Business as usual? :: Free Realms

#29 Nov 26 2008 at 7:58 AM Rating: Decent

Elinda

Skelly Poker Since 2008

16,781 posts

Commander Annabella wrote:

Quote:

Is now a good time to start pointing out that, really, even tho' there's a black guy (nearly) in the WH promising 'change', that when it comes to the very foundations of western society ie. its selfish desire to continue trashing the planet in the face of all logic and with no regard for the future generations to come or indeed with any respect for the majority of people on the planet who are are being horrendously exploited by the consumer culture of the west...

Do you think it is that or is it international corporations driving us to acquire enough material objects to keep us passive and satisfied enough to not demand real social justice or see how powerless we all really are?

Not Sony though.

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Alma wrote:

I lost my post

#30 Nov 26 2008 at 10:53 AM Rating: Good

Debalic

Prodigal Son

20,643 posts

The Great BrownDuck wrote:

Omegavegeta wrote:

Debalic wrote:

@#%^ it, just let it all collapse. We came out of the Great Depression pretty well off right? Things were booming during the 40s and 50s.

SO, you're saying that what we need is a World War III?

Yes. Kill off half the population so those that live may continue to consume. Smiley: grin

Now that's thinking outside the box! Half may not be enough though...

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publiusvarus wrote:

we all know liberals are well adjusted american citizens who only want what's best for society. While conservatives are evil money grubbing scum who only want to sh*t on the little man and rob the world of its resources.

#31 Nov 26 2008 at 10:59 AM Rating: Good

paulsol

Sage

4,158 posts

Quote:

..... is it international corporations driving us to acquire enough material objects to keep us passive and satisfied enough to not demand real social justice or see how powerless we all really are?

If we assume, as I do, that there is little or no separation between Govt. and big business, then yes, this is a fair summation of what i feel is going on.

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"If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you're gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders". Carlin.

#32 Nov 26 2008 at 4:19 PM Rating: Decent

Smasharoo

Lunatic

30,086 posts

I understand what you're saying Smash, but my argument is with the relentless pressure for people to 'consume' as tho' that is the only way to achieve happiness and contentment. Thats why I highlighted in my original post the bit that says :

It would seem that you don't understand. Allow me to clarify:

80% of the population are hapless suckers who exist only to be exploited by someone. Who that someone is, or how efficiently they're exploited really aren't the problem. Bernays didn't invent envy or coveting other's property. The fact that he made profiting from it more efficient doesn't make him the root of selfish desire.

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#33 Nov 26 2008 at 4:29 PM Rating: Excellent

paulsol

Sage

4,158 posts

Quote:

80% of the population are hapless suckers who exist only to be exploited by someone.

I rekkon its more than 80%..but yeah.....

HappyhappyJoyJoy.

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"If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you're gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders". Carlin.

#34 Nov 29 2008 at 12:47 PM Rating: Decent

Kelvyquayo

Imaginary Friend

16,112 posts

How on Earth are you people going to occupy yourselves once you finally stop acting surprised that humanity is destined to fuck itself over and over again?

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With the receiver in my hand..

#35 Nov 30 2008 at 8:53 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1591814706327

2,847 posts

consumption is why we are on top. it is ugly. it is immoral. it is unsustainable. and eventually, SOMEONE will have to pay for OUR greed.

but make no mistake. it is why we are on top.

consumption creates jobs. consumption creates gains in the stock market. consumption gives us a purpose other than stopping when we have what we need.

consumption, ours, made the middle east, japan, most of europe adn parts of south america rich. we also launched the industrial age in china and pushed them down that ugly slope to nowhere.

consumption is the heart of capitolism.

dont have to like it. but there it is. the driving force behind.....THE WORLD. and the biggest consumers stand at the top of the hill. for now.

#36 Nov 30 2008 at 12:52 PM Rating: Excellent

RedPhoenixxx

My politics blog and stuff - Refractory

Sage

7,735 posts

Smasharoo wrote:

Bernays didn't invent envy or coveting other's property. The fact that he made profiting from it more efficient doesn't make him the root of selfish desire.

I agree. And if you look at the big picture of humanity, we've spent 99% of it fighting against nature: diseases, germs, wild animals, volcanoes, earthquakes, flooding, extreme weather, etc... It's only in the last 70-200 years that we've shifted the focus from "protecting ourselves from nature in order to survive" to "being so safe from it that we're in danger of destroying it". There's no doubt that the next challenge is to fit our way our of life into a broad definition of "sustainable development". It might involve consuming less, it might involve consuming differently.

I also think there's something fundamental which has to change with the current economic orthodoxy. The measure of success should really not be the continual growth of GDP. It's not that meaningful a measure, especially in developed economies. It's too vague, too imprecise, and sometimes blatantly misleading. And in many ways, continual growth isn't really something we should even just be striving for. "More" isn't necessarily "better". It should just be one indicator amongst a dozen of others which just as important, and which measure a whole other bunch of things, like environmental impacts, health benefit to the population, education, quality of life, employment levels, job security, wealth disparity, etc...

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