Yaron Brook on Capitalism, Question 2 - Ayn Rand Institute

[flyermay]

And second: usury is not allowed in the old testament for Jews towards Gentiles (non-Jews); it's prohibited for everyone alright, and proof of it is that all Abrahamic religions originally condemned usury at least until the middle ages.

What happened is that Talmudic Law changed in the 12th century, thanks to the arguments of Maimonides, and they allows usury for Jews towards Gentiles, but still not towards other Jews.

[flyermay]

Two corrections:

First, the reason for all Abrahamic religions to consider usury (interests) immoral, and therefore being prohibited, is not because of altruism; it's because of cultural heritage of ancient laws from the Middle East.

Usury was banned from ancient Sumer; but only in reference to money, and not for interests generated from other goods. The reason is that they considered money sterile -unlike other goods often lent (i.e. seeds, livestock)- and therefore, its interests immoral.

[BillCashmere]

Thanks for posting this! This is well appreciated!

[takewhole]

All religions and religious leaders highly condemn the practice of usury. Even in the old testament charging interest is likened to shedding blood/murder. However the exception is that Jews are allowed to practice Usury to non-jews as non-jews are considered inferior and akin to animals in human bodies and so it is acceptable to enslave them in any which way a Jew pleases. It is normally european/american jews who practice this to the highest level. God will take these bastards to account.

[ulysseinvest]

I like Ayn Rand - and usually like what Brook has to say. But I think he is missing one point. There is a difference between building wealth and stealing wealth. Steve Jobs, Warren Buffet, John Lennon, gave stuff to the public which the public paid for and wealth was created - no-one ever complained. Lehman, Goldman, Morgan - mostly abused from loopholes in the money supply and gov agencies by building products they knew weren't viable... this was no real "wealth creation"...

[IHeartDenver]

@ulysseinvest What you pointed to- lehmn, goldman, morgan- were not results of egoists, capitalists, individualists. Any half decent objectivist and laissez faire capitalist can see the difference from someone like Steve Jobs would used his mind to create wealth and those listed above who used government to get their money and to save their companies.

[pitbull103]

Speech therapy.

[MohammedbenDover]

This guy forgot to mention that most jobs tthen were forbidden to Jews. So to survive, they took the dirty work so-called christians forced them into.

If you ignore that fact, one could get the impression that christians were noble and Jews liked being 'mean' money-lenders and the 'poor' christians suffered. In fact, the monied christian class benefitted hansomely.

Since he sounds like a free-market kind of guy he should know the economic forces at work at the time and include them all.

[MoonMankkkkkk]

Even if the Jews lent money at even exorbitant interest rates, how would that make them 'mean' money-lenders?

[MohammedbenDover]

I don't know.  Ask the anti-semites. The question and the answer in the clip was in regards to anti-semitism, money-lending, and altruism.

Did you listen to the clip, or are you just trying to be argumentative?

[MoonMankkkkkk]

Regardless of why the Jews took up such a practice, they don't need a justfication for it. The same mentality that would cause bigotry towards Jews, shunning them from common job practices, is ethically consistent with holding a grudge against their usury. In essence, crtisizing the Jews for their usury is not an innocent sentiment, even without a knowledge of their historical treatment.

[MohammedbenDover]

MoonMankkkkkk, you make an interesting comment. I think I see your point now.

[seditionape]

The reason "anti semitism" is still a sentiment, is on par with any of the numerous race cards played these days. including "reservations" and "affirmative action" This is an assault on any intellectual and thinking person. What a coward. Your idiocy is in hand following such racist views as this

[seditionape]

The connection between altruism and anti-semitism is to support the former. Interest rates the jewish establishment charged were astounding in the middle ages. It's Not about anti-semitism. Its about anti-opression. Jews in the money lending process are excessively greedy in the process. How could any man be envious of a jew in this regard? Anyone who charged exorbitant interest rates would be dubbed as a theif and therefore suspect of usury.

[MoonMankkkkkk]

They would be dubbed as a thief in a completely irrational, altruistic society.

[RealBloppy]

ytmnd. nice.

[Manx123]

One of the few things I hate more than Jews are people who call for a collectivist society.. which will lead to more welfare... which will lead to more niggers being supported by welfare. kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk.

[RealBloppy]

Wow. Keeping it classy.

[Manx123]

Don't I know it. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man. I'm the fucking Moon Man.

[444DeanMachine]

racism is the biggest form of collectivism, what the fuck is wrong with you?

[MoonMankkkkkk]

If you must know, this is an inside joke, so don't judge me.

[MohammedbenDover]

If it is an inside joke, why is it on a public forum? Put your shit on in public-you will be judged so don't be a cry-baby.

Sounds like attention-getting behaviour to me...

[MoonMankkkkkk]

I think a valid vindication is doing it for "teh lulz."

[seditionape]

The correction of thievery is not an altruistic measure. Usury laws are only for scavengers and the oppressive.

[MoonMankkkkkk]

You mean the egoistic and the productive.

[cesar69montoya]

great stuff

[legendre007]

As drummergirl pointed out in the comments section of "QUESTION 1 UCI," there is a little TV icon to the right of "Views." If you click on that and switch from "Standard" to "High," the picture will become sharper.

[SatanicCod]

The good doctor got it right.

[legendre007]

Dr. Brook is right. I read "Mein Kampf." Contrary to anti-capitalist propaganda from the likes of Edwin Black, Hitler's hatred for Jews doesn't come from Hitler being an elitist assuming that Jews are underdogs whom big capitalist Nazis can stomp on. Rather, "Mein Kampf" accuses Jews of being greedy capitalist elitist Social Darwinist bullies who exploit the poor Aryan proletariat. Anti-Semitism has long stemmed from pro-altruist ideologues' stereotyping of Jews as self-interested capitalists.

[legendre007]

2nd comment. I find it interesting that the same anti-capitalist scholars who smear *all* free-market economics as "social Darwinism," and then try to say that Hitler's eugenicism came from laissez-faire "social Darwinism," ignore this simple fact: throughout "Mein Kampf," Hitler explains that his hatred for Jews comes from his belief that Jews are laissez-faire, pro-capitalist Social Darwinists.

[PaulMcKeever]

Actually, I think Hitler was guilty of something worse than hating Jewish people. He was guilty of acting on the calculation that he could seize political power by playing upon tribalistic tendancies of many Germans of the time. He harnessed Aryan tribalism - as well as other man-hating collectivist movements such as the Green movement (i.e., the folkisch movement) - to catapult himself into political power. Government was his canvas, the blood of Jewish people was his easily-obtained paint.