Ideas, memes, and myths have phenomenal power and tenacity. Centuries ago, a prophet or monk or religious leader was impressed with the notion that suffering makes people stronger and better. Job from the Bible is the prototypical example. Then, we got the story that commerce is the engine which produces all manner of benefits for a comm…
Ideas, memes, and myths have phenomenal power and tenacity. Centuries ago, a prophet or monk or religious leader was impressed with the notion that suffering makes people stronger and better. Job from the Bible is the prototypical example. Then, we got the story that commerce is the engine which produces all manner of benefits for a community and with that, the belief that success and wealth are positive values which spread and benefit everyone (trickle-down).
John Maynard Keynes summarized the capitalistic creed as, “…the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work for the benefit of all.”
Now, the Republican myth is that the taxpayer is king and that anyone who is not currently contributing and anyone who uses tax funds in a way that is not to their liking or who “wastes” money derived from taxes is worthless or guilty of capital(istic) crimes. Sink or swim, “tough love” (all tough and no love) and dog-eat-dog are core principles. God is good and very selective but greed is more godly than sharing and tolerance in this cynical and sadistic worldview.
It’s much easier to fight than switch. They have no inclination or incentive to alter their belief systems. Hearts and minds will only be changed as a new generation replaces the meanspirited life-haters. Unfortunately, however, they have the institutions locked up and under strict surveillance. They wrote the rules and passed the laws to suit their purposes and to spread their grief. No one is willing to even discuss the kind of change that is necessary, even here. Sad.
Love the Keynes quote. I like to remember "History of the Great American Fortunes" by Gustavus Myers, which relates the "gory" details of how the rich got rich. There's actually reciprocity in the twisted social "contract" between the haves and have-nots. Witness the admiration of Trump by stooges who feel they aren't responsible for their own victimization, yet think his trappings of wealth mean he must be better than them. There really is something unpleasantly doggish about it. Also, there's the dogma that if you are rich, you are a "job creator." (cue the Hartmann oeuvre.) We need a "Great Disillusionment."
The book you referenced appears to be one which I need for a close relative who has bought into the wealth = superiority mythology. I found the book and several versions or parts in a series on Amazon and plan to order a copy. The last sentence in the review/description at Amazon was the following:
“They do not seem to realize for a moment—what is clear to every real student of economics—that the great fortunes are the natural, logical outcome of a system based upon factors the inevitable result of which is the utter despoilment of the many for the benefit of a few.”
That sort of sums it up quite nicely. We do need a "Great Disillusionment" as you state. But first, people must become aware of their illusions. That will never happen as long as kids are programmed to acquiesce and passively accept authority for their entire formative years in schools, where they are led to believe the propaganda is education and the conditioning will lead them to truth. The whole enchilada is organized, controlled, and legally mandated to buttress the authoritarian, paternalistic, and capitalistic paradigm under which we all suffer.
Ideas, memes, and myths have phenomenal power and tenacity. Centuries ago, a prophet or monk or religious leader was impressed with the notion that suffering makes people stronger and better. Job from the Bible is the prototypical example. Then, we got the story that commerce is the engine which produces all manner of benefits for a community and with that, the belief that success and wealth are positive values which spread and benefit everyone (trickle-down).
John Maynard Keynes summarized the capitalistic creed as, “…the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work for the benefit of all.”
Now, the Republican myth is that the taxpayer is king and that anyone who is not currently contributing and anyone who uses tax funds in a way that is not to their liking or who “wastes” money derived from taxes is worthless or guilty of capital(istic) crimes. Sink or swim, “tough love” (all tough and no love) and dog-eat-dog are core principles. God is good and very selective but greed is more godly than sharing and tolerance in this cynical and sadistic worldview.
It’s much easier to fight than switch. They have no inclination or incentive to alter their belief systems. Hearts and minds will only be changed as a new generation replaces the meanspirited life-haters. Unfortunately, however, they have the institutions locked up and under strict surveillance. They wrote the rules and passed the laws to suit their purposes and to spread their grief. No one is willing to even discuss the kind of change that is necessary, even here. Sad.
Love the Keynes quote. I like to remember "History of the Great American Fortunes" by Gustavus Myers, which relates the "gory" details of how the rich got rich. There's actually reciprocity in the twisted social "contract" between the haves and have-nots. Witness the admiration of Trump by stooges who feel they aren't responsible for their own victimization, yet think his trappings of wealth mean he must be better than them. There really is something unpleasantly doggish about it. Also, there's the dogma that if you are rich, you are a "job creator." (cue the Hartmann oeuvre.) We need a "Great Disillusionment."
Mmerose,
The book you referenced appears to be one which I need for a close relative who has bought into the wealth = superiority mythology. I found the book and several versions or parts in a series on Amazon and plan to order a copy. The last sentence in the review/description at Amazon was the following:
“They do not seem to realize for a moment—what is clear to every real student of economics—that the great fortunes are the natural, logical outcome of a system based upon factors the inevitable result of which is the utter despoilment of the many for the benefit of a few.”
That sort of sums it up quite nicely. We do need a "Great Disillusionment" as you state. But first, people must become aware of their illusions. That will never happen as long as kids are programmed to acquiesce and passively accept authority for their entire formative years in schools, where they are led to believe the propaganda is education and the conditioning will lead them to truth. The whole enchilada is organized, controlled, and legally mandated to buttress the authoritarian, paternalistic, and capitalistic paradigm under which we all suffer.