Mister_Rogers

People far too often argue “Communism/Socialism/Capitalism/etc. is the best economic system, because blah blah blah”. Anyone that has played Civilization and has half a brain cell can tell you that there is no single best economic system, as it’s so heavily dependent on the structure of a country, current levels of development, and many other factors.

I have always said, that capitalism is very probably the best economic system for rapidly developing countries in a state of industrialization (there was obvious horrific cons to this, but the complexity of discussing the use of slavery, child labour, land repossession, genocide, etc., is a conversation beyond the scope of this simple remark on economics. Consider the dominance of France, Britain, and Spain in 1800 and compare it to the juggernaut that the US became in the next 100 years by 1900, and the benefits of relatively unfettered capitalism during industrializing periods, should be readily apparent given that colossal level of growth from a sparsely populated and undeveloped country in it’s infancy in the late 1700s-early 1800s) and is probably the best economic system for this, BUUUUUUT commensurate with the level of automation, and computerized work roles within a society, a more and more heavily socialized economic system makes sense to stymie the accumulation and sole ownership of the automated systems by the wealthy few who profit off of it, while job opportunities dwindle for the rest.

The world needs to socialize more heavily, and fast, the US is in a particularly precarious spot. The number 1 job in nearly every state is truck driver, and there are already autonomous trucks on the road today. Between AI, and autonomous vehicles, we will see what happened to jobs in the automotive sector from 1950-2000, in industries like taxis, truck driving, coding, graphic design, journalism, and much much MUCH more in the next 50 years, and the US is not ready for it’s job market to do country wide, what happened in Detroit. The wealthy owners of these automated machines, and AI systems filling these job roles will become richer off of them, while the rest of the country struggles. Heavy socialization, alongside reduced work weeks and either subsequent massive increases in minimum wages, or guaranteed basic income will be a necessity for coming generations to not exist in poverty.

I feel like that’s a bit of a cop out to say “it was good except for the last season”. That statement is true, much of GOT of absolutely S-tier stuff, but the last season was also part of the show. That’s like saying “that meal I was the best I ever had”, and when your friend asks “what about the chef’s eccentric decision to put dog feces on the potatoes?”, you replying “oh don’t get hung up on that, it was the best meal I had, but you have ignore that part”, if it was on the plate, it was on the plate.

I adore the first few seasons of Community, but would never in a million years (like Game of Thrones) say it’s the best show I’ve ever seen because they both have garbage parts, that as unfortunate as it is, are legitimate parts of each of them.

Wow I must have totally spaced there, thanks for catching that! As I note in an above reply Amazon probably makes my top 5 most hated companies, I absolutely 100% do not shop there or use it, I can’t believe I missed that on my list, my apologies.

I did not know that their only profit is on their subscriptions, and I’ll look into that as I’m doubtful of that (I could be wrong though!) Thanks for the info there, but I still fundamentally take issue with subscription based models, as well as other issues I note in replies above with them like business displacement, bad personal experiences, and the urban sprawl they create. Again I’ll reiterate that no company is outright good or bad, and Costco is definitely pretty low on my bad list (perhaps deserving of being viewed more neutrally by me), the general view definitely seems to vary from mine so perhaps it’s worth reassessing.

As to your notes on Amazon again, I 100%, utterly, could not agree more, I just apparently missed them on my list and have since edited them in! Definitely an awful awful company, it astounds me furthermore how virtually everyone is unanimous on this, but nonetheless virtually everyone seems to use them anyways. Some others in the comments swayed my views on Hyundai to change, but I believe my views on Costco stand, based on the replies of some others, it seems the policies of Costco vary somewhat where I live vs. other countries (e.g., using bouncers instead of machines at the door, disallowing people from using even the food court without a card, etc.) so that might factor into why my views on them are different. Thanks for your input, I’ll be looking into Costco more about their profit model!

Last minute addition: I did a bit of looking and it seems we’re both partially right, while Costco offers some items at cost or at a loss, they do indeed turn a profit off of actual sales in store(again, perhaps this is different by country, and might not be the case where you live?), as well as membership fees, and profit margins on eCommerce sales as well.

At all the Costcos where I live, there is staff rather than a machine at the very front door that prevents entry without a membership, even to the food court. I think it’s much more likely that their policies vary from country to country, rather than their being a rogue sect of policy breakers in my city. I don’t think my view of Costco based of the customer experience I’ve had there is any indication of lunacy, I’ve had a bad time there, and so it’s okay I don’t like it. Just like it’s okay that you do. I’m glad you’ve seemed to have had a more positive experience, and they definitely do treat their staff better than some. My issues with subscription based models, and land development with Costco remains though and I don’t think my opinions changed.

I hope you have a good day and that people’s differing opinions on Costco isn’t nearly so upsetting for you in the future!

This 100% is NOT an ordered list, maybe I’ll edit and make that clear. I just didn’t have the time or energy to order this properly, if you’re curious though my top 5 might look something like 1. Facebook/Meta, 2. Apple, 3. Google, 4. Nestle, 5. Amazon. There’s of course companies that are obvious that I didn’t included, virtually any gambling company, tobacco company, gun companies (although that’s less universal depending on your views on gun laws which is another can of worms we perhaps don’t need to open here), oil and gas company, etc. Thanks for pointing that out so I can clear that up!

I’ve definitely had some good discourse on Hyundai above and have learned alot, I still wouldn’t put them in my bad list, but they might not be in my good list anymore either?

I’m curious as to why you disagree on Plex and rPi? My knowledge of them to be fair is far from exhaustive, but to massively simplify they’re on my good list because of (plex) how open, flexible, and ownership of your own media focused it is vs. every company buying out shows from each other and subscription feeing users into oblivion, and (rPi) their education focus for kids, tinkering and repairing attitude, and making open useful little chips without being part of the hellish behemoths of other tech companies. Thanks for sharing!

I was hoping someone would mention that :) Man, their devotion to continue just making outright pieces of art, with incredible passion, and a seemingly small niche fanbase is something I can’t not respect the hell out of. No gimmicks, no DLCs, no selling out. They’ve just been doing what they love since their days of browser games, and never stopped making those types of games. Good guys.

She is, thanks for asking. And to be fair to Old Spice it was probably a fairly localized issue, and isn’t some massive awful pattern of being a bad company, but call it my personal vendetta, it’s forever marked them for me, particularly given their response.

You do need to be a member, or accompanied by a member to enter the building and buy it though (at least where I live, perhaps this rule is different in different places?)

You’re 100% correct, fundamentally the drive system is still electric motors (and all the advantages that come with that!) I would have to disagree that lithium-ion EV is doomed, I think it’s better to conceptualize it as a stepping stone technology, I think we will move away from Li-Ion in the relatively near future, but it has supercharged (pun intended) investment and research in battery technologies (lithium fluoride, solid state, etc.) that will likely take over this mantle. I would be surprised given the necessary infrastructure, and lack of adoption thusfar if hydrogen did become the dominant mode of power in vehicles, but any of these would be a step in the right direction even if none are perfect currently. Thanks for your comment, I added some more on my thoughts on hydrogen in replies above as well!

I 100% wholeheartedly agree, but to actively lobby against the use of other clean alternatives that show promise are better established setting back the environmental progress make in this industry, just because they want to make the big money on THEIR clean technology, is what I have issue with. That is crappy in my books.

I wasn’t aware of the datamining, I know this is something other brands are doing as well (I believe Ford and Tesla had stories that come to mind. Thanks for the extra info on the immobilizer issues, they might well be off my good list here. I agree, a recall that is well handled isn’t bad in and of itself, but repeated recalls shows carelessness, particularly when it isn’t done voluntarily by the company but rather due to legal matters.

My only issue with the great information you have above is the fact that while battery fires do happen with EV’s rates of fires in ICE vehicles is magnitudes higher than with EV’s and this is fairly well documented (which you didn’t directly say, but seemed to be implied) here’s a link at any rate that’s decently cited https://core.verisk.com/Insights/Emerging-Issues/Articles/2023/August/Week-4/Electric-Vehicle-Fire-Risk but maybe I read into what you wrote wrong. Thanks for the extra information!

Thanks for the response and clarification :) you definitely make some good points!

If you see my reply to questions about Hyundai on the list, Toyota and many other companies do alot of PR to maintain certain reputations, and Toyota does a spectacular job of this. I do think they make more reliable than average cars, no doubt. But here’s some lesser known facts, Mazda has actually beat Toyota for 2 years running as the most reliable brand according to Consumer Reports, Toyota has had the largest, and multiple other recalls in automotive history in the last 10-15 years, some causing death and injury (Takata airbags, floormat issues, and more), and further they have lobbied heavily against electric technologies since they were salty they invested so much in hydrogen fuel cell systems. Again, it’s not like all Toyota’s are awful, but while still reliable, they’ve been dropping the ball big time lately, and that’s not to mention how utterly mundane their cars are which is a little more personal preference based. Thanks for asking, I hope that helps explain my reasoning!

I replied above if you want more context for my reasoning. It seems to be one of the more controversial takes on the list, perhaps something for me to reassess!

10th line :) They DEFINITELY would not escape this list haha

That would be a TON of writing, which nobody would read. Thanks for pointing that out, as with anything, these are my opinions and I hope you form your own as well. My opinions aren’t perfect, and none of these companies are outright “good” or “bad”.

Their immobilizer issues (also see the fire issues with the Telluride and Palisade), are definitely a pretty dark mark on them recently, and I can’t account for every individual’s. It sounds like your views towards them are entirely justified, my main reasons (I have this above in more detail) for supporting them are because I’ve always gotten utterly exceptional customer support from them (again things vary), but primarily because they’ve been a leader in electrication, they continue to make smaller vehicles and not road hogging mega-SUVs only, and all around are making very good products right now despite some issues.

I think there’s a definite media/perspective bias with vehicle manufacturers, for example Toyota is on my naughty list which would probably surprise alot of people, but they have had some of the largest (and indeed the very largest) vehicle recalls in automotive history in the last 10 years, some causing death and injury (see floormat recalls, Takata airbags, etc.) and yet they have so much hush money and such a “good reliable brand” reputation that nobody seems to care.

Hyundai (like alot of Korean companies, coughsamsungcough) has pretty heavy ties and influence over the government which is also kinda sketch, but perhaps you’re right and maybe they better deserve to be in just a neutral category for myself.

I won’t tell you to get the fuck outta here for your differing views on Hyundai, but as I noted, none of these companies are perfect and their recalls and issues with this pale in comparison to those recently with Toyota for example, as much as I know this has personally harmed you directly.

Sure, thanks for asking, as with anything, these are my opinions and I hope you form your own as well. My opinions aren’t perfect, and none of these companies are outright “good” or “bad”.

Haha, you’re closer than you think, chemical burned my wife. This one is fairly personal obviously rather than an overarching issue, but there was a class action lawsuit maybe 8ish years ago over a faulty batch, my wife was unable to be involved for compensation since the class action was in the US, but we were applying gauze and antibiotics, and watching her skin goopify and have to peel it off her screaming in the shower, it was pretty awful. Despite reaching out, all we got was a resounding “deal with it bud” from Old Spice. I refuse to ever use their products again.

Sure, thanks for asking, as with anything, these are my opinions and I hope you form your own as well. My opinions aren’t perfect, and none of these companies are outright “good” or “bad”. It is very hard, I definitely am not always successful (living without touching Apple, Google, and Microsoft some way in the modern world is near impossible), but I do my best.

Costco is definitely one of the less clear cut “they’re bad guys” ones on this list, and definitely is doing many good things. My primary reason is the use of a yearly subscription model. Again, a hugely complex topic that could take up paragraphs, but overall I disagree with subscription models for goods, that $1.50 hot dog is not actually $1.50. There are benefits to subscription models (in this case ensuring regular stable income for the company, helps keep prices lower for products where profits might otherwise fluctuate more and they need a bigger profit buffer). They’re also on here for the damage they do to local businesses and just suburban colossus that they are with acres of parking lot, it’s an eysore, and unpleasant to go to. Lastly, is a 100% biased personal one, but I went once with an autistic client who was so excited to go see Costco, and he only wanted to see and look around, and despite being told beforehand we could go in with a friend who had a card, they turned us away at the door despite my explaining the situation and it totally ruined his day and forever rubbed me the wrong way.

Sure, thanks for asking, as with anything, these are my opinions and I hope you form your own as well. My opinions aren’t perfect, and none of these companies are outright “good” or “bad”.

Toyota because of their heavy lobbying against electric car technologies simply because they sunk so much money into Hydrogen technologies and wanted to be the winner. Also they have had a slew of absolutely colossal recalls lately for avoidable stuff, and people have died (see drivers floormat issues).

Hyundai because they’ve been a leader in electrification of vehicles, have always given me exceptional customer support, and all around are just making quality stuff right now.

Volvo because throughout there history there’s few if any automotive companies that have shown more of a commitment to doing the right thing, they pushed for safety regulations back in the day and the implications have ripples to today, and still are, alongside also doing well with electrification.