[MD] Down the road of mediocrity

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Platt]
Why not look at the bright side and attribute economic forces in a 
free society as providing the highest standard of living in the world?

[Arlo]
First, I think its important to point out that "wealth" is not the 
only thing by which I measure Quality. Certainly, wealth has 
generated much in the West, a power and a control that dwarfs other 
systems. But it is important not to become mesmerized by the bling 
and look at the dark side as well. We are moving towards a new 
capistrocracy (if not already there), and the idea that wealth 
determines a persons value to society (or otherwise) is just evidence 
of this. By saying that who live and who dies be left to economic 
market forces, you have intrinsically tied the value of human life to 
the economic wealth that person can generate. In addition to the 
naturally subsequent disdain for those who do not generate wealth, 
you set up the artificial aristocratic attitude that raises 
wealth-producers to superior people.

[Platt]
That's nonsense. Employment has grown almost every year since I can 
remember. Your zero-sum game is just that, a game. It doesn't reflect 
reality in a capitalist economy.

[Arlo]
Your argument is that if every single person wanted to work, there 
would be zero unemployment? Talk about not reflecting reality...