I’m enjoying this thread. As someone who identified as a freak in the late 60’s, I feel no insult with hippie so long as my previously stated definition of freak as a “thinking” hippie is acknowledged. This distinction was important to me then and now. And the freak title as I understand it is a tree-hugger who has reason as their highest priority.
Nevertheless, back to the main topic, I am very much against the concept of a free market as it has been applied historically. Those (e.g., Friedman) Chicago school economists do not account for environmental concerns from their actions, nor do they account for basic decency to the common workers. They also don’t tame their vast power once they become mega rich.
I very much agree with what Orsekes writes in The Big Myth. I have to admit that my perspective is that of a US citizen and I appreciate that those in other parts of the world have very different experiences and terms.