Considering that I am a liberal, I remember when Ross Perot challenged Clinton and Bush1. About NAFTA, he said, Theyll be a huge sucking sound and that will be out jobs. He was right. It is one more example of our politicians selling out their own constituency to monied interests.
Successful civilizations need a healthy immaterial foundation that promotes social understanding and peace. Exaggerated consumerism is a kind of materialism that compromises the immaterial foundations of a civilization on the long run. Consumerism fosters greed and an overassessment of the significance of money which deforms egos and leads to ecocide. Intelligent civilizations promote reading and thinking, value immaterial competences like philosophy, poetry and poesy. We need a real change.
The opposite of consumerism is not "immaterial competences", it is investment in productive capacity and fecundity. You are advocating the exchange of frivolity in material things for intangible frivolities. You might as well be promoting pornography over garden gnomes. Society is better served when its resources are used to increase its productive capacity and capabilities (of the mind inclusive), not when its resources are squandered in frivolous consumption in excess of productivity.
Agreed, and I fear it will be too late once people in general start to finally reject oppression themselves in all it's many varied and ugly, subtle forms....as it will already be upon them.
Ruling through "naked oppression." That is quite a sobering expression, is it not? One look at HR 1388 and HR 1444 that is being passed by our wonderful representitives evokes the very thought of such an expression as being more real than any of us could have ever imagined in our worst nightmares. Gestapo like militarized police force and Obama youth brigades coming to a community near you. Martial Law and backdoor draft? What's next, burning books? Then we really will be illiterate in America.
Capitalism without ethics or morals is pure destruction. I have said this before but capitalism is destined to eat itself. Humanity needs a spark of the modern age. Otherwise we are going to fall pray to the same ill as the past ages... power.
"Capitalism without ethics or morals is pure destruction."
I don't know how you choose to define capitalism, but is not any social system without good ethics or morals "pure destruction"?
Not to be rude but I think your statement is meaningless.
It is true that capitalism eats itself. It is a profit and loss system (without government). It is part of the system of capitalism to strip assets from those who are unable to put them to work for society productively and give them to those who can.
Youre playing semantics. Could you use my comment for something else, sure. Does it make it any less true?... NO.
The system doesn't strip people of assets, people do.
Saying its the system takes all responsibility of a person's actions away and transfers them on the system itself. Essentially subverting personal or societal ethics with no repercussions.
Creating what we have today, economic sociopaths.
Considering that I am a liberal, I remember when Ross Perot challenged Clinton and Bush1. About NAFTA, he said, Theyll be a huge sucking sound and that will be out jobs. He was right. It is one more example of our politicians selling out their own constituency to monied interests.
Larkinchance 2 years ago
Nice Work Ella, at giving us a better understanding of how those "elites" are working to bring us all down! We need to hear what you have to share.
I really like all of what you haved shared here. Keep more coming our way too!
truthsleuth 2 years ago
'Casino capitalism'---very good definition, and really describes what seems to be going on!
kjack5 2 years ago
Excellent piece Ella.I like Chris Hedges. He paints
a particularly vivid picture of the corporate type.
angryislander56 2 years ago 2
Successful civilizations need a healthy immaterial foundation that promotes social understanding and peace. Exaggerated consumerism is a kind of materialism that compromises the immaterial foundations of a civilization on the long run. Consumerism fosters greed and an overassessment of the significance of money which deforms egos and leads to ecocide. Intelligent civilizations promote reading and thinking, value immaterial competences like philosophy, poetry and poesy. We need a real change.
Bernd1964 2 years ago 3
The opposite of consumerism is not "immaterial competences", it is investment in productive capacity and fecundity. You are advocating the exchange of frivolity in material things for intangible frivolities. You might as well be promoting pornography over garden gnomes. Society is better served when its resources are used to increase its productive capacity and capabilities (of the mind inclusive), not when its resources are squandered in frivolous consumption in excess of productivity.
stratvic 2 years ago
Psychopathic behavior.
"Cult of self" =="Culture of Narcissism" =="Cult of Ego"
Hierarchy of sociopathy.
"Weapons of Mass Instruction" by John Taylor Gatto
carefulcarpenter 2 years ago
yes.
iMBBonlyone 2 years ago
Agreed, and I fear it will be too late once people in general start to finally reject oppression themselves in all it's many varied and ugly, subtle forms....as it will already be upon them.
anongrey 2 years ago
Ruling through "naked oppression." That is quite a sobering expression, is it not? One look at HR 1388 and HR 1444 that is being passed by our wonderful representitives evokes the very thought of such an expression as being more real than any of us could have ever imagined in our worst nightmares. Gestapo like militarized police force and Obama youth brigades coming to a community near you. Martial Law and backdoor draft? What's next, burning books? Then we really will be illiterate in America.
anongrey 2 years ago
Capitalism without ethics or morals is pure destruction. I have said this before but capitalism is destined to eat itself. Humanity needs a spark of the modern age. Otherwise we are going to fall pray to the same ill as the past ages... power.
TheBigHo111 2 years ago 4
Very well said.
Plutonwolf 2 years ago
"Capitalism without ethics or morals is pure destruction."
I don't know how you choose to define capitalism, but is not any social system without good ethics or morals "pure destruction"?
Not to be rude but I think your statement is meaningless.
It is true that capitalism eats itself. It is a profit and loss system (without government). It is part of the system of capitalism to strip assets from those who are unable to put them to work for society productively and give them to those who can.
stratvic 2 years ago
where is the quote "Capitalism without ethics or morals is pure destruction" from?
lktasl999 2 years ago
My statement is meaningful. lol
Youre playing semantics. Could you use my comment for something else, sure. Does it make it any less true?... NO.
The system doesn't strip people of assets, people do.
Saying its the system takes all responsibility of a person's actions away and transfers them on the system itself. Essentially subverting personal or societal ethics with no repercussions.
Creating what we have today, economic sociopaths.
TheBigHo111 2 years ago
"Saying its the system takes all responsibility of a person's actions away and transfers them on the system itself."
Not what I am saying at all ... a system is no substitute for ethics. I am saying that eating itself is a feature not a fault.
Capitalism is a term that needs to be defined based on the different understandings and baggage that comes with the term.
Power comes from politics and force not wealth.
stratvic 2 years ago
thnks for the link , stay safe ok
kwvrad 2 years ago