I find pleasure in philosophical discussions, for they help to find gaps in knowledge and to develop new ideas. This week I've read two great essays discussing capitalism. The first one, A brief history of capitalism (& socialism & communism) by Elle Griffin, explains with simple words the writer's view of what capitalism, socialism, and communism are, and how each one came to be. The article concludes that “the entire world is much better off as a result of capitalism” but that the system is far from perfect, so we need to improve it. The main issue Griffin raises is inequality. She also states that “capitalism is actively harming the world,” though I'm uncertain if she says that because of the current level of inequality or if there is another reason I didn't get.
G. M. Baker, a writer I deeply admire, responds to Griffin with a thoughtful essay stating that Griffin's piece “gets a couple of fundamental things wrong.” By dissecting it and providing a different perspective, Baker enriches the discussion.
One of the interesting arguments he makes is that, as opposed to the other systems out there, capitalism is not a theory but an expression of human nature. In that regard, he argues, we can't fix it, as it would require fixing human nature. Yet, Baker says, we still need to regulate that expression.
I agree with both authors that, despite its flaws, capitalism has made the world a much better place. The main reason I affirm that is that capitalism is the catalyst of progress. I admit that progress has introduced many complexities in the world and that I sometimes dream of living many centuries in the past, with a simpler life. However, that's only because I daydream and idealize the past, as we usually do when thinking of our ancestors' lives. The reality is that progress has significantly enhanced our lives in spite of the problems it has created.
I had an interesting conversation with a friend yesterday in which he expressed his worries about AI and all the technological developments. He is a clever guy who foresees the problems we'll face due to new technology surrounding AI. Problems we'll need to solve after having introduced them.
Why create problems that we then need to solve? Because it is worth it.
Some days ago, I listened to Jim O'Shaughnessy interviewing Jason Crawford from The Root of Progress. Jason gives one example which clarifies why it is worth it. It is the discovery of fire. Imagine living in a world in which fire doesn't exist. Can you? We use fire to cook, heat our homes, propel our cars, melt steel, and many more. Yet, fire is the reason we could have our houses and forests burned down. With the discovery and usage of fire to our advantage, we have created an immense problem, though no one would think of erasing fire from the world. What did we do instead? We have invented fire alarms, firefighters, and so on, as protective measures against the inherent risk of fire.
Another powerful argument Jason makes is that we have become more demanding with new technological advancements. He mentions the invention of cars, which introduced all-new ways to die, and yet cars were not banned for that. Nevertheless, since then, technologies such as seatbelts, airbags, ABS, stability control, and emergency braking have been added to cars, significantly reducing the risks of death they have created. Nowadays, autonomous cars are being developed, but our security standards are much higher than before; even more, we demand that autonomous vehicles be even safer than our current human-driven cars. That is also a consequence of progress. I highly recommend listening to the interview, as Jason explains this much better than I do.
As for the argument against inequality, it is problematic. For some reason, it seems that advocating for equality is the right thing to do, taking for granted that inequality is morally wrong. At this point, I disagree with Griffin and the socialist precepts. The problem with equality is that it assumes we are all equal, and that's not true. We all have different desires, priorities, ambitions, preferences, and dreams. Equality, by assuming that we are all equal, is unfair. It restricts individual liberties, forcing everyone to live a life chosen by somebody else.
The point is there is nothing wrong with inequality as long as every person can meet all their basic needs. In addition, people should be given equal opportunities so those born in a less privileged situation have the possibility to improve their living standards. That is where regulations on capitalism make sense and why it is essential to have some form of income redistribution. What societies should aim to guarantee is that every person has access to food, shelter, justice, education, and medical services, so they can choose the life they want to live.
Bonus stuff
On AI: lately, I've become more interested in artificial intelligence, and even though I'm a computer scientist, the challenge I face is how to start learning about AI in an orderly manner to get a good understanding of the topic. This week I've found the AI Cannon from Andreessen Horowitz, full of categorized resources. A great starting point.
Airplane door opened mid-flight: last week, I commented on the incident with Asiana Airlines OZ-8124. Today, Mentour Pilot released a video explaining the incident. As always, Petter makes understanding what happened easy and enjoyable.
Apple Vision Pro: on Monday, Apple introduced Apple Vision Pro, a new piece of hardware in the AR/VR1 space. Up to this point, I've always seen AR/VR as a technology for the gaming industry and some niche markets. Apple completely changed that with this new device. I see some flaws in the product, with the price tag top of the list, but I'm very excited about future iterations. My excitement is not shared by Alex Dobrenko, who declares: “i refuse to talk to you w those stupid ass ski goggles on your face.” An amusing reading with good points.
On making dreams come true
This was a special week for me. On Tuesday, I passed my check ride and got my Private Pilot License, and on Thursday, I flew my first solo as a pilot. I have achieved other certifications and degrees, but none felt like this. This feels different. I'm still figuring out what I will do in the future, but I am confident that a new path has opened for me on Tuesday, and I'm very excited and curious to discover where it will take me. As Steve Jobs once said, “You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.” I trust that some years from now, I'll understand why I feel this way about this particular achievement.
What about you? Are you pursuing a dream? Have you made a decision something that changed your life? I'd love to hear about it!
I leave you with a picture of me on Thursday flying my plane. Would you share one of you doing something you love?
Thanks for reading, till next week!
Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality.