"Just think what technology has done for the world in the last 100 years . . . and if anything the pace of tech development is INCREASING . . . ."
It may be a little glib of me, but I'm not quite so openly welcoming of technology for technology's sake, (neither am I a luddite, I just abhor technology creating a problem/vaccuum (for fiscal profit) instead of solving a problem. It puts me in mind of a simple but powerful parable:
An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican
village where a small boat with just one fisherman was docked. Inside
the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American
complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it
took to catch them.
The Mexican replied only a little while.
The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more
fish?
The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs.
The American then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time?
The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with
my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village
each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a
full and busy life, senor."
The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard M.B.A. and could help you. You
should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat
with
the proceeds. From the bigger boat you could buy several boats and
eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling
your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor,
eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product,
processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small
coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually
NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?"
To which the American replied, "15-20 years."
But what then, senor?
The American laughed and said that's the best part. When the time is
right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the
public and become very rich, you would make millions.
Millions, senor? Then what?
The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal
fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with
your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the
evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."
Reply | with quote | Posted by morfe lux 9th September 2003ce 19:13 |
What is better than Capitalism? (morfe lux, Sep 08, 2003, 15:21)- neither will... (morfe lux, Sep 08, 2003, 15:24)
- Re: What is better than Capitalism? (Rhiannon, Sep 08, 2003, 16:09)
- Re: What is better than Capitalism? (mistletoe, Sep 08, 2003, 21:43)
- Sorry. That was me not mistletoe... (PaulMakesMusic, Sep 08, 2003, 21:47)
- Re: What is better than Capitalism? (Dog 3000, Sep 08, 2003, 22:55)
- Re: What is better than Capitalism? (MonkeyBoy, Sep 08, 2003, 23:35)
- A world without "money" (Dog 3000, Sep 08, 2003, 23:39)
- Re: A world without "money" (MonkeyBoy, Sep 09, 2003, 00:08)
- Re: A world without "money" (Dog 3000, Sep 09, 2003, 00:15)
- Re: A world without "money" (MonkeyBoy, Sep 09, 2003, 00:38)
- Re: A world without "money" (Dog 3000, Sep 09, 2003, 02:20)
- Re: A world without "money" (necropolist, Sep 09, 2003, 13:49)
- The real question is (morfe lux, Sep 09, 2003, 15:48)
- Re: The real question is (necropolist, Sep 09, 2003, 16:15)
- Re: The real question is (Dog 3000, Sep 09, 2003, 17:28)
- Re: The real question is (stray, Sep 09, 2003, 18:27)
- Re: The real question is (Dog 3000, Sep 09, 2003, 21:07)
- Re: The real question is (stray, Sep 09, 2003, 22:46)
- Re: The real question is (Dog 3000, Sep 09, 2003, 22:58)
- Re: The real question is (stray, Sep 09, 2003, 23:11)
- Re: The real question is (Dog 3000, Sep 09, 2003, 23:21)
- Re: The real question is (stray, Sep 09, 2003, 23:53)
- Re: The real question is (Dog 3000, Sep 10, 2003, 00:00)
- Re: The real question is (necropolist, Sep 10, 2003, 09:48)
- marx & the internet (necropolist, Sep 10, 2003, 09:58)
- Re: The real question is (necropolist, Sep 10, 2003, 10:14)
- o bugger, another final point (necropolist, Sep 10, 2003, 10:51)
- Marx again (Dog 3000, Sep 10, 2003, 19:11)
- Re: Marx again (morfe lux, Sep 10, 2003, 19:21)
- Re: Marx again (Dog 3000, Sep 10, 2003, 19:24)
- Re: Marx again (Dog 3000, Sep 10, 2003, 19:26)
- Re: Marx again (morfe lux, Sep 10, 2003, 19:35)
- War (morfe lux, Sep 10, 2003, 21:33)
- Re: War (Dog 3000, Sep 10, 2003, 22:01)
- Re: War (morfe lux, Sep 10, 2003, 22:11)
- Re: War (Dog 3000, Sep 10, 2003, 22:24)
- Nature (morfe lux, Sep 10, 2003, 22:35)
- Re: War (morfe lux, Sep 10, 2003, 22:16)
- Re: War (morfe lux, Sep 10, 2003, 22:18)
- Re: War (Dog 3000, Sep 10, 2003, 22:34)
- Re: War & Human nature (necropolist, Sep 11, 2003, 01:55)
- Re: Marx again (morfe lux, Sep 10, 2003, 19:27)
- Re: Marx again (morfe lux, Sep 10, 2003, 19:38)
- predictions & a bit of state capitalism (necropolist, Sep 11, 2003, 01:35)
- the 'system' (necropolist, Sep 11, 2003, 01:47)
- Re: o bugger, another final point (morfe lux, Sep 10, 2003, 22:22)
- Re: o bugger, another final point (Dog 3000, Sep 10, 2003, 22:36)
- ah! (morfe lux, Sep 10, 2003, 22:42)
- Re: ah! (Dog 3000, Sep 10, 2003, 22:54)
- Re: o bugger, another final point (necropolist, Sep 11, 2003, 00:37)
- Re: What is better than Capitalism? (morfe lux, Sep 09, 2003, 01:34)
- Re: What is better than Capitalism? (FourWinds, Sep 09, 2003, 11:39)
- The question of liquid cheese (morfe lux, Sep 09, 2003, 16:07)
- plus (morfe lux, Sep 09, 2003, 16:19)
- Re: plus (necropolist, Sep 09, 2003, 16:27)
- Re: plus (morfe lux, Sep 09, 2003, 16:33)
- Re: plus (necropolist, Sep 09, 2003, 16:48)
- Re: What is better than Capitalism? (morfe lux, Sep 09, 2003, 01:31)
- Radio 4 in the next half hour (anthonyqkiernan, Sep 08, 2003, 22:16)
- Re: What is better than Capitalism? (Proserpine, Sep 08, 2003, 22:26)
- Owls (morfe lux, Sep 09, 2003, 01:37)
- Re: What is better than Capitalism? (Proserpine, Sep 08, 2003, 22:44)
- An Anarchist Communist Theocracy (stray, Sep 09, 2003, 18:30)
- Re: wow (Moon Cat, Sep 09, 2003, 20:23)
- Re: wow (anthonyqkiernan, Sep 09, 2003, 20:30)
- Re: wow (Moon Cat, Sep 09, 2003, 20:32)
- Re: What is better than Capitalism? (shamanic miner, Sep 10, 2003, 13:27)
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