>>What people are you driving down?
>
>I sit on the steering committee of a network of community
>tech centers. The network was established to share
>resources since each site gets up to 600k, over 20 years,
>from a city-managed trust for hardware and other tech
>resources. The network managed to establish strategic
>partnerships to get T-1 access to every site (for example).
>Now, the network is incorporating to manage the trust money
>for the city and leverage additional funds but they are in
>fact competing with the individual sites for $$$ because
>they are soliciting funds from the same pool of funders.
>The individual sites don't have a chance and many are
>struggling to operate.

That's not a good example since you could have the same situation happen in a communist society -- the issue is a finite # of resources.


>The whole reason I sit on the committee/board is to make
>sure my site, a multimedia center, is on board to get any
>resources the network/organization gets, as well as the 60k
>every three year cycle. I am wearing two hats. However, I
>think the incorporating network is in danger of being
>ineffective. Competing with the individual centers waters
>down grant proposals and other requests for resources.

See above.

>>E.g. Capitalism (contrary to the common myth & cliche) does
>>not create more poor people.
>
>No but it maintains the status quo in many ways, esp.
>psychologically. The "pygmalion effect" or self-fulfilling
>prophecy (haves and have nots) helps to maintain "divides".
>The disenfranchised remain that way while wealth is
>controlled by a few. Capitalism only works when there is a
>divide.

There is more to the story than that --

First. A divide isn't required for Capitalism to work, that's a Myth, in fact, a strong capitalist society is supported by a large middle class, not a large group of poor people -- who at the end of the day, are more of a drain on that society than a benefit to it.

Poverty has a large societal cost with respect to Crime, Social Programs, Tax Breaks, etc.

Second. Capitalism creates jobs and opportunities for people -- you just have to take advantage, the tech industry has helped Millions of people from Indian, the Middle East and others who have taken advantage - many who would be poor without said industry.

The city of Seattle is a good example, many of its residents benefitted financially from Bill Gates locating Microsoft there and the city's overall economy is better now than it was in the Pre-Microsoft days.

>>Finally, competition drives people to excellence. To do
>>better than my competitor, I have to provide a better
>>product or service, doing so doesn't mean that I'm
>>unethically driving my competitor out of business.
>
>However, the reason I have the better product is because of
>my access to better resources. Distribution and placement
>of these resources is not always equitable.

You could say the same thing about Human talent -- Distribution of resources is never going to be "fair" in a system where competition exists.

>>So, its called competition? The fact that everyone can't win
>>at something is a fact of life, it isn't a negative or a
>>reason not to do something in the first place.
>
>I agree to some extent but first there has to be a level
>playing field. Then, let's see who comes out on top. Many
>capitalists take advantage of disparity.

In what way? Capitalists aren't taking advantage of the fact that someone has less, they take advantage of what they have themselves.

Furthermore, look at Generational Poverty, or even Generational Low Income -- there are a lot of reasons behind the divide in what two people have, and its not all to do with capitalism.

I plan to go to Law School in a few years, a friend of mine from High School became a firemen-- there will be a divide between us wealth wise, (already is really) but is that the fault of capitalism?

No.

Its too simplistic and inaccurrate to state that wealth divides are created for, exploited and needed by capitalism.

The fact that there are poor people accross the bridge in NYC, has nothing to do with my socioeconomic standing in North Jersey, or better yet, the success of my business or capitalistic endeavors.


-M2

The Blog: http://www.analyticalwealth.com/

An assassin’s life is never easy. Still, it beats being an assassin’s target.

Enjoy your money, but live below your means, lest you become a 70-yr old Wal-Mart Greeter.