I appreciate the elaboration. Now can you please synthesize?
Because on this side the thesis is simple: capitalism is the best we have to resolve the basic economic needs of mankind, so please don't throw it out while trying to improve on it. *
Your thesis I'm not sure about, because when it comes down to it it still seems to desire to replace our politico-economic systems with something more centralized and less based on individual freedom. ** And this seems to be based on ethico-moral dogma since you do not dispute the material benefits of capitalism, yet - against historical evidence - postulate that the alternative will not damage the achievement of said material necessities.
Me I'd rather be a well off asshole as long as I get there without actively harming anyone *** rather than be an ascetic hungry saint, and I think we all should be able to choose which we prefer. I won't stop you from choosing. Do you want to stop me from choosing?
* Me specifically would further add that the best way to improve on it is to reduce the welfare state and therefore incentivize private association and individual responsibility, but many consider the best way to improve on capitalism is to increase the scope of the welfare state.
** Note how I needed / chose to mention politics here. Communism is much less of a purely economic system / model than capitalism.
*** Which kind of negates the connotation of assholery I just employed for rhetoric purpose. Of course my ethical dogmas come in here strongly, because I refuse to accept / believe / agree that outcompeting someone fairly is 100% equivalent to actively harming others. I have no responsibility for such collateral damage in life, just like getting my partners to be with me was not directly harming anyone else that wanted to be with them, date them, fuck them. I should never be held responsible for the infinite possibilities that failed to materialize because of what I did choose to do with others, or materialized because of my action but where others agency superseded mine. Basically your almost pure consequentialism (you might or not call it such) is both inconsistent given all the importance you give to the greed motive - regardless of its positive consequences (poverty kaput, etc, etc) - and I think is objectively wrong in reflecting how humans actually, you know, act and evaluate each other. There is a moral difference between acting consciously to deprive someone from eating, resulting in their death from starvation, and not acting for whatever reason (greed, ignorance, being hungry myself - have you watched Grave of the Firefies? - or even sadism) to provide someone with food, resulting in their death from starvation. To deny such difference is to deny human agency and make a mockery of all liberal progress in affirming democracy, reducing slavery and empowering individuals to act freely and responsibly.
Now that's out of the way, a few more specific comments. I really appreciate when anyone takes the effort to really expand on their beliefs, even if I disagree with them, and you have provoked me to think and respond, which is always good to me.
I want to ask you why the manager refused to let the employer pick up their child. Is it possible there is a deadine and jobs are on the line? Must it be greed?
And why did the teller sell someone a product they don't need? Could it be they have starving children at home? Or a sick relative? Or must it be greed?
Do you see where your ethical assumptions are biasing you? You really should not assume motivation, greed or otherwise - because if you can bring those examples, as you see I can bring mine and they are both bullshit anecdotes that tell more about us than reality. **** And the objective reality is what matters. An economic system based on subjective valuations is inherently unstable because every single one of us has different and a priori valid priorities and values that may not match anyone else's. Hence the importance of privileging voluntary exchange, regardless of motives, so that the order that emerges from the chaos is at leat non coercive.
So you see, I kind of agree with you. We humans are the reason humanity sucks. But I'm not going to deny my biological imperatives to "go and reproduce" via some nihilist, self-loathing abnegation. If you really want to, just go ahead and lead by example. Respect. *****
Of course I don't agree with you that communist doctrines are what glues societies together. Generosity, charity and overall kindness have existed long before communism, or even marxism, and will exist long after, because they are basically manifestations of biological cooperation / association / symbiosis - which has always balanced pure competition in achieving natural selection (for most mammals certainly) - we are wired to care about others to some extent mate. Capitalism never has and never will prevent sharing, love, goodness. What I think prevents sharing are legal and regulatory systems designed to prevent fair competition and allow the state to govern more easily. As well as the dominant zeitgeist of dis-responsibilizing us, which results from wanting to prevent negative consequences and their risk, regardless of their causes being fair.
**** Anyone using the old greed canard reveals a huge set of assumptions on morality that to some extent are precisely what is being disputed. It's a way to beg the question and at the same time demonizes those who would argue against you.
***** It should be obvious I'm also not going to impose my preferences - to trade freely, to have children, etc... - on anyone else. Though I will try to convince them and discuss with them, etc... if I consider it appropriate. Here however anyone that does try to lead by example in imposing their will on others can expect a lot if disrespect and if I feel like it even active opposition.