Yeah, the purpose of a system is what it does, not what its "supposed" to do.

It's just interesting how what the capitalists intend can change so drastically over a single human lifetime. The Great Depression disabused a lot of people (working class and owning class) of any notion that capitalist markets can self-correct all on their own. Lead to a bunch of ideas and policies that prioritized outcome above simplified, idealized pictures of how markets were "supposed" to work. You get the New Deal and Great Society projects that do improve conditions for (some) working people and (more importantly to those in power) make the system more robust, more shock resistant.

...and subsequently, the first World War, the Great Depression, and the second World War recede from living memory. Lived experience gets replaced with idealized simplifications and the ruling class starts ripping out all the counter-weights and safety nets that ultimately, ironically, were put there for their own long term benefit. It's a fantastic joke. And somewhat troubling to be living in.

That sounds expensive, much cheaper to just keep the shanty towns around the warehouses instead.

Those only work in socialist countries like China, where the companies pay for food etc. Imagine how horrific they'll be in the modern era with 24/7 surveillance

Somebody could turn that into a non-fedpost image.

When working for a small business tyrant I actually got to call that out in a staff meeting. It rocked. It was a hole in the wall vegqn place thst required a good reputation to stay afloat so I could talk back as much as I wanted on account of my friends on the labor board. She also used 'no ethical consumption under capitalism ' one time to justify a shitty business choice and I pointed out she is the capitalist that we are under. One time she went anarchist and said the place was a flat hierarchy except she was on top...I pointed out that is what an absolute dictatorship would be. Never trust a hippie.

Black Book of Communism but for the American financial sector.

It's hoarding to not burn your lifeforce at both ends, to not take more gigs instead of sleeping, to not die of karoshi at age 40 thereby sparing the healthcare system (with still no house)