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by godelski 345 days ago
It is a nice aphorism by an economy shouldn't be based on duping people. It's literally why we have regulations. Why you can't make Ponzi schemes. You literally are not allowed to lie to investors though we love to ignore the spirit in favor of the letter of the law.
2 comments
const_cast 344 days ago
Lately it feels like the entire US economy is just scamming people. Everyone is disrupting the con-artist space by devising new and innovative ways to trick their own customers.

Every single website is filled to the brim with dark patterns. There's more spam these days than real content online. Even reputable companies are lying about their products. Reviews are faker than ever and nobody seems to care. Hell, even when I turn on the TV half of the products featured are very obviously scams.

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MangoToupe 345 days ago
I'm happy when any (rich) investor gets scammed. Money ought to be distributed downwards.
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godelski 344 days ago
Unfortunately over millennia of this happening, nothing has changed. Which is rather obvious since scamming is unethical.

You just replace one unethical person with another.

The result is you feel good but nothing meaningful changes. Maybe all those aphorisms about revenge are onto something...

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MangoToupe 344 days ago
> Which is rather obvious since scamming is unethical.

So is being wealthy. There is no ethical way to get wealthy.

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godelski 344 days ago
Sounds like a self fulfilling prophecy. Remember, what makes someone fiscally wealthy is still defined by culture and society. Most of our needs aren't necessities.

And I still don't think it's unethical that doctors are wealthy. I'm very happy with them making good money for their work. It doesn't mean all doctors are ethical, but certainly it is one (of several) path to make money without needing to be unethical.

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MangoToupe 343 days ago
> Remember, what makes someone fiscally wealthy is still defined by culture and society.

Sure, in the sense that the state is defined by culture and society. Until your skull is beaten in by police, anyway. Then the concepts tend to clarify.

Trying to hedge your way out of accountability for how you accumulated your wealth is pretty funny. Also, doctors shouldn’t be wealthy either: that is likely the LEAST ethical way to make money.

> Most of our needs aren't necessities.

Please look up both terms in a dictionary

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