202 sats \ 2 replies \ @SpaceHodler 31 Jan \ parent \ on: On Providing Value econ
Any non-coercive transaction is done with an expectation of profit.
I'm reading Knut Svanholm's Praxeology, and one thing I've learned from it so far:
Profit is not only monetary, it can be things you can't put a monetary value on, like love, family, friendship, happiness, joy etc.
For someone shooting up heroin, the (however temporary) easing of suffering it brings them is a profit, and it doesn't matter that someone else (e.g. someone with a lower time preference) would view it as harm.
Similarly, someone committing suicide does it for profit.
IMO people have the right to seek profit and anyone trying to stop them is a tyrant.
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I tend to have strong opinions, but one thing I find fascinating about praxeology is that it doesn't judge, it just studies why people act the way they do.
As soon as a judgement or opinion is pushed, it ceases to be science.
However, it does attract libertarians. I think that's because it reveals facts in a cold, logical, objective way; facts tyrants love to hide - by appealing to emotions, propaganda etc. Once the facts are revealed, people can see things in a different light and form their own, better informed opinions, regardless of where they stand emotionally.
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