[lbo-talk] RE: Servant Culture

[Jeffrey Fisher]

first, my own point (quoted below) was hardly a defense of capitalism or  an argument that capitalism is not really ultimately directed toward possession of monopoly power.

second, like the distinction between public and private that sparked this mini/sub-thread, i think the distinction deployed here between anticipating needs and creating or altering needs is a bit too tidy for my own tastes.

j

-------Original Message-------
From: boddhisatva <boddhisatva at netzero.net>
Sent: 08/26/03 03:37 PM
To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
Subject: RE: [lbo-talk] RE: Servant Culture


> 
> 

   C. Kelley's "argument" is tortured beyond recognition but on the
question
of the "lengths to which companies go to anticipate and create the trends
of private life, and to insinuate themselves into private daily life", I
say
this:

   To the extent that capitalists are trying to anticipate the needs of
the
consumer that is an unalloyed good.  All I EVER want, for example, a maker
of tires to do is think about making me a better-gripping tire and
providing
it to me with the least total economic cost TO ME.

   To the extent that capitalists expend effort not to serve our needs but
to alter them, that is the typical capitalist response to a market: try to
subvert that market by exerting monopoly power.  The capitalist is always
trying to steer the market economy towards his monopoly power.

  peace,

   boddi

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