ThirstyFish

The Financial District view from Brooklyn.

This is meant for those who work in the Financial District:

Take this argument for the Moral Basis of Capitalism: "Capitalism is the only moral social system because it is the only system that respects the freedom of the producers to think and the right of the individual to set his own goals and pursue his own happiness". What does "the freedom of the producers to think" even mean? And yes, you might have "the 'right' to set your own goals and pursue your own happiness", but does Capitalism give you the means? For most "capitalists", Capitalism is about "profit at all cost", and that is morally indefensible.

To date, I've never lost an argument against Capitalism; How could I, the reality of Capitalism is pretty obvious for anyone who cares to understand it. Any rational debate almost invariably ends with the defenders of Capitalism misquoting Winston Churchill: "Capitalism is the worst economic system, except for all the others". In other words, they would like us to believe that there are absolutely no viable alternatives to Capitalism.

Capitalism, as we conceive it now, has a history of roughly 200 years. It has yet to prove itself. At this point in time, it has accomplished two things; It has increasingly "redistributed" wealth disproportionately to the rich, and it has externalized costs destroying the very environment all life depends upon. If it's not stopped, chances are humanity won't make it for another 100 years. Therefore, the real question should be "Are there any alternatives omnicide?"

We've been conditioned to view native people, especially those in the Americas and Australasia, as "primitives", as "savages", as "barbarians", without ever showing the effort to grasp their rich cultures and econo-political systems. Separated from "civilization" for at least 12,000 years, they have already proven themselves to live sustainably without disturbing "mother nature". We, on the other hand, with our so-called "high culture" and our "great Capitalist system", are on the verge of bringing the world to destruction or possibly extinction in a matter of 300 or so years.

Most native people who have preserved their culture, don't want to have anything to do with us - although we still won't leave them alone. They understand and speak out that our actions and our temperament towards the natural world is fatally flawed. They dismiss our irrational premise that somehow technology is going to "bail us out". Behind all that talk of "freedom" and "pursuit of happiness", the truth is, Capitalism has a death wish, and other civilization-invented systems like Socialism or Communism will never fare better unless they put "Mother Earth" front and center.

It is not at all surprising to see "intelligentsia", politicians and the business community downplay the seriousness of climate change and environmental degradation. Their very existence depends on the current system and on their belief that "perception is reality". No, "reality is reality" and these - you - people are unforgivable. Just for the record, I am not an environmentalist or a political activist - I'm only a natural human being, or as you would like to call it, just a concerned citizen.