@joelving

Lewis Cowles

@hrefna @joelving @Azuaron @aredridel
I'll agree blackstone are a whole other level of evil. (I don't yet know the horror of greystone)

I cant agree that your only option is to sell to them (and I don't think you'd like their valuation if you did). But here I don't think agreement on that (agreed smaller) issue is needed. We both agree blackstone et-al need to go down as the priority. But just know I'll keep a pitchfork burning for the rest of folks who only have "small portfolios".

Peter Toft Jølving

@lewiscowles1986 @hrefna @Azuaron @aredridel I think it's quite different things renting out a bedroom at a reasonable price to help cover costs (no profits then) and having a portfolio of properties to rent out for the purpose of profit, and it makes little sense to me to treat them as the same, though it should be acknowledged that there is an uneven relationship between owner and tenant.

Mx. Aria Stewart

@joelving @lewiscowles1986 @hrefna @Azuaron This! (Even a small profit is fine, too. The noise on what the value actually _is_ is so large that who can even tell? Besides, expenses come in weird lumps with unpredictable prices. And you're doing something very different than “buy up houses so others can't, minimize costs, maximize profit” — if you're actually living with people, there's a ton more going on, often involving care work, personal relationships and all kinds of socially pretty good stuff.

The unevenness is absolutely a danger, but it's not a structural _problem_ like landlordery is.

Hrefna (DHC)

@aredridel

We also deal with uneven relationships _all of the time_ in life. Heck, even things like me being trans and a girlfriend be cis creates a power imbalance between the two of us.

The mere _fact_ of power dynamics is something to be mindful of, certainly, and there are a variety of things that can fall out that are good or bad, moral or not, ethical or not.

But none of them are the same sort of systematic inequality and exploitation of capitalism

@joelving @lewiscowles1986 @Azuaron

Hrefna (DHC)

@aredridel

As you say as well: there's a lot of noise, a lot of fluctuation, and how percent is attrivbutable to "profit" only makes sense in a very theoretical sense in a lot of cases.

I don't think it makes a lot of sense to get nitpicky over "is a profit okay" or "how much profit" because of questions like "what is the value of my time?"

Even if a person were to dramatically overcharge, it just doesn't have the same structure

Commerce vs. capitalism

@joelving @lewiscowles1986 @Azuaron

Marco Rogers

@hrefna @aredridel @joelving @lewiscowles1986 @Azuaron this conversation is fascinating to me. For the record, I don't see people saying "they are the same". I do think people get real comfortable with shitting on everyone just so they don't mistakenly leave anyone out. "Yeah Blackstone is worse. But it's equally easy for me to condemn a person renting out a room. So why wouldn't I do that too?"

Marco Rogers

@hrefna @aredridel @joelving @lewiscowles1986 @Azuaron it's the same energy that has folks blame Black people every time Republicans win an election. Even though we're definitely not the reason that happens.

Lewis Cowles

@polotek @hrefna @aredridel @joelving @Azuaron
I usually like your takes Marco, but this is nonsense. Both toots made no sense.

It's not shitting on everyone, because lots of folks don't rent rooms, or own land; that is a statistical fact.

Marco Rogers

@lewiscowles1986 I just learned you exist Lewis. This is the only take of yours that I have, but I'm not particularly impressed with it. Thanks for stopping by.

Lewis Cowles

@polotek well thank you for confirming prior admiration was misplaced. don't let the door (from replying to me) hit you on the way out.

Marco Rogers

@lewiscowles1986 Lewis this is bullshit. Literally all I did was say the same thing you said. And I didn't even call it "nonsense". Your message was rude and uncalled for. If you actually "admired" me at all, you would've given me more consideration on our first time engaging. Get the fuck outta here man. I didn't ask for your admiration and I'm not gonna lose any sleep over you taking it back.