Hacker News Reader

Comment by bboygravity | Hacker News Reader

Meaningless. You can replace socialist by capitalist and it would be equally meaningless.

The correct word is democracy. The people (or "workers") having a say or not has nothing to do with socialism or capitalism IMO.

View on HN

Those who hold the money hold the power. Is rule by billionaires really democratic? Have you seen how easily they are wiping their asses with our democracy now that it’s convenient?

Are you ignoring the fact that they actually have the support of people?

That’s a stretch. The billionaires weren’t democratically elected to anything, not even by our system where money buys influence and propaganda. No, they’re just rich.

No I am saying that the people wiping their asses with democracy have the support of the people and billionaires which suggests its not just billionaires overriding what people want. People have chosen this.

Roughly one third of eligible voters voted for Trump, one third for Harris, and one third abstained, presumably because they felt neither candidate represented them. In a government where money buys power that’s not a totally unreasonable take. Democrats for their part have blamed voters for their supposed stupidity - not themselves for failing to field an appealing candidate. They could have won on a left populist platform to counter Trump’s right populism (left wing populism has proven itself popular), but leftwing populism doesn’t sit well with Democrat financiers. Oligarchs like rightwing populism though. Populism (left and right) is itself an expression of the growing distrust people have toward their institutions and the sense people have of being squeezed economically. The ultra-wealthy are successfully capitalizing on this by using rightwing populism to dismantle democracy and consolidate power.

I dont see how you could blame anyone except the voters. No sane person can look at both platforms and struggle to make a choice.

The wealthy wouldn’t spend their riches on propaganda if it weren’t effective. Trumpism appeals to primal emotions around family, religion, pride, safety, belonging.

Social media is tribalism and echo chambers. The “other side” appears ‘insane’ to each side when there’s no empathy.

Well he did try out, how should I say that, a different, bigger type of democracy.

I don't understand the downvotes - parent's right. All regimes today like to trumpet themselves as (exceedingly!!) democratic, the question is: are they? In my estimation, overall, communist countries have done significantly worse in this department. And yes, rule by the many people is the definition of democracy.

"rule by the many people is the definition of democracy"

Well with elections we have a "rule by a few".

Wondering if elections could not be replaced by an app.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com