Re: Cuban Genetic Engineering (was Jesse Lemisch)

[Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1@xxxxxxx>]

> Yoshie writes:
>
> I'm simply saying that worrying about what will happen if everyone in
> the world gets to "to live at current North American ecological
> standards (say 4.5 ha/person)" under capitalism is _absurd_, since
> it's _not_ going to happen.
>
> =====
>
> You forget the Veblenian point, however, regarding invidious distinction and
> status emulation. Regardless of the truth of your assertion, its the
> consequences of the efforts (however futile) to achieve those standards that
> are well worth worrying about, especially as these are facilitated and
> encouraged by the relentless streams of advertising conducted by commercial
> agencies on behalf of specific products/companies, and politicians on behalf
> of their corporate paymasters.
>
> Michael K.

Desires unaccompanied by money are not effective demands, however.
It seems to me that while overproduction is the dominant tendency of
capitalism, shortage may be the most prominent problem under
socialism, though Mark insists on worrying about shortage under
capitalism.

Yoshie