How to fight nepotism?

[Razgovory]

No you don't.

If I'm trying to bang some chick and she picks another guy, I'm disappointed.  But I don't think it's reasonable that the government pass a law that says she has to bang me and not the other guy and it's stupid to describe the chick as corrupt.  Similarly if two random dudes are competing for a chick I don't particularly care who wins out.

Worst. Analogy. Ever. 

Your handful of functioning neurons have given up out of loneliness.  The analogy is flawless.  It demonstrates perfectly that not every frustrated wish is an injustice.

Well we were talking about things that are illegal.  Which part of your analogy is comparable to a crime being committed?

[Razgovory]

Unwise nepotism in privately-held companies is self-correcting; these businesses are in a competitive environment, and incompetence is punished (properly) by their competitors, not some mythical omniscient government bureaucrat.  There are plenty of examples of junior taking over the company just because he is dad's son, and driving the company out of business.  The employees "suffer" just like they do in all cases of companies going bankrupt, in that they then go to work for the competitor (or, at least the good ones do, and who wants the government to protect incompetent workers).

The people who unwisely engage in nepotism are the types who unwisely engage in other business decision-making.  Let 'em bankrupt themselves; saving them from themselves isn't the government's business.

Article of faith.

[dps]

No you don't.

If I'm trying to bang some chick and she picks another guy, I'm disappointed.  But I don't think it's reasonable that the government pass a law that says she has to bang me and not the other guy and it's stupid to describe the chick as corrupt.  Similarly if two random dudes are competing for a chick I don't particularly care who wins out.

Worst. Analogy. Ever. 

Your handful of functioning neurons have given up out of loneliness.  The analogy is flawless.  It demonstrates perfectly that not every frustrated wish is an injustice.

Well we were talking about things that are illegal.  Which part of your analogy is comparable to a crime being committed?

Nepotism in private businesses isn't illegal.

[Martinus]

Unwise nepotism in privately-held companies is self-correcting; these businesses are in a competitive environment, and incompetence is punished (properly) by their competitors, not some mythical omniscient government bureaucrat.  There are plenty of examples of junior taking over the company just because he is dad's son, and driving the company out of business.  The employees "suffer" just like they do in all cases of companies going bankrupt, in that they then go to work for the competitor (or, at least the good ones do, and who wants the government to protect incompetent workers).

The people who unwisely engage in nepotism are the types who unwisely engage in other business decision-making.  Let 'em bankrupt themselves; saving them from themselves isn't the government's business.

Yeah, and companies who form cartels lose their competitive edge and get outcompeted by mavericks; restaurants that serve filthy food with rats running everywhere go out of business replaced by those with sanitary conditions; businesses that refuse to serve black people get boycotted and die; just as factories who discharge toxic waste to rivers; and banks which peddle mortgages to people with no credible credit rating and then bundle them together as A-rating securities simply go bankrupt, replaced by more sound businesses. 

[Barrister]

Unwise nepotism in privately-held companies is self-correcting; these businesses are in a competitive environment, and incompetence is punished (properly) by their competitors, not some mythical omniscient government bureaucrat.  There are plenty of examples of junior taking over the company just because he is dad's son, and driving the company out of business.  The employees "suffer" just like they do in all cases of companies going bankrupt, in that they then go to work for the competitor (or, at least the good ones do, and who wants the government to protect incompetent workers).

The people who unwisely engage in nepotism are the types who unwisely engage in other business decision-making.  Let 'em bankrupt themselves; saving them from themselves isn't the government's business.

Yeah, and companies who form cartels lose their competitive edge and get outcompeted by mavericks; restaurants that serve filthy food with rats running everywhere go out of business replaced by those with sanitary conditions; businesses that refuse to serve black people get boycotted and die; just as factories who discharge toxic waste to rivers; and banks which peddle mortgages to people with no credible credit rating and then bundle them together as A-rating securities simply go bankrupt, replaced by more sound businesses. 

Fair enough.

Now show us why private sector nepotism is anywhere near as bad as any of the problems you have mentioned.

[Razgovory]

No you don't.

If I'm trying to bang some chick and she picks another guy, I'm disappointed.  But I don't think it's reasonable that the government pass a law that says she has to bang me and not the other guy and it's stupid to describe the chick as corrupt.  Similarly if two random dudes are competing for a chick I don't particularly care who wins out.

Worst. Analogy. Ever. 

Your handful of functioning neurons have given up out of loneliness.  The analogy is flawless.  It demonstrates perfectly that not every frustrated wish is an injustice.

Well we were talking about things that are illegal.  Which part of your analogy is comparable to a crime being committed?

Nepotism in private businesses isn't illegal.

But it is in government, so there needs to be something illegal in Yi's analogy for it to comparable.

[grumbler]

Yeah, and companies who form cartels lose their competitive edge and get outcompeted by mavericks; restaurants that serve filthy food with rats running everywhere go out of business replaced by those with sanitary conditions; businesses that refuse to serve black people get boycotted and die; just as factories who discharge toxic waste to rivers; and banks which peddle mortgages to people with no credible credit rating and then bundle them together as A-rating securities simply go bankrupt, replaced by more sound businesses.   

  Okay, if you say so.

But I have no idea why you quoted me before engaging in your absurd screed, unless this was just another strawman argument.

[Razgovory]

Unwise nepotism in privately-held companies is self-correcting; these businesses are in a competitive environment, and incompetence is punished (properly) by their competitors, not some mythical omniscient government bureaucrat.  There are plenty of examples of junior taking over the company just because he is dad's son, and driving the company out of business.  The employees "suffer" just like they do in all cases of companies going bankrupt, in that they then go to work for the competitor (or, at least the good ones do, and who wants the government to protect incompetent workers).

The people who unwisely engage in nepotism are the types who unwisely engage in other business decision-making.  Let 'em bankrupt themselves; saving them from themselves isn't the government's business.

Yeah, and companies who form cartels lose their competitive edge and get outcompeted by mavericks; restaurants that serve filthy food with rats running everywhere go out of business replaced by those with sanitary conditions; businesses that refuse to serve black people get boycotted and die; just as factories who discharge toxic waste to rivers; and banks which peddle mortgages to people with no credible credit rating and then bundle them together as A-rating securities simply go bankrupt, replaced by more sound businesses. 

Fair enough.

Now show us why private sector nepotism is anywhere near as bad as any of the problems you have mentioned.

Shouldn't you take that up with Grumbler?  He's the one that said "unwise nepotism" would rightfully destroy companies.  Marty seems to be listing other unsound business practices with the implication that these, often worse practices, aren't being destroyed by the market.

[crazy canuck]

The problem with Marti's argument is that if companies rife with nepotism are not destroyed then why should anyone care?  They are still employing people and producing tax revenue.

Grumbler's argument assumes that creative destruction will take place and everyone will be better for it.  That is the assumption that should be the area of debate.  The assumption may well be correct.  Certainly there are a lot of economists that would agree with it.  There are others who disagree. 

But Marti has completely missed the point and gone off in a rather awkward analogy - shocking I know.

[grumbler]

The problem with Marti's argument is that if companies rife with nepotism are not destroyed then why should anyone care?  They are still employing people and producing tax revenue.

Grumbler's argument assumes that creative destruction will take place and everyone will be better for it.  That is the assumption that should be the area of debate.  The assumption may well be correct.  Certainly there are a lot of economists that would agree with it.  There are others who disagree. 

But Marti has completely missed the point and gone off in a rather awkward analogy - shocking I know.

  Marti's post was supposed to be making analogies to a company doing something to reduce its competitive advantage?

Didn't see that one at all.  The analogies aren't just awkward, they are non sequiturs.  Except maybe the one about the restaurant with the rats running around.  Those don't stay in business any longer than companies who put bonehead friends or relatives in charge of important business interests.

[garbon]

But it is in government, so there needs to be something illegal in Yi's analogy for it to comparable.

The three of you have been discussing nepotism in private businesses. I don't recall anyway saying they were in favor of nepotism in government.

[Razgovory]

But it is in government, so there needs to be something illegal in Yi's analogy for it to comparable.

The three of you have been discussing nepotism in private businesses. I don't recall anyway saying they were in favor of nepotism in government.

I was questioning why nepotism is okay in one and bad for the other other.

[garbon]

But it is in government, so there needs to be something illegal in Yi's analogy for it to comparable.

The three of you have been discussing nepotism in private businesses. I don't recall anyway saying they were in favor of nepotism in government.

I was questioning why nepotism is okay in one and bad for the other other.

Yi answered that before the analogy.

[Admiral Yi]

Before his awesome analogy.

[garbon]

Before his awesome analogy.

Like totally.