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Is Capitalism a Rationalization for Rape, Robbery and Pillage?
Is Capitalism a Rationalization for Rape, Robbery and Pillage?
While scanning foreign newspaper headlines the other day (to get up to speed with the non-USA propaganda view of the world) I read a blurb about the 2010 elections in England. All three candidates agreed that England should remain engaged in Afghanistan. Venturing further, the Guardian presented a two paragraph synopsis of the differences between the candidates. As far as I could tell, the differences were for the most part superficial. That in turn got me thinking about choices, or more accurately, the illusion of choice.
One of the tricks of the control system is to promote the illusion of choice, be it between careers or between candidates. Two months before the 2008 USA presidential election, I visited the Republican and Democrat party web sites to view their so-called “platform” issues and laid them side by side. Talk about the discomfort of watching the sausage making process. I suspect no one actually reads these things because contradictions and absurdities abounded. But then again, sausage making is all about combining many different components into one moldable product, isn’t it?
After repressing the gag reflex long enough to read further, aside from some minor “hot button issue” window dressing, there were very few differences between political sausages. Still, both parties assured me that their particular brand was extremely tasty and healthy to boot. Just ignore the stray hairs, the crunchy bits and mystery meat, cook to 180 degrees to kill the E-Coli and then swallow…….hard. Looking at a list of political donations for the 2008 elections I would say American special interests felt the same way. Make mine with sauerkraut and some spicy brown mustard.
While I’m continuously assured by the keepers of the myth that Capitalism (with a capital “C” since Capitalism has been turned into a religious icon) is the next best thing to come our way since Thumbscrews and the Inquisition (also capitalized) shouldn’t one gaze into the sausage making machine for a closer examination? Or would that be blasphemy? If an unexamined life isn’t worth living (as Socrates proffered) is an unexamined economic system also not worth living?
While the comment section below is where the rubber will meet the road on this subject, I’d like to add my two cents worth. If history is to be my guide, there appears to be one constant throughout the ages. Be it the ancient Egyptian Pharaohs, the Roman Emperors, the Kings and the Catholic Crusades of the Middle Ages and now Capitalism and its Corporations, one thing seems abundantly clear to me. Society doesn’t self organize for the benefit of the many but rather society is organized for the benefit of the few as the most effective way to rape, rob and pillage the many. Who needs war when the process of abuse can be institutionalized and glorified?
Now excuse me while I induce some projectile vomiting and indulge in a healthy purge. Maybe it’s time for a change of diet; how about some Green Eggs and Ham? It can’t be any worse than what I’ve been eating lately.
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You should watch the video. He has a birth certificate.
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The new "reform" is about expansion of police state powers - Obama is critical of it publicly.
The average American likely surpasses the caloric intake of a Roman emperor: http://www.acaloriecounter.com/fast-food-calories.php , not exactly bragging material.
Generally free of physical danger, except for:
Wars (http://www.libraryspot.com/lists/listwars.htm)
Cars (http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx)
Working (http://www.bls.gov/news.release/osh.nr0.htm)
Eating (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol5no5/mead.htm)
Playing (http://blogs.consumerreports.org/safety/2007/12/toy-related-dea.html)
70+ years old is not a new phenomena: http://www.grg.org/OldGreeks.htm
Neither is mobility, though your success rate in the U.S. may vary if you're anything other than white.
Free Enterprise and Capitalism leads to an incredibly diverse array of negative environmental and social disasters, where opinion and greed trump science and compassion. The latest and greatest? Candy shaped, flavored, and packaged nicotine: http://snus-news.blogspot.com/2009/05/may-25-2009-r.html .
But I see where you're coming from. "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" ... Government handouts are easy to come by, especially if you're a super-d-duper "average American". Robbing from the needy to give to the more fortunate in society is, again, not exactly bragging material.
-If you're a fat slob, you're in no immediate danger of starving. That the average member of a large civilization has the luxury of being a fat slob is a rather new and previously unimaginable development.
-Give me a break. 22 toy related deaths in a population of 350 million? More people probably died screwing animals in 2006. What is the government going to do about that public saftey crisis I wonder?...create a new federal agency probably. From which time/place in human history would you like to swap those cited mortality stats?
-The absolute age to which some humans have lived hasn't changed in thousands of years. 70+ years for the average life span of a population is a new phenomenon.
Uh, the music is going to stop sometime soon here. Mass starvation and savagery up next.
Isn't the freedom to travel and exchange without restriction the heart of what the Founding Fathers wanted? Call it whatever you want, if you defraud or initiate force you should be punished - everyone else can keep the sweat of their brow.
We don't have that now. That's all.
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Great imagery, CD!!!!
CD
You might want to check out Aubrey's classic, The Territorial Imperative, one of my all time favorites. It shows how an incredible variety of societies spring from small differences in initial circumstances. Also Malcolm Gladwell did a great summary of the different ethics developed by farming vs. pastoral societies, and how these persist for hundreds of years. I think it was in Blink.
Yes, that book did come to mind as I was reading the comments. Haven't crystallized the thought yet, need to let it percolate a little more, but I find it devious that the greatest bubble was created with real estate. That's hooking on to the most primal instinct.
A interesting comment by Matt Taibbi, inject another "ism" into the soup.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/apr/24/will-goldman-prove-greed-...
Even the FDA has an allowable percentage of mouse turd in your Spam.
That is to say, some corruption is inherent in any system, but keeping it to a level that won't bring down the system is the goal. Our system has not succeeded.
Talking of the FDA & USDA, saw this eye-opening documentary on the food corporations (Monsanto, Tyson Foods, IBP et al) that makes the bankers look angelic compared to the food guys.
http://www.pbs.org/pov/foodinc/photo_gallery_watch.php
http://www.pbs.org/pov/foodinc/trailer.php
Yeah, I know. I've seen you post this about 30 other places. I saw this piece, rented the movie from Netflix, watched it again. It has startling parallels to the banking cartel control of the Legislative Branch.
....aargh.
C.D.
Here is an image the ZH crew might love.
Chris Ware's rejected Fortune cover
It's not surprising that the editors of Fortune rejected cartoonist Chris Ware's fantastic cover for the May 2010 issue. It contains too much truth for comfort. Also, it hearkens back to the golden age of Fortune as an exemplar of beautifully designed and illustrated magazines, and so would have invited unkind comments about the magazine's typical current level of design aesthetics.
From Indie Pulp, reporting on the C2E2 panel that Ware participated in:
[Ware] showed a cover he did for Fortune magazine which was supposed to be on the Fortune 500 issue. He accepted the job because it would be like doing the 1929 issue of the magazine, and he filled the image with tons of satirical imagery, like the U.S. Treasuring being raided by Wall Street, China dumping money into the ocean, homes being flooded, homes being foreclosed, and CEOs dancing a jig while society devolves into chaos. The cover, needless to say, was rejected.
FULL SIZE IMAGE AVAILABLE AT LINK HERE (AND IT'S DELICIOUS):
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/04/23/chris-wares-rejected.html?utm_sourc...
Excellent! Underwater houses, "fabricas de exploitaction", Gitmo; even survivalists.
Sadly, captialism has matured into nothing more than rewarding failure of the present at the expense of the future.
Insert patriotic music and some more change you can believe in.
Capitalism is for rich guys.
First, I'd like it if we could at least try capitalism to see if it works.
Second, may I point out that citizens are often confused about why a political party would choose to pass laws that are wildly unpopular, such as the recent healthcare ball and chain. It's simple, really. Politicians work for who pays their benefits (i.e., special interests), not for who pays their salary (i.e., those who vote for them). And they know if they lose an election, the torch will be carried by an exact clone, save for the (R) after his name. Look at how quickly the (R)s gave up their restless incantations about how they would work to repeal the healthcare bill. Follow the money.
Until citizens trade in their gullible caps for thinking caps, more of the same, more of the same.
Being humans have been around several thousand years now and apparently haven't learned a damn thing.
Taken out of context, to be sure, but I think the point is made. The operative word being "unfettered". Therein lies the ointment which impeded the fly.