this post was submitted on 01 Feb 2026
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Science Memes

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[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 67 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Explanation: Nikola Tesla was a prolific and wildly influential inventor of the early 20th century AD. He also was in constant dire financial straits despite not having any major expensive vices (other than inventing), because, unlike his contemporary Thomas Edison, Tesla was not adept at maneuvering business deals (and certainly not with the cutthroat ruthlessness that Edison displayed - several times at Tesla's expense).

Capitalism is better than feudalism because it rewards a wider range of intellectual ability and success than feudalism does... but that range still does not include innovation. You wanna be paid for your innovation in a capitalist system? Better have a lawyer and a business agent on hand as soon as you get out of the patent office. :/

[–] Venat0r@lemmy.world 35 points 2 days ago (1 children)

You also need money or to find an investor to pay for marketing, just because something is innovative doesn't mean people will want it until you tell them they want it.

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 24 points 2 days ago

I considered that part of having a business agent on hand to make those deals and connections, but yes.

[–] Quibblekrust@thelemmy.club 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That's why we need guilds.

[–] Saledovil@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I've read about guilds literally banning innovation in a 12 part series on German history.

[–] Quibblekrust@thelemmy.club 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I've read about capitalist governments doing the same thing. All groups can make mistakes. Unions have done stupid things, too. This doesn't mean that we should never seek collective power in a battle against other forms of colllecive power.

[–] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago

Any kind of power can corrupt. This isn't an argument against trying, but for any systems of power to be built with mechanisms to make it more difficult to entrench that power so it doesn't end up used against those it is intended to help.

Though I don't know what kind of defense there is against a cult of personality.

[–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago (3 children)

There is no American dream.

Only American nightmare.

[–] SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

they call it the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it” -George Carlin

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

Like most dreams, it doesn't make sense when you think about it.

[–] meow@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 2 days ago

Technically...

A nightmare is a sort of dream...

[–] WorldsDumbestMan@lemmy.today 8 points 1 day ago

Both Tesla and Edison (who was a scammy capitalist, but got fucked over anyway). Both of them died poor.

So we can use this as an argument when someone says "It's just because your skill isn't actually valuable".

No, your community isn't valuable, and I am wasting my value on you.

[–] M137@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago (2 children)

"tHe AlTeRnAtIvE cUrReNt SyStEm"

How the fuck do you get that wrong?

[–] dovahking@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago

Technically, AC is the alternative current system for DC.

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 4 points 2 days ago

Original meme maker probably had autocorrect on.

[–] winkly@lemmy.world 35 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I thought AC stood for Alternating Current

[–] offspec@lemmy.world 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca 23 points 2 days ago (1 children)

This is the alternative meaning.

[–] mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 days ago

At the time, it was also an alternative system, since DC was the standard

[–] Gladaed@feddit.org 4 points 1 day ago

Being a good inventor also means being able to distribute and produce your inventions. Great ideas are cheaper than competitive, efficient and affordable ones.

[–] Themosthighstrange@lemmy.world 26 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

fuck, telsa gave the world so much good and got done dirty but yet certain persons today who this fuck underage children, gives their wives a bad std and still some of the richestest people in history, burn the whole fucking system down

[–] luciole@beehaw.org 6 points 2 days ago

Capitalism rewards capital.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 8 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Nobody would fund his crazy idea of free electricty for all, since there was no return on that investment. Capitalism is why we don't have free unlimited energy.

Oh and Edison stole a shitton of his (and other people's) ideas while simultaneously slandering them to fuck their reputation and improve his own.

[–] humble_boatsman@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Some one write a children's book...

America Lies and Your Future Dies

Including:

Innovation is promoted by capitalism

America was founded on the idea of Religious Freedom

Work hard and succeed

We made a deal so walk Natives

The rule of Law and the death of dissenters....

Any others you've shaken off from your childhoods?

E: sorry off topic. this was a response to the pugs explanation

[–] BanMe@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

Destined to fall in love with the common pigeon, still died alone. Man was full of contradictions.

[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Good inventions in capitalism has their first use for killing people

[–] prex@aussie.zone 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] Kratzkopf@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 2 days ago

One might call their love electric