this post was submitted on 14 Nov 2023
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Lefty Memes
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An international (English speaking) socialist Lemmy community free of the "ML" influence of instances like lemmy.ml and lemmygrad. This is a place for undogmatic shitposting and memes from a progressive, anti-capitalist and truly anti-imperialist perspective, regardless of specific ideology.
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That's a Lamborghini Huracán. Have you ever had the chance to drive one? It's absolutely incredible, and if you're really into driving I could totally understand spending your life trying to get it, or a similar car.
Expensive watches would probably make more sense in this meme.
No supercar is good enough to waste your life working 24/7.
It's probably down to what brings you joy in life. If laying on the beach, drinking cocktails is what give you happiness: yeah, don't bother trying to buy a Ferrari 296, because it won't be worth it.
But if you're a really hardcore car person, and absolutely love the thrill of driving a fast car that handles unbelievably well, cars like the Huracán totally live up to the lofty aspirations you give it. Sure, you'll have a lot of fun in a Toyota GR-86 (even more if you've modified it), but there's a reason the Nismo GT-R costs over five times the price. It's phenomenal.
All of this is moot if you don't like cars, though. I think expensive watches are a waste of money, but I'd never say that to someone who (for whatever reason) likes them. To each their own, and all that jazz.
I fucking love cars. Some I can afford on an IT salary. Some I can't. The Huracán is one. Or a Ferrari 250 GTO (maybe if I drop Netflix /s). I think you need to be a surgeon, business owner, high zoot lawyer, something like that-- like half a mil or more a year -- to be thinking about a Huracán starting north of $212k. Or maybe I just don't like to go into massive debt lol. Honestly I'd be ecstatic to own a restored 70-72 Firebird. Can't really justify it, I don't think.
The idea that there's people in the world for whom a Huracán is an impulse buy that wouldn't substantially affect their wealth is kind of mind-blowing when many, many folks (in America) can only afford a clapped out shitbox. And probably billions can't afford a rusted bicycle.
As a BRZ owner I feel attacked
Material stuff doesn't make one happy, it is nothing but a distraction.
Most Lamborghini owners aren't spending their salary or working overtime.
You only need to be in the top 5-10% of earners in the US to start to afford the cheaper super cars. They already own their home and are enjoying life.
-by exploiting other's labor and creating a bigger wealth disparity than has ever existed
Blah blah blah, I know anyone who makes more than 150k a year bougie and stealing from the poor. You ain't going to make headway there with me
It's not the amount of money it's the method of acquisition. An engineer or independent contractor or something could make that kind of money and still not be considered bourgeoisie. (Though probably petit-bourgeoisie?)
Still a prole until you stop relying on selling your labour power for money. Though an outlier statistically.
Correct.
It did make me think of examples where there are edge cases though. Say a freelancer or an artist that, although they do not directly employ people, their income from their work could be greatly multiplied by the work done by others. In the end it might just boil down to details whether such an arrangement is or is not petit bourgeoisie.
Look up. That's the point you missed
The meme's not really about the car it's about the ideology of the person in it and how common that "consoom your way to freedom" view is among certain males in particular. Cars are whatever and sometimes amazing machines, like yeah maybe people shouldn't be able to buy million dollar vehicles while other people starve, but that goes way beyond a car and more like the whole structure of capitalist economy.
Congrats. You’ve missed the point entirely.
Whatever you say. I'm pretty sure you just don't like the idea that middle class individuals can afford supercars and don't have to sell their soul.
lol that’s a hellofalot of projection, but whatever helps you cope, bud.
👌👍
Which is it? Can I be middle class and afford a supercar, or do I need to be upper class (being in the top 10% of earners) to be able to afford one? Because I'd love to hear an argument that "middle class" and "top 10%" are remotely the same that didn't make me laugh in your face.
170k puts you in the to 10%
If you really can't do the math on how someone making 150 can make a cheap supercar when for them that's on you. It's clear you never once been to a meet or track day and are just making shit up as you go.
I think you missed the point
Whoooosh
I did a track day with some hypercars once for a bachelor party and yeah they're amazing machines, was a great way to try them out. I don't think it was the Huracan but there was a Lamborghini, Ferrari, and a McLaren that we all got to take turns on.
There's always a commodified and manufactured "rich lifestyle" side with these luxury products, but I find the people genuinely in to the products aren't flaunting them as much because that's not why they enjoy them, and are actually more interested in sharing the product and experience with others. The ones I don't get are things that are almost entirely meant to be "rich person thing," especially where all the branding and marketing materials build that reputation into the product, like the only reason why you'd have it is to look like you're rich. It's more like "rich guy with cars and cool clothes" that is a super lame aspiration and basically makes you a boring person, like imitating what you are told is how a rich person lives and considering your likeness to that an achievement in itself. A lot of those guys are incredibly particular and narcissistic about how they look in front of other people, and get very upset and angry at others in their life when small things happen that they think make them look less perfect. A lot of times our economic system rewards this sort of behavior which is why a lot of rich guys are assholes.
Its like the difference between a Patek Philippe and a Hublot. The Patek is an incredible display of craftsmanship and stupendously expensive because it takes multiple highly skilled watchmakers like a year to make one. The Hublot is expensive because owning it is expensive and that makes it cool. There is no technological advantage it has on a watch that is half the price. No watch enthusiast would ever buy a Hublot.
Yeah like the skilled craftsman is not the problem in the world of luxury products. The idea that an individual could afford something like that while someone else starves is another matter, but I think we could still have these products and support the labor that goes in to them without the rich lifestyle buyer side of it. The public commissioning and ownership of luxury products is an interesting area of consideration.
I think in a communist society, it might make sense to reward special personal achievements and such with goods like that, like awarding every college graduate a certain thing (jewlery etc) depending on their field of study. It might also make sense to allow for an exchange of such goods through a special market
Yeah regulated markets are a tool. China's "keep the big free the small" approach has a lot of positives, the way bulk energy markets are designed and regulated is another model that's used in practice, Allende's Cybersyn is interesting as well. Even if a government was to commission a watch or something, the idea is that will increase in value, similar to art commissioning or even architects to design buildings, it's not really an "expense" in that the value isn't retained and likely increases. You'd want to make sure your craftspeople are constantly producing because that's added value in to the economy. The aesthetics of the products themselves might take on a whole other quality if the craftsperson isn't bound to certain client's preferences.
what?