For many years now capitalism has run wild. Back in the fifties we used to save up for the things we wanted. People have been encouraged into debt to make big bonusses for those at the top. If the company fails - the bosses still get the big bonusses. The incentives to greed are everywhere and they lead to cheating and lies. We're all living on wealth nobody is creating in any manufacturing base. It is therefore illusory. Shifting funds around electronically has merely enhanced the number of ways problems could be swept under the carpet.
The real tragedy is, Mr Average and his wife believed the dream and bought the HumVe - believed they were in safe hands. And what is truly disturbing is, that the melt down of this capitalist tissue of lies should be dramatised by a president in such apocalyptic terms, because that is just a way of shifting the stink to God or Fate.
As in the old Eden story, nobody wants to take responsiblity - admit the lie. I very much fear that instead of finding a solution, the powers that be will cover up the tracks with a greater lie: "It's okay now folks...back to business as usual."
Communism doesn't work either of course. What we need is a new vision where resources are more equitably distributed throughout the world and we all work as humanity to solve the problems that face us in global terms.
Now do I have your vote? Or is my Star Trek showing?
Oonah
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That's not "Star Trek" thinking, Oonah; it is just good sense. I detest the way things have been going in recent years here in the States; maybe it's that way in other countries, too.
ReplyDeleteWe are no longer customers, we are consumers. As you say, we are constantly encouraged to buy more and more, regardless if we need it or not.
And everything is disposable. One of the Seattle newspapers ran a story not long ago about a television repairman who is closing up shop because not one bothers to fix televisions anymore. That's not the way it used to be.
We have been overwhelmed by unremitting greed, and the sad thing, now that it seems to be catching up, is that those of us who will have to pay the tab are not the primary instigators.
That's my ten cents.
and a pretty good ten cents too, Keely. Reality has broken through. Every civilisation throught history has fallen because of corruption and compliance. The lesson has still to be learned.
ReplyDeleteThis civilisation has sown the wind.
To save the World(really!), to keep the West going, the aid to Africa flowing, our trains running, and to give us the chance to learn from mistakes, we have to bail out the the bad banks. We don't have to like it but an unplanned alternative is too frightening to contemplate.
ReplyDeleteLet's change it all I agree. But let's make sure we have something left to change.
Cheers
MArk
Cheers
I have done a bunch of thinking about this problem, my most recent is published here:
ReplyDeletePutting in the Fix!
Following the Founder's Plan
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