"the [Irish Famine was] shaped by a mind-set that is now again in the ascendant. The poor are the authors of their own misery. The warning signs of impending environmental disaster can be ignored. Gross inequalities are natural, and God-given. The market must be obeyed at all costs. There is only one thing about the Irish famine that now seems truly anachronistic—millions of refugees were saved because other countries took them in. That, at least, would not happen now."
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/03/17/rot-padraic-x-scanlan-book-review
(One quibble: I tend to agree with left market anarchists like @KevinCarson1 that Peter Thiel is correct in saying the point of industrial capitalism is monopoly power, not anything like a free market. Monopoly power even without monopolies: it's not like the demand for TVs that snitch on your viewing habits is so overwhelming that ones that don't would go unsold. Yet where are they?)
@marick @KevinCarson1 thanks for the share, it was a bit too sad to read in its entirety for me...
I will quibble the quibble's example: the spyware TVs are like the bloatware computers - they are cheaper. That *is* more salient for most buyers, unfortunately.
@spoltier @KevinCarson1 Fair. Could be. Yet I pay money to a zillion podcasts etc. to not to be barraged with ads. Somehow similar choices aren't available with TVs. There seems a different relationship between producer and consumer, one where the producer has much more freedom to manage consumer choice.
We're viewed as produce to be harvested rather than peers making a mutually-beneficial trade.
@marick @KevinCarson1 right, with the computers you can (could?) buy the more expensive business line. Maybe look into screens for meeting rooms etc.? I have a very old TV and never looked at upgrades 🤷
@spoltier @KevinCarson1 I'd thought of upgrading our aging TV+soundbar but decided to hell with it. I don't want to buy from people who think I'm a sucker, a patsy, a Non-Player Character.