Economics: PayDay Loans- Bastards or Black Sheep?

[GloryofGreece]

But, increases in efficiency don't always lead to quality of life improvements.

That's true, they don't...
But decreases in efficiency certainly don't either...

Quality of life is not addressed by economics past a certain point... basic survival needs.
The question of quality of life is all about meaning, purpose and social cohesion.
Something that economics does not address at all.

But this is an economics thread.

Shall we adjourn to the chapel or the psych ward?

We can certainly have quality of life discussions that aren't economic, but my only point is that efficiency and quality of life are not automatically correlated, in either increase or decrease directions. The statement that they are is, I am arguing, ideological.

Even without talking about meaning or purpose, an increase in production efficiency can result in a major hit to an individuals quality of life in a purely economic sense.

I'd add that you could argue that in today's Neoliberal / Capitalist society economics = life, and in fact Capitalism leads to this. And in fact "efficiency" has to be defined and even if it is "correctly" doesn't mean as you already said that quality of life will be directly correlated with it. In our society life is completely tied to economic output. How much do you own and what do you buy. Consumerism, materialism, capitalism etc. etc. Your status is totally tied to your bank account, not your character, family, or values. Could it be any other way under a Capitalist/Liberal society?

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

It is one of the great paradoxes of the Neoliberal/Capitalist world that it has made it easier and more comfortable for an individual to live a good life in pursuit of whatever they find edifying, but it has done so by incentivising profitable, economically useful activities over everything else.

Some people are lucky enough to fine a profitable pursuit edifying, some people have to sacrifice one for the other.

[heydaralon]

As a thought experiment, would anyone on here be for a kind of Merchant of Venice Pay Day loan? What if you couldn't pay, and the terms stated that you had to give some of your organs to the lender which could then be harvested and sold. Should it be legal to use your organs as collateral? If so, what organs? An eye? A testical? A kidney? Should this kind of loan be legal? I'm not arguing that the organs would be sadistically be torn out and thrown away. They would be taken out under anesthesia and used by hospitals etc. Iran allows organ donations for money, and a very shitty Jude Law movie (I think) had a similar premise. How would the board feel about this? Should it be legal here?

No.
I think you may have missed the point of MOV.

Maybe so, but it is my personal favorite Shakespeare play (Macbeth and Corialanus tied for no. 2), and even if I almost certainly missed the point, I have thought about this idea for years, and wondered if most Americans would get behind this. I doubt it, but you might be interested to read about the "for profit" organ market in Iran. Not 100%, but I read they have way shorter lists for those in need of transplants than in America, so it might not be all bad Monte. I'm not arguing for this practice btw, and I would never enter a contract with those terms, but I can't speak for everyone.

[Montegriffo]

I hear it's Nuke's favourite Shakespeare play.
I remember reading it at school and my teacher dismissing the anti semetism it contained with a curt "everybody hated Jews back then"

[heydaralon]

I hear it's Nuke's favourite Shakespeare play.
I remember reading it at school and my teacher dismissing the anti semetism it contained with a curt "everybody hated Jews back then"

Shylock's ethnicity is not what interests me. He could have been a transgendered Daoist Mongolian/Apache and it would still be my favorite Shakespeare. I think its crazy that he used the legal system to fuck over his enemies, and they then turned this same system against him and out lawyered him. You feel the pressure building, and then the play turns into a dark comedy. Its poetic that this abuser of the laws had the same laws flog him worse than a foster child.

[Speaker to Animals]

I hear it's Nuke's favourite Shakespeare play.
I remember reading it at school and my teacher dismissing the anti semetism it contained with a curt "everybody hated Jews back then"

Back then..

Dude, we sent entire shiploads of Jews out of the New York City harbor and back to Europe to get gassed because we decided we were full-up.

I said it before, if I were a Jew today, I'd be one of those militant guys in the Israeli settlements.

What happened and is probably going to happen again to the Jews is why I don't drink the MultiCult koolaid.

[Montegriffo]

I hear it's Nuke's favourite Shakespeare play.
I remember reading it at school and my teacher dismissing the anti semetism it contained with a curt "everybody hated Jews back then"

Shylock's ethnicity is not what interests me. He could have been a transgendered Daoist Mongolian/Apache and it would still be my favorite Shakespeare. I think its crazy that he used the legal system to fuck over his enemies, and they then turned this same system against him and out lawyered him. You feel the pressure building, and then the play turns into a dark comedy. Its poetic that this abuser of the laws had the same laws flog him worse than a foster child.

Ah yes, the cross dressing Portia and her dick jokes.

[heydaralon]

I hear it's Nuke's favourite Shakespeare play.
I remember reading it at school and my teacher dismissing the anti semetism it contained with a curt "everybody hated Jews back then"

Shylock's ethnicity is not what interests me. He could have been a transgendered Daoist Mongolian/Apache and it would still be my favorite Shakespeare. I think its crazy that he used the legal system to fuck over his enemies, and they then turned this same system against him and out lawyered him. You feel the pressure building, and then the play turns into a dark comedy. Its poetic that this abuser of the laws had the same laws flog him worse than a foster child.

Ah yes, the cross dressing Portia and her dick jokes.

link to reference?

I don't get that one.

[Montegriffo]

Portia dressed as a man to represent Antonio in court. She made reference to a pen which our teacher informed us was a hilarious pun on penises.
No one laughed, I guess you had to be there.

[heydaralon]

Portia dressed as a man to represent Antonio in court. She made reference to a pen which our teacher informed us was a hilarious pun on penises.
No one laughed, I guess you had to be there.

True. Its been awhile since I read the play. Everyone knows Shylock. I believe one of the protagonists was named Basanio. I forget the other's names. What is your favorite Shakespeare play, assuming you don't think he's an overrated hack? Personally, I have some good proof that Shakespeare ripped off a lot of his plays from Sparknotes and Cliffnotes. If you go online, you will find that many of his stories are identical to these notes, including character names, settings, and even certain phrases. If he was still alive, they should take him to court for copyright infringement. Intellectual theft is the worst kind, and William did more than his fair share...