If you've read much on this blog written by yours truly, then you know I loathe our capitalist system and believe that a social democrat (or socialist) system would serve us far better. The mantra of modern-day socialists is "people before profit" and that sums it up for me.
However, I'm not married to the world socialism; what I want is an economic and political system that is more humane.
That represents my chief gripe with capitalism. It is completely amoral -- it lacks a heart! Under our current system, the needs of the average person and the community as a whole do not factor in. They simply aren't part of the equation. Profit is god, particularly short-term profit.
People and the environment are seen as nothing more than expendable pawns to be moved around on a global game board. If a strategy is thought to promote greater profit, then the powers that be will move heaven and earth to make it happen, even if this results in sickness and death for people and the planet.
Yet, as different levels of destruction and mayhem are spread, the people spreading the destruction and mayhem don't want to shoulder any responsibility FOR it. In other words, when money is to be made, they believe that it should all go to them, but when problems arise, that should be shared by everyone. It's sort of the theory of socialism turned inside out!!
Regardless of what name someone wants to slap on it, I favor a system that values people and the planet above money. A system that possesses a heart and a soul.
However, I'm not married to the world socialism; what I want is an economic and political system that is more humane.
That represents my chief gripe with capitalism. It is completely amoral -- it lacks a heart! Under our current system, the needs of the average person and the community as a whole do not factor in. They simply aren't part of the equation. Profit is god, particularly short-term profit.
People and the environment are seen as nothing more than expendable pawns to be moved around on a global game board. If a strategy is thought to promote greater profit, then the powers that be will move heaven and earth to make it happen, even if this results in sickness and death for people and the planet.
Yet, as different levels of destruction and mayhem are spread, the people spreading the destruction and mayhem don't want to shoulder any responsibility FOR it. In other words, when money is to be made, they believe that it should all go to them, but when problems arise, that should be shared by everyone. It's sort of the theory of socialism turned inside out!!
Regardless of what name someone wants to slap on it, I favor a system that values people and the planet above money. A system that possesses a heart and a soul.
Amen brother! It doesn't even have to happen 'overnight' just start moving in the proper direction instead of the direction it is going which is more amoral by the day.
ReplyDeleteJust think of how much more positive energy there would be in the world if we didn't have to waste so much shielding from the current waves of hate, distrust and outright evil.
Dream on. It's as realistic as going to heaven. Show me a socialist experiment that has worked over the long term and I'll show you a society of like-minded clones. (And if you say Sweden, you should go there and pay the taxes.) The only systems that are not dysfunctional are systems that have no people (individuals) in them. Small systems may be able to overcome human desires for power and lust and greed, but the sheer size of our organizations (countries, corporations, unions) pretty much obviates the socialist ideal.
ReplyDeleteAnd there are some people that say Sharia law has a heart and soul....
Baroness,
ReplyDeleteDream on? You sound so cynical.
Socialism, as a concept, has been attempted for only about 100 years. Like ANY system, it takes time to work out the bugs.
You pooh pooh Sweden, but while their taxes are high, so is their quality of life. There is no such thing as a free lunch.
Anyhow, like I wrote, it's not socialism I am necessarily tied to. I simply favor any system that is more humane than what we have now.
Cynical, maybe. I think I am just realistic. All systems degrade, and new systems come up that temporarily solve problems, then they degrade. (It's cycles of yin and yang.) I have no confidence that any system based on economics or politics will have any lasting humaneness. Even systems that are rooted in spirituality have a tendency to failure at some point (when greed, lust and power come into play). Humanity is found in the individual...beyond that it's a crap shoot.
ReplyDeleteBut please don't doubt that I share your longing for a system that values people and the planet. I just don't think it's likely to happen on any kind of large meaningful scale. History suggests this.
Even Sweden will collapse someday.
No doubt that every system eventually collapses, but the point is to replace each one with something a bit more humane. If not, then it only proves the stupidity of humankind -- the inability to learn from our mistakes.
ReplyDeleteCall me a dreamer, call me what you will, but I'll take the higher taxes any day of the week. Sweden, and many other parts of Europe in general have gotten quite a lot right over the last fifty years compared with our archaic republic.
ReplyDeleteSocialism so far, has had it's problems, and given the misinformation campaign we've all grown up under it will never get a fair shake in the US until long after we're all worm food or ashes.
From where I'm standing, I see plenty of abuses and violations of human rights being perpetrated by and for our capitalist paradise every day, so don't give me any of that commie dictatorship crap. Sure, we can speak our minds with relative freedom, but we can also lose our homes over a serious illness or because after thirty years of diligent work our bodies fail and we're no longer economically viable. That's not much of an improvement in my book.
Call it any name you like, just show me where to sign up.
Humanity learning from their mistakes. Hmm, well, the problem is that there's no "humanity." That's just a concept, a word. In reality there's just people. Every generation has to learn it anew. That's why "progress" is a lie, except as one progresses towards wisdom in one's own life.
ReplyDelete