, he's down below with Maggie

Are you 12 or something? Responding with a middle finger suggests you are.

 

[efcste97]

Are you 12 or something?

The fact that calling Friedman scum struck a nerve only confirms to me that you’re definitely not from this city and have no understanding of, or concern for, the impact his economic policies of the 80s had on Liverpool.

He's in the mud with your neo-liberal mate Maggie

 

[Bruce Wayne]

The fact that calling Friedman scum struck a nerve only confirms to me that you’re definitely not from this city and have no understanding of, or concern for, the impact his economic policies of the 80s had on Liverpool.

He's in the mud with your neo-liberal mate Maggie

My former in laws lived behind the iron curtain. Should I have a go at you for not having that good fortune to be born somewhere else? Equally, my sister is marrying a Trump supporter in March. Should I spit in his face and call him scum?

 

[efcste97]

My former in laws lived behind the iron curtain. Should I have a go at you for not having that good fortune to be born somewhere else? Equally, my sister is marrying a Trump supporter in March. Should I spit in his face and call him scum?

Arguably the most influential economist of the 20th century is, understandably, held to a higher level of scrutiny than your soon-to-be brother in law. Voting for Trump doesn’t make someone scum; I sympathise with Americans, as both choices were disastrous. Personally, I believe Kamala was the lesser of two evils, but Americans disagreed, maybe if I lived in the US my POV would've been different, know knows.

Being born in Liverpool though has directly shaped my perspective on free-market economics. The city was left to the whims of the market and deteriorated for over 30 years due to the neoliberal policies that began under Thatcher, which were heavily influenced by the economic ideas of Friedman and Hayek.

Friedman’s overall philosophy was rooted in promoting a system where free markets could flourish with as little interference from the state as possible, to supposedly benefit society as a whole, has it benefited society? Or mostly the wealthy and corporations? Like the water companies pumping into our rivers, or the failing foreign owned railway companies?