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This is a good time to reflect on the etymology of "Banana Republic" [0]. I suspect most people don't see fruit companies as a major threat, but they'll kill and ravage to get people cheap bananas.

This idea that the morals of the people making investments is in any way relevant is a bit of a misframe. Investors are capable of any evil, the default position is of surprise if one of them is investing out of some sense of responsibility. The point of the economic system is it channels some of the most ghoulish and horrible people to do good as an accidental side effect of their mad rush to wealth and power. Works really well, on average everyone wins.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_republic#Etymology

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> The point of the economic system is it channels some of the most ghoulish and horrible people to do good as an accidental side effect of their mad rush to wealth and power. Works really well, on average everyone wins.

Now imagine how much money you have to invest in order to convince people that this weird theory makes sense.


Slightly off topic but the Vice banana documentary is a surprisingly interesting 15 minutes https://youtu.be/2Bm5NWCMlPo Some on banana republics and also much other stuff.

If you prefer reading, I remember enjoying this article a lot on the Cavendish banana ages ago: https://www.damninteresting.com/the-unfortunate-sex-life-of-...

Did you enjoy reading Cabbages and Kings ?

I'd say that we might both agree that the US economy is currently heavily dependent on the circular jerking of numbers between AI boosters .. remains to be seen what the average person gets to eat from slops.


> Works really well, on average everyone wins.

How can you claim that just after speaking of Banana Republics? These clearly show that free markets alone are terrible for the vast majority of people.


> The point of the economic system is it channels some of the most ghoulish and horrible people to do good as an accidental side effect of their mad rush to wealth and power. Works really well, on average everyone wins.

When there is a functioning justice system that enforces the law, rather than a corrupt oligarchy/kleptocracy/kakistocracy.




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