Thread: Social Responsibilty

There seems to be great misunderstanding about Socialism etc. I know something about western European countries. Their economic systems are, without exception, capitalist...so why are they often referred to as Socialist?

It is because Americans are sold the lie that Social Responsibility is Socialism. It is not. It is simply a commitment by a society to make every effort to eliminate hungry, homelessness and lack of health care. In Western European countries all three of the above have been very successfully eliminated. There is little or no poverty, hunger or people living in the streets. All people have comprehensive health care at very little or no cost to them(except through taxes) The cost of Health care in Europe is 20% of the same in America.

It has been said, and from personal experience I would agree, that as a group, the Western Europeans are living a quality of life never experienced by any similar sized group in the history of humankind. In fact the middle class in Europe live better than the middle class in America.

Is that Socialism? No...but it is in part a commitment to Social Responsibility supported by capitalist economies.

Why should I be held responsible for the well-being of others? I don't cause hunger, homelessness, or poverty, so I shouldn't be forced to pay for it?

Originally Posted by Zarathustra

Why should I be held responsible for the well-being of others? I don't cause hunger, homelessness, or poverty, so I shouldn't be forced to pay for it?

Good question: Lets say you are driving down the road and have an accident..you are pinned in your car...why should anyone come and get you out of that car(they didn't cause the accident) and take you to the hospital?

when you can answer that one, you will have the answer to your question.

Originally Posted by Mankato

Good question: Lets say you are driving down the road and have an accident..you are pinned in your car...why should anyone come and get you out of that car(they didn't cause the accident) and take you to the hospital?

when you can answer that one, you will have the answer to your question.

The guy who comes to help me is paid for...by me.

Originally Posted by Babylon

The guy who comes to help me is paid for...by me.

that could be true and it could not be true...they would come and get you anyway...and you know thats the truth...so why would they if there was no money in it?

Some here have been sold a bill of goods by the corporations who dont want people to think about acting in a socially responsible manner because they know they will be asked to kick in their part. They have one goal only and that is profit. Being soicially responsible effects the bottom line. Some here cant seem to see through the bullshit duck and cover the corps have tried to buy from our representaitves. The really wierd thing is it is often those who call themselfs christians who buy into the "its not my fault they are poor"
crap. I will never be able to figure that one out.

Originally Posted by truthmatters

Some here have been sold a bill of goods by the corporations who dont want people to think about acting in a socially responsible manner because they know they will be asked to kick in their part. They have one goal only and that is profit. Being soicially responsible effects the bottom line. Some here cant seem to see through the bullshit duck and cover the corps have tried to buy from our representaitves. The really wierd thing is it is often those who call themselfs christians who buy into the "its not my fault they are poor"
crap. I will never be able to figure that one out.

Here is the one I really like:

"There has always been poor people and there always will be poor people"

Of course one could ask "why is that?"

The answer: "Because there has always been greed and exploitation and there always will be greed and exploitation" lol

Until we do something about it.

Originally Posted by Zarathustra

Why should I be held responsible for the well-being of others? I don't cause hunger, homelessness, or poverty, so I shouldn't be forced to pay for it?

Because they as a whole are responsible for your current lifestyle. QED

Originally Posted by Mankato

There seems to be great misunderstanding about Socialism etc. I know something about western European countries. Their economic systems are, without exception, capitalist...so why are they often referred to as Socialist?

It is because Americans are sold the lie that Social Responsibility is Socialism. It is not. It is simply a commitment by a society to make every effort to eliminate hungry, homelessness and lack of health care. In Western European countries all three of the above have been very successfully eliminated. There is little or no poverty, hunger or people living in the streets. All people have comprehensive health care at very little or no cost to them(except through taxes) The cost of Health care in Europe is 20% of the same in America.

It has been said, and from personal experience I would agree, that as a group, the Western Europeans are living a quality of life never experienced by any similar sized group in the history of humankind. In fact the middle class in Europe live better than the middle class in America.

Is that Socialism? No...but it is in part a commitment to Social Responsibility supported by capitalist economies.

It is part of ideology to make US better and to make THEM worse. Ideology seeks to make MY truth to be natural and universal and to make THEIR truth to be false. Capitalism is an ideology just like religion, political parties, etc...

Originally Posted by Mankato

Good question: Lets say you are driving down the road and have an accident..you are pinned in your car...why should anyone come and get you out of that car(they didn't cause the accident) and take you to the hospital?

when you can answer that one, you will have the answer to your question.

Because helping me get unpinned is a VOLUNTARY action. Gov't mandated charity is not.