QUOTE (AndyZ @ Mar 19 2010, 03:46 PM)
When magic returns to the world. Until then, it might be cyberpunk, but it's nowhere near SR.
As I watch the current U.S. government, I find that ultracapitalism doesn't nearly scare me so much as anti-capitalism.
The SR dystopia is based on a near total lack of strong government of the people to provide checks and balances.
If you want a good example of that and what ultracapitalism gone bad looks like take a good long look at pre Putain Russia.
The West advised them to move from Communist Socialism to Capitalism as fast as possible and per the Shadowrun golden rule (He who has the gold makes the rules), they did.
They also had no checks and balances and very little rule of law.
So what happened when they privatized their Industries besides the expected?
You ended up with Billionaire Oligarchs owning the wealth of the nation until an ex KGB strongman took the country in the direction of nuclear armed ultra-nationalism that is rather desperately dependent on the price of oil and natural gas the entire time.
Ask your average Russian about how well Ultra capitalism works.
The United States has long history of checks and balances and rule of law.
We are in a re-balancing period and it is needed because the checks and balances failed in the short term.
So to work long term, we need to swing in the other direction. That is the system working.
And "nothing scarier than the govt that will feed you and protect you... even from yourself?" sounds like "Atheists in foxholes" comment.
When people are scared and hungry, an all powerful government starts to look really really good, and people start lining up behind who ever they think can deliver it.
And while there is little you can do about scary times, the best way to prevent that is to make sure it does not get to that point in the first place which means things like good public health care, education, and a safety net.
All things lacking in the Sixth world.