Is Communism Really THAT Bad?

[SOLDIER #819]

Communism in theory is great, but it just won't work. That's not because the idea itself is flawed, but because as a system it lacks the necessary "components" (e.g. nature, attitudes) to bring it to fruition. Humanity as a collective force is just incompatible with it (and generally sucks).

Limited number of resources aside, we could prioritize providing the bare necessities for everyone, but we don't. This isn't on the level of each of us starving ourselves so that the world as a whole can eek out a meager living. This is just about us not wanting to lower our standard of living and stalling our own dreams.

We use buzz words like "opportunity" and the items at the top of pyramid pic Sasquatch posted to celebrate what capitalism is capable of giving, but we know with our limited number of resources that they can't apply to everyone. Someone by necessity has to draw the short straw when they're born or take the fall during their lifetime so that others can succeed. And so long as an emaciated child isn't standing right next to us begging for scraps so they won't starve to death, humanity as a whole is content with stepping over others to succeed and reap the rewards of their efforts (and keep it for their interests only).

As individuals, I think we're usually alright people. None of us would laugh at someone genuinely down on their luck. We WOULD share what we have if we knew for certain that the results of our efforts were being put to good use. But if's don't cut it, and in giving freely to some unknown party we assume we're opening ourselves up to exploitation. Our best bet is just to keep it for ourselves. It's just logical. Despite that, when we look at the big picture we look pretty ugly as a whole.

Communism, or systems that share many of its traits anyway, fail in practice because they aren't compatible with our society's values (or perhaps human nature?). It's not flawed or evil, humanity is just an unsympathetic ****.

Rant rant rant.

[The furthest light]

good point soldier, humanity in general can't grasp the equality of everyone, you only have to look through history to see that:countless empire's, Hitler, slavery etc.
humanity's strive for that little extra cancels out communism's effect, whilst humans are about there will be no equality. unless we pull our selves together.

[Heartless Angel]

It has nothing to do with being unable to grasp the concept of equality, it has to do with not having the resources to make that equality GOOD. If equality meant everybody on earth got a trillion dollars a year for doing a job they loved, I'd be all over it, unfortunately that's not how it works. If everybody gets an equal share, that means everyone gets the average. Unfortunately, the average in this world is extremely low.

Capitalism is also wonderful in theory, the only issues are when corruption starts infiltrating the government, and when there just arent enough opportunities for everyone to make good use of the system and get ahead in life. If that didn't happen, a capitlist society would be awesome, unfortunately that's now how it works in reality. When people can take advantage of a syetm, they will. And the world just doesn't have enough for everyone to be happy.

Communism is the same way, IF there were enough resources to give everybody a high standard of living without taking away their ability or desire to grow, a communist society would be awesome. Unfortunately that's not how it works in reality. When people don't have a reason to grow, they won't. And the world just doesn't have enough for everyone to be happy.

Neither is ever going to be perfect or work as planned, because they are incompatible with human beings. And the reality of the world is, there just isn't enough of everything for 7 billion people to be happy. The only real options are somewhere in the middle, where invariably there are still going to be some people who thrive and do well, and some who do not. Unfortunately, in either system, the majority are going to be the latter, simply because there is just not enough in this world.

[OnOneRyder]

Communism is the same way, IF there were enough resources to give everybody a high standard of living without taking away their ability or desire to grow, a communist society would be awesome. Unfortunately that's not how it works in reality. When people don't have a reason to grow, they won't. And the world just doesn't have enough for everyone to be happy.

This.

Even if everyone on earth were given a middle-class western lifestyle with the infrastructure and resources to support it I would still not want to adopt such a system. A lot of what we hold dear and rely on has been made possible by individuals with the desire to succeed and profit the most from their efforts. Remove the reward, and you no longer have that type of innovation taking place. Spreading the wealth, no matter how peaceful it is will cause humanity to grind to a halt.

[SOLDIER #819]

A lot of what we hold dear and rely on has been made possible by individuals with the desire to succeed and profit the most from their efforts. Remove the reward, and you no longer have that type of innovation taking place. Spreading the wealth, no matter how peaceful it is will cause humanity to grind to a halt.

There is a huge difference between change driven by incentives and the "upward" progression of humanity.

What proves to be lucrative in a capitalistic society has little to do with progress. Even if something new is produced due to the want of profit, it doesn't have to (and more often than not will not) have any far-reaching implications. And it's just as possible that businesses will invest in actions that stifle progress to protect their own interests. Sure, there are those VERY select few with the foresight or daring to dream big while making it big, but the vast majority of people will take a less risky approach to ensure their success. So while some great things have come about due to incentive-driven motivations, that is not the primary goal of capitalistic ideologies and it could just as well hinder progress.

Moreover, there isn't anything saying that these discoveries would have not been made if not for capitalism. Chances are life for the average person wouldn't be as rich and colorful as it is now and we wouldn't be getting the nth iteration of Call of Duty or whatever... but then again, maybe we would. Who really knows. You can't measure or simulate things like that.

Not that communism (or anything leaning heavily to that end) would even work. With mindsets like ours, there's probably no chance in hell. :\

[Sinister]

*the following post was written under the influence of powerful, although insightful, agents of impairment*

Honestly, I don't see how, unless you have a completely Enterprising nation RUN by(and by run by, let me clarify, that I mean governed BY the private sector) the corporations, you can make a free enterprising nation work for any amount of time. Even then it is plagued.

Because, per example, corporations have their OWN interests at heart. They also have the money. "Money and rule go together." So unless they ARE directly pulling the strings, the government and it's driving force will, occasionally if at always, be at odds. And even if they were given stewardship over the navigating powers of a nation, I cannot see how this would be beneficial to the individual.

Conversely, a large nation equally distributing success and control counters all individual aspects of freedom and achievement.

The key to this Gordian knot is that no one entity has every entity's interest at heart. So the key would either be to roll everything in a giant ball(socialism/communism). Or to have two or more states constantly at civilized war with each other.

Personally, I value confusion in government. Because, so long as money is being made and it is never STAGNANT, then you have an ideal arrangement. The double-edge is that every system, no matter how chaotic, will eventually settle. Settling means that a minority has money and the majority does not.

To be perfectly honest, what I am saying is... Communism or Socialism will NEVER work because of the individual. But a Corporate Government might work for a little while longer, but will fail because of the individual.

Neither system, because they are composed of extremes, will work. It's the snow globe syndrome and it must be, from time to time, shaken.

-Sin