Labour / NZ First Government

[RupertBear]

You have a sad attitude. There is no need to envy success. It should inspire you, but appears to make you envious. I've been hovering around the business world for decades and have rarely encountered this lack of honesty, ethics and integrity that you speak of. On the contrary, I have found those who have attained success, either through self employment, or have climbed high on someone else's ladder to generally be helpful with a joyful spirit. Of course there are exceptions, but they're not common in my experience. You reek of the green eyed monster.

I dont agree that Moka has a sad attitude and reeks of the green eyed monster fungus. I think Moka was simply pointing out that striving to attain more than your fair share and encouraging others to do so as well was exploitative. I did not detect any envy in Moka’s post quite the contrary I have always found Mokas post to have a strong academic slant usually backed up with references and links to supporting articles.

[RupertBear]

I think perhaps I know Moka somewhat better than you do. If you seriously believe moka’s comments and motivation for sharing information, is because moka is envious - you are so off base its laughable. The same applies to me. Compared to many of you, I pretty much have nothing in terms of financial or other assets. I don’t have an economics or accounting degree, or any other degree for that matter. I am however, educated and reasonably intelligent. I have chosen to live a minimalist lifestyle in my caravan because that is the life I want to lead. I have never been materialistic. Up until recently Money has simply been a necessary evil. In actual fact, it still is. I got back into investing not because I have an overwhelming desire to “make money” but purely as a way to build myself a little more financial security for retirement. My life isn’t perfect but I am so much happier and more content living in my caravan and working part time in my caregiving role. Money is not my life and my life is not about material possessions. Not having “stuff” has given me more freedom than you would ever comprehend. I am not in any way envious of you or anyone in your position. The exact opposite actually. I can’t think of anything worse.

You know nothing about moka. Your comments are nothing more than incorrect assumptions.

Thanks for posting Justakiwi. I value hearing your perspective

[fungus pudding]

I say it with lurve FP...I say it with lurve! Makes for some intense discussions, but if you can't be straight up with family and friends, then when can you?

[Balance]

Interesting post thanks Moka. I am not familiar with the term predatory capitalism and will do some research into it.

I find the sentiment that we should try and get more than our fair share quite distasteful and the word exploitation also came to mind. They say people are motivated by either need or greed and greed was the other word that came to mind reading that post. But that is clearly how some people choose to live their lives. My upbringing and values are quite different so that is not how I choose to live my life.

Tell that to the Cindy & the dozens of highly paid consultants (including ex Labour ministers & MPs) contracted by Cindy to prepare hundreds of reports on all manner of matters, simply to kick the bucket down the road - tens of millions of dollars of fees. They are getting more than their fair share out of the government's spending but whose fault is it?

Tell that to Andrew Little & the Pike River Recovery team - spending an ever increasing amount to 'bring the boys back' and after blowing out the budget by tens of millions of dollars, have bugger all to show. They are getting more than their fair share of the government's wasteful spending but who is to blame?

Tell that to James Shaw & the Green School who received $12m when other schools are crying out for $100k to fix old classrooms. They are getting more than their fair share but who is to blame?

Thing is, RupertBear - you & the likes of Moka & justakiwi seem to have no appreciation of just how wasteful Cindy has been with her frivolous & ineffectual spending but bugger all accountability - but you are very quick to condemn those who play to the government's rules and benefit from the rules.

The hypocrisy of your farcical one-eyed opinions is one reason why things are going to get a whole heap worse - housing being a prime example.

Anyway, such is society and that's why the housing crisis is now a housing chaos to become a total disaster within the next 3 years.

ENJOY!

[Balance]

Balance is talking about predatory capitalism and he loves it. He is encouraging others to join in and get more than your share. Exploiting others including the taxpayer is something to be proud of. If you can rip someone off you'd be a fool not to do it, is the attitude. Honesty, integrity, ethics is sadly lacking in the business world today. Greed is good. Money is power.

http://regnet.anu.edu.au/news-events...d-institutions
Predatory capitalism refers to cultural acceptance of domination and exploitation as normal economic practice. Examples include not only corporate and financial fraud and political corruption that goes unchallenged, but also the undermining of trade unions, the suppression of wages, the promulgation of economic slavery, and wealth creation through imposing debt on vulnerable entities.
Less well scrutinized is how predatory capitalism has disrupted non-economic institutions, particularly cultural, social and democratic institutions.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/ind...wage-subsidies

Moka would of course describe these companies receiving tens of millions of wage subsidies as predatory capitalists - McDonalds, Coca-Cola, The Warehouse etc etc.

Government made the rules (loose and fancy free) and these companies followed the rules, qualified for the wage subsidies and now, they are being pilloried publicly for taking care of their businesses & staff.

[RupertBear]

Tell that to the Cindy & the dozens of highly paid consultants (including ex Labour ministers & MPs) contracted by Cindy to prepare hundreds of reports on all manner of matters, simply to kick the bucket down the road - tens of millions of dollars of fees. They are getting more than their fair share out of the government's spending but whose fault is it?

Tell that to Andrew Little & the Pike River Recovery team - spending an ever increasing amount to 'bring the boys back' and after blowing out the budget by tens of millions of dollars, have bugger all to show. They are getting more than their fair share of the government's wasteful spending but who is to blame?

Tell that to James Shaw & the Green School who received $12m when other schools are crying out for $100k to fix old classrooms. They are getting more than their fair share but who is to blame?

Thing is, RupertBear - you & the likes of Moka & justakiwi seem to have no appreciation of just how wasteful Cindy has been with her frivolous & ineffectual spending but bugger all accountability - but you are very quick to condemn those who play to the government's rules and benefit from the rules.

The hypocrisy of your farcical one-eyed opinions is one reason why things are going to get a whole heap worse - housing being a prime example.

Anyway, such is society and that's why the housing crisis is now a housing chaos to become a total disaster within the next 3 years.

ENJOY!

I am not being farcical nor am I a hypocrite Balance. The world you describe is just not my world and not my experience of life. I am not a business person. I dont condemn those who play by the rules and are rewarded for doing so. I do however condemn the attitude that it is ok exploit the rules to obtain more than your fair share, I find that a distasteful concept and its not something I would choose to do. But you come from a different perspective to me and if your conscience allows you to take advantage of the rules and the rules allow you to do so so be it.

[Balance]

I am not being farcical nor am I a hypocrite Balance. The world you describe is just not my world and not my experience of life. I am not a business person. I dont condemn those who play by the rules and are rewarded for doing so. I do however condemn the attitude that it is ok exploit the rules to obtain more than your fair share, I find that a distasteful concept and its not something I would choose to do. But you come from a different perspective to me and if your conscience allows you to take advantage of the rules and the rules allow you to do so so be it.

Fair enough.

How about James Shaw & the Green School then?

[blackcap]

I am not being farcical nor am I a hypocrite Balance. The world you describe is just not my world and not my experience of life. I am not a business person. I dont condemn those who play by the rules and are rewarded for doing so. I do however condemn the attitude that it is ok exploit the rules to obtain more than your fair share, I find that a distasteful concept and its not something I would choose to do. But you come from a different perspective to me and if your conscience allows you to take advantage of the rules and the rules allow you to do so so be it.

The reason we have rules is exactly because eveyone's idea of fair differs. Therefore the easiest solution is to play by the rules. If you do not like the rules, change the rules.

[RupertBear]

Fair enough.

How about James Shaw & the Green School then?

I agree with you that did not impress me

[RupertBear]

[/B]

I agree with you that did not impress me

Thats twice in a week now Balance and it needs to stop