[bentona]

The conflation of slavery with capitalism is too easy a target, so I'll address a highlight:

"what’s striking about capitalism is that we’re all trying to escape it — even most of the capitalists — because it makes us so miserable, mean, and foolish."

Philanthropy is not "escaping" capitalism. Going to mars is not "escaping" capitalism. Achieving financial independence is not "escaping" capitalism. These are all choices that are enabled via the autonomy that capitalism grants. Yes, some people are consumed solely by the pursuit of money, but capitalism is about choice, not money.

Many choose to exercise their capitalism-granted autonomy by giving things to others. There is absolutely nothing contradictory about charity in a purely capitalistic system, and is in fact, given that charity by definition is voluntary, only possible sans coercion.

[jraph]

Charity makes sense in a capitalistic world, because some people get the "choice" of being poor in it.

[sillyquiet]

in contrast to government-owns-the-means-of-production socialist systems, where nobody gets the choice to not be poor.

[anonuser123456]

That's not true. The ruling elite make out quite well in such arrangements.

[jraph]

A worse system does not make another one better.

[lrdd]

Does the lack of any better solution justify it?

[ttonkytonk]

Actually, if you think about it, capitalism (in the U.S. at least) really doesn't give you the choice to be poor, essentially requiring you to live at a relatively high standard.

[polyphonic01]

Many people do. Many poor people make bad life decisions which lead them, unfortunately, into their poverty.

[ddw]

And many people choose to be born into poverty with never a chance to succeed.