Mar 16, 2022·edited Mar 16, 2022Liked by Patrick Mazza
I agree with all that you have said, but I would take it one step further. You call for compassion, respect, the golden rule, in our institutions and our way of life. I would say that we must return to sharing.
For 200,000 years we lived as hunter-gatherers, sharing as equals. But 12,000 years ago, when the ice age ended, separate property became possible. Not necessary, but possible. I believe that was our big mistake. Separate property made possible separate lives and competition. Anyone who loses the competition could be homeless, hungry, or worse. This arrangement led to fear and killed empathy, with terrible consequences. And trade had externalized costs, more terrible consequences. Mere "reforms" won't fix our present system, because separate property causes increasing inequality (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxdSIGT354Y).
As Jameson and Zizek said, it is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism. Well, it appears to me that capitalism is about to end the world, so I think we need to figure out how to share again.
On top of these very serious issues, we're witnessing the rise of far-right extremism in the USA. I fear the upcoming SCOTUS decisions and the next election cycle.
I agree with all that you have said, but I would take it one step further. You call for compassion, respect, the golden rule, in our institutions and our way of life. I would say that we must return to sharing.
For 200,000 years we lived as hunter-gatherers, sharing as equals. But 12,000 years ago, when the ice age ended, separate property became possible. Not necessary, but possible. I believe that was our big mistake. Separate property made possible separate lives and competition. Anyone who loses the competition could be homeless, hungry, or worse. This arrangement led to fear and killed empathy, with terrible consequences. And trade had externalized costs, more terrible consequences. Mere "reforms" won't fix our present system, because separate property causes increasing inequality (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxdSIGT354Y).
As Jameson and Zizek said, it is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism. Well, it appears to me that capitalism is about to end the world, so I think we need to figure out how to share again.
Hard truths.
On top of these very serious issues, we're witnessing the rise of far-right extremism in the USA. I fear the upcoming SCOTUS decisions and the next election cycle.