Competition


Dglgmut

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OK, I see the distinctions - but still:

If we begin with capitalism as the most moral system men have known, we have to ascertain

what makes it (and keeps it) moral, and essentially it reduces to each person being

the standard of his own existence. Bringing in the emphasis on comparative-predatory capitalist business practice carries the premise that other people are the standard of one's life and business. This is my understanding of altruism (at its broadest): living by the standards of other people. iow, a second-hander.

Practically, one who evaluates himself - largely - according to others' performance;

he feels he must take what they have, to flourish;

he gains fake pride in defeating them, rather than self-esteem in his achievement;

above all, it is the view that we can only succeed at others' cost - as they succeed at our cost.

I think Brant's post addressed the difference of predatory business and competitive spirit I describe ("There is competition with grace and competition without grace" -Brant). I'm more for grace.

What I describe doesn't concern itself with what value a competitor has. I don't care about the other guy personally, but hes there trying to take a sale or job from me or my company. So, I then have to crush him (business wise). Ofcourse, it doesn't apply for people not in the same market. In essence, I don't feel like defeating others because they are good people. I have to do it for myself, and it feels good to win. And if I literally took from the guy then that's stealing (and if socially accepted it would be anarchy)

The last is the childish fallacy of the zero-sum game, which (incredibly) still holds sway in the vast majority of people.

Let's face it, we have never in our lives experienced total laissez-faire.

We can only conjecture at what it'd be like without cronyism, regulation, fear and favor.

I'd guess this breeds a culture of predation - since one thinks and acts short-term in it: uncertainty of Statist interventions and 'special treatment', mean we tend to grab what we can, when we can -

ironically confirming the liberal-progressive's accusations of the evil of capitalism.

I'll guess further, that the comparative-predatory capitalists would slowly but surely die

out in a completely free market, where rational self-interest would receive its just rewards in reality.

I don't really care how tough it is in real laissez-faire. I just want to jump into the fray and succeed if I got what it takes, and potentially fail if it has to happen. It's all part of the game.

Those predators would always be there (I don't think they will die out), but they just wont get a pass so easily anymore.

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