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Pawn Stars


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Jack Slater
Title: Friendly Felon
Joined: May 17 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ
PostPosted: Feb 06 2011 05:58 pm Reply with quote Back to top

UsaSatsui wrote:

And, what, people in desperate need of money in your government are, what? Executed?


I'm curious to know how you came to that conclusion based upon what I said?

In my fascist dictatorship, people would in general not be in desperate need of money. There would also not be unemployment, for those able to work would be given work, even if it's government make-work, at a fair wage. Those able and unwilling to work would be expelled from the nation. I'm sure America would take them in, seeing as how they would consider my fascist dictatorship evil and would thus grant them asylum. Of course, those unable to work would be cared for, similar to what Social Security does today for the disabled, but better.

You can consider me a Raul Julia-esque M. Bison if you wish, but I am not cruel and truly would do everything I say I would for a better world. I don't even care if I am the leader, so long as things come about as such. I personally am no fan of fascist dictatorships as they lend themselves to tyranny, but it's unfortunately the system that brings about the most rapid results.

Quote:
Either you're bring ridiculous for the sake of humor and hyperbole, or you haven't got a clue about how real life works.


I assure you, I have quite a clue about how real life works. I've grown up in a barrio, rubbed elbows with the rich, and been homeless living out of the back of a pickup with a bone-dry gas tank. Been shot at, been stabbed, been a day laborer, been a college student(not in that order.) I've seen a bit, certainly haven't seen it all of course, but I do have a clue about what things like pawn shops and porno theaters and payday loan sharks do to a community. All just symptoms of a larger disease, but you can treat symptoms too. The broken windows theory is correct. It's not intuitive, but it's correct.
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Jack Slater
Title: Friendly Felon
Joined: May 17 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ
PostPosted: Feb 06 2011 06:00 pm Reply with quote Back to top

Doddsino wrote:
Uh oh...my stomach's grumbling...

I better not go to the grocery store, where those heartless bastards take advantage of my weakened state by charging 2 for $5 for Chicken Primavera.


Hyperbole. You're not going to die or lose your domicile/car/what have you if you don't get that Chicken Primavera.
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UsaSatsui
Title: The White Rabbit
Joined: May 25 2008
Location: Hiding
PostPosted: Feb 07 2011 12:00 am Reply with quote Back to top

Jack Slater wrote:
UsaSatsui wrote:

And, what, people in desperate need of money in your government are, what? Executed?


I'm curious to know how you came to that conclusion based upon what I said?

In my fascist dictatorship, people would in general not be in desperate need of money. There would also not be unemployment, for those able to work would be given work, even if it's government make-work, at a fair wage. Those able and unwilling to work would be expelled from the nation. I'm sure America would take them in, seeing as how they would consider my fascist dictatorship evil and would thus grant them asylum. Of course, those unable to work would be cared for, similar to what Social Security does today for the disabled, but better.

Holy shit, do you ever fail Real World Economics. Don't worry, Marx failed it too. It's a nice Communist utopia you planned out, it just plain doesn't work in any sort of global economy.
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Jack Slater
Title: Friendly Felon
Joined: May 17 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ
PostPosted: Feb 07 2011 12:08 am Reply with quote Back to top

UsaSatsui wrote:

Holy shit, do you ever fail Real World Economics. Don't worry, Marx failed it too. It's a nice Communist utopia you planned out, it just plain doesn't work in any sort of global economy.


So, you're trying to tell me an economy cannot survive without pawn shops and loan sharks?

How does it not work in any sort of a global economy? There are dozens of European nations where similar ideas work just fine. Norway is a great example. Having wisely chosen to stay out of the EU, they make a killing exporting their goods to EU nations. This isn't to say that the aforementioned nations aren't in peril and don't have their faults. Immigration will kill these countries, not broad economic policy.

P.S.: my ideal society is not Communism, not by a long shot.
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SoldierHawk
Moderator
Title: Warrior-Poet
Joined: Jan 15 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
PostPosted: Feb 07 2011 12:15 am Reply with quote Back to top

I love that this forum can take a topic about a stupid reality show, and turn it into a cut-throat debate about the nature of politics and economy. Laughing


militarysignatures.com

William Shakespeare wrote:
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.

 
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UsaSatsui
Title: The White Rabbit
Joined: May 25 2008
Location: Hiding
PostPosted: Feb 07 2011 12:25 am Reply with quote Back to top

Jack Slater wrote:
UsaSatsui wrote:

Holy shit, do you ever fail Real World Economics. Don't worry, Marx failed it too. It's a nice Communist utopia you planned out, it just plain doesn't work in any sort of global economy.


So, you're trying to tell me an economy cannot survive without pawn shops and loan sharks?

How does it not work in any sort of a global economy? There are dozens of European nations where similar ideas work just fine. Norway is a great example. Having wisely chosen to stay out of the EU, they make a killing exporting their goods to EU nations. This isn't to say that the aforementioned nations aren't in peril and don't have their faults. Immigration will kill these countries, not broad economic policy.

P.S.: my ideal society is not Communism, not by a long shot.

Funny, you pretty much described Communism to a tee.

No, I did not say a society can't survive with pawn shops, I've gone way off topic here. I'm saying a society cannot survive being completely propped up by the government. It takes money, a fuckton of money, and it needs to come from somewhere, and it's not coming from the people the government are supporting. Now, if a government controls an abundance of desired resources (like oil or gold or whatnot), you can support this setup for a time, but it will eventually come crashing down. And people will slip through the cracks regardless.

Going back to the pawn shops and the like, the problem is not that these places exist, it's that certain people make use of them improperly and the places really have no incentive to discourage it. There's nothing wrong at all with selling off an old TV, or putting up a laptop for a pawn loan, or doing a pay advance to fix a car you really need to get to work. These places need to be regulated and watched (probably a bit better), but shutting them down is not a viable option.
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Jack Slater
Title: Friendly Felon
Joined: May 17 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ
PostPosted: Feb 07 2011 01:37 am Reply with quote Back to top

UsaSatsui wrote:

Funny, you pretty much described Communism to a tee.


I certainly did not. I did not say that there would be no free enterprise, I would definitely encourage such a concept. I'm all for people starting their own businesses and striving to do better, certainly striving to have wealth. I just don't think that some things we have in our current society need to exist, and a society without them would be a better one.

Still... would I penalize those with much so that few don't starve to death? You're damn right I would.

Free enterprise is great and leads to better lives for all, as long as it has some boundaries. Capitalism is not free enterprise, and leads to monopoly and tyranny. Oddly enough, the same as Communism.

Quote:
These places need to be regulated and watched (probably a bit better), but shutting them down is not a viable option.


I feel I addressed the majority of your post with my previous comment, but I have to ask about this one: why not? You outlaw them, and that's that. Anyone caught violating the law is punished. Of course, people break every law in the book all the time, but it would stop the majority.

Anything can be shut down if the will is strong enough. You could stop drug use in this country cold and win the drug war in a year if you executed both drug dealers and addicts when caught. DO NOTE that I DO NOT think this is the proper route to take and is exceptionally cruel, especially to the addicts. Still, it would solve the problem almost completely.

I personally favor complete drug legalization in America if we're talking reality, while I am against any drug use at the same time. I think the drug war only benefits the drug dealers and government, two of my most accursed enemies.
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Lady_Satine
Title: Head of Lexian R&D
Joined: Oct 15 2005
Location: Metro area, Georgia
PostPosted: Feb 07 2011 03:21 am Reply with quote Back to top

Boy that Chumlee sure is a dumbass.

*trying to steer this back on topic, take the political rhetoric to private messages or the chatroom*


"Life is a waste of time. Time is a waste of life. Get wasted all the time, and you'll have the time of your life!"
 
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Jack Slater
Title: Friendly Felon
Joined: May 17 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ
PostPosted: Feb 07 2011 03:36 am Reply with quote Back to top

Fair enough. You ever see the one where the guy brings in this old pinball machine, and they give him a pittance for it, then have it restored and sold for like five grand or something around there?

What the hell was the guy thinking taking that to a pawn shop in the first place? Did he really think he'd get anywhere near its worth? Fucking take it to the antique roadshow or something, Jesus Christ.


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Cause that's how I roll bounce.
 
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aeonic
Title: Sporadic Poster
Joined: Nov 19 2009
Location: Kissimmee, FL
PostPosted: Feb 07 2011 08:11 am Reply with quote Back to top

Jack Slater wrote:
Fair enough. You ever see the one where the guy brings in this old pinball machine, and they give him a pittance for it, then have it restored and sold for like five grand or something around there?

What the hell was the guy thinking taking that to a pawn shop in the first place? Did he really think he'd get anywhere near its worth? Fucking take it to the antique roadshow or something, Jesus Christ.


He was probably thinking, 'gee, I've had this rusty piece of shit sitting in my backyard for five years now and I'm hard up, Imma go get me some money for it instead of having it restored." It's all about convenience for most people, regardless as to whether that's a good thing or not (I don't think it is). But that's society anymore.


Who likes role-playing games? Me. Way too goddamn much.
 
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SoldierHawk
Moderator
Title: Warrior-Poet
Joined: Jan 15 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
PostPosted: Feb 07 2011 02:30 pm Reply with quote Back to top

aeonic wrote:
Jack Slater wrote:
Fair enough. You ever see the one where the guy brings in this old pinball machine, and they give him a pittance for it, then have it restored and sold for like five grand or something around there?

What the hell was the guy thinking taking that to a pawn shop in the first place? Did he really think he'd get anywhere near its worth? Fucking take it to the antique roadshow or something, Jesus Christ.


He was probably thinking, 'gee, I've had this rusty piece of shit sitting in my backyard for five years now and I'm hard up, Imma go get me some money for it instead of having it restored." It's all about convenience for most people, regardless as to whether that's a good thing or not (I don't think it is). But that's society anymore.

Yeah, pretty much this. The Pawn Star et al guys make their money through knowledge: being able to see through crap, to a thing's true value, knowing who to go to to get it restored right, and at a price where they can profit from it, and knowing how to sell it and who to sell it to. I don't think it's unfair they make a profit from using the knowledge, experience and connections they've built up. That's just good business. As aeonic pointed out, it's not as if people don't (usually) have other options; pawners and junkers who know their business are simply the easiest and most convenient. In cases like that, they do most of the work, ergo they take most of the profit.


militarysignatures.com

William Shakespeare wrote:
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.

 
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Lady_Satine
Title: Head of Lexian R&D
Joined: Oct 15 2005
Location: Metro area, Georgia
PostPosted: Feb 08 2011 04:36 am Reply with quote Back to top

I caught this one a while back.



"Life is a waste of time. Time is a waste of life. Get wasted all the time, and you'll have the time of your life!"
 
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Ky-Guy
Title: Obscure Nintendo Gamer
Joined: Jul 19 2006
Location: Michigan
PostPosted: Feb 08 2011 03:25 pm Reply with quote Back to top

lordsathien wrote:
I caught this one a while back.



Damn, $20,000 worth of Transformers? Awesome!
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Izzy
Title: Mascot Gold
Joined: Jul 25 2009
Location: KC, KS
PostPosted: Feb 23 2011 11:46 pm Reply with quote Back to top

UsaSatsui wrote:
Jack Slater wrote:
UsaSatsui wrote:

Holy shit, do you ever fail Real World Economics. Don't worry, Marx failed it too. It's a nice Communist utopia you planned out, it just plain doesn't work in any sort of global economy.


So, you're trying to tell me an economy cannot survive without pawn shops and loan sharks?

How does it not work in any sort of a global economy? There are dozens of European nations where similar ideas work just fine. Norway is a great example. Having wisely chosen to stay out of the EU, they make a killing exporting their goods to EU nations. This isn't to say that the aforementioned nations aren't in peril and don't have their faults. Immigration will kill these countries, not broad economic policy.

P.S.: my ideal society is not Communism, not by a long shot.

Funny, you pretty much described Communism to a tee.

No, I did not say a society can't survive with pawn shops, I've gone way off topic here. I'm saying a society cannot survive being completely propped up by the government. It takes money, a fuckton of money, and it needs to come from somewhere, and it's not coming from the people the government are supporting. Now, if a government controls an abundance of desired resources (like oil or gold or whatnot), you can support this setup for a time, but it will eventually come crashing down. And people will slip through the cracks regardless.

Going back to the pawn shops and the like, the problem is not that these places exist, it's that certain people make use of them improperly and the places really have no incentive to discourage it. There's nothing wrong at all with selling off an old TV, or putting up a laptop for a pawn loan, or doing a pay advance to fix a car you really need to get to work. These places need to be regulated and watched (probably a bit better), but shutting them down is not a viable option.


Society doesn't need money to work. What it needs are goods and services. Money is just a place holder until you exchange one good or service for another. It also takes law. And it requires an organization that enforce those laws.
What those laws are, who writes the law, how it is enforces, is eventually up to the people making up the society.

And I am not saying that to sound communist. Communism is stupid.



 
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Lady_Satine
Title: Head of Lexian R&D
Joined: Oct 15 2005
Location: Metro area, Georgia
PostPosted: Feb 24 2011 08:30 am Reply with quote Back to top

And you felt the need to post that over two weeks later after remarking political debate needs to die out in this thread, WHY?


"Life is a waste of time. Time is a waste of life. Get wasted all the time, and you'll have the time of your life!"
 
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Izzy
Title: Mascot Gold
Joined: Jul 25 2009
Location: KC, KS
PostPosted: Feb 25 2011 10:16 pm Reply with quote Back to top

To spite you?

It's not really a political stance (other then the communism thing). Just pointing out that money is a place holder for goods and services.



 
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