Bravo. I've been attempting to understand "there is no spoon" for 25 years now. Now I've got to read Lao-tzu and Zhuangzi. That last snippet, about how the rich improve the lot of mankind despite their rapaciousness, rings true as well. Jeff Bezos's Amazon deliveries got me through the covid lockdowns. Zenni Optical, years before, dropped the price of eyeglasses by over an order of magnitude. The RobinHood app single-handedly took brokerage fees out of stock, option, and futures trading across the whole industry, opening it up to the poorest. Those are just the first 3 that come to mind.
Except for the part about Bezos profiting handsomely by perhaps, just maybe, encouraging regulators to shut down his competition.
Regulatory capture is not just about the three-letter agencies. Add fear to the equation and a business can get government to do their bidding, however irrational it may be.
Many without scruples hide their anti-integrity by making large charitable donations. Hence, delivering food to the homeless tells me nothing.
In addition, you don't help the homeless in the long run by giving them food. You get them off whatever potpourri of alcohol and other drugs they are on and teach or re-teach them life skills, so they can rebuild their zeroed-out self-esteem by doing things (as in "work") for others.
Agreed on both. My point is, thanks to Amazon, homeless can get deliveries, of anything not just food, on a par with the homed. With a large number of people just a paycheck or two away from homelessness, that can be a big comfort.
I won't argue with urgent, immediate needs. But I know you agree we need to address the long-term problem. I suggest it's too important to leave in the hands of government.
Bravo. I've been attempting to understand "there is no spoon" for 25 years now. Now I've got to read Lao-tzu and Zhuangzi. That last snippet, about how the rich improve the lot of mankind despite their rapaciousness, rings true as well. Jeff Bezos's Amazon deliveries got me through the covid lockdowns. Zenni Optical, years before, dropped the price of eyeglasses by over an order of magnitude. The RobinHood app single-handedly took brokerage fees out of stock, option, and futures trading across the whole industry, opening it up to the poorest. Those are just the first 3 that come to mind.
Great examples. This might make a good list to write about....
Except for the part about Bezos profiting handsomely by perhaps, just maybe, encouraging regulators to shut down his competition.
Regulatory capture is not just about the three-letter agencies. Add fear to the equation and a business can get government to do their bidding, however irrational it may be.
There is that possibility. But I have no proof. And in any case, none of his potential competitors, that I know of, ever delivered to homeless people. https://theamericangenius.com/business-news/use-amazon-prime-deliver-goods-homeless/
Many without scruples hide their anti-integrity by making large charitable donations. Hence, delivering food to the homeless tells me nothing.
In addition, you don't help the homeless in the long run by giving them food. You get them off whatever potpourri of alcohol and other drugs they are on and teach or re-teach them life skills, so they can rebuild their zeroed-out self-esteem by doing things (as in "work") for others.
Agreed on both. My point is, thanks to Amazon, homeless can get deliveries, of anything not just food, on a par with the homed. With a large number of people just a paycheck or two away from homelessness, that can be a big comfort.
I won't argue with urgent, immediate needs. But I know you agree we need to address the long-term problem. I suggest it's too important to leave in the hands of government.
Of course, I say that about everything!