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This pandemic is spiraling out of control, and while it seems comfortable to blame it on specific people, we have to call it what it is--perhaps the biggest failure of capitalism in our lifetime.
Not the market, per se, but our deep-seeded capitalistic values.
Not the market, per se, but our deep-seeded capitalistic values.
We're so addicted to the notion of capitalism that we've propped it up, over and over again, creating what many call "welfare capitalism."
Corn farmers get better insurance for their crops, from taxpayer dollars, than we can get for our health. That's welfare capitalism.
Corn farmers get better insurance for their crops, from taxpayer dollars, than we can get for our health. That's welfare capitalism.
When we bail out Wall St. but not Main St., that's welfare capitalism--the belief that the system is more important than the people. That the best way to support the people is by propping up the system.
But that system never really gets around to helping anyone but the wealthy.
But that system never really gets around to helping anyone but the wealthy.
So here we are, in the biggest health crisis of our times, and the number one concern is not saving lives but keeping the system going.
We close schools but keep restaurants, bars, and gyms open. Welfare capitalism.
We close schools but keep restaurants, bars, and gyms open. Welfare capitalism.
We do more to address empty businesses than overfull ERs. Welfare capitalism.
The ideology is the problem. The hundreds of thousands of people dying are perhaps the biggest stain on the ideology we've ever experienced.
The ideology is the problem. The hundreds of thousands of people dying are perhaps the biggest stain on the ideology we've ever experienced.
But you know what, its still not enough, because the people who are dying are generally the people that capitalism doesn't care about. Black and brown people. Service workers who we can't even be bothered to pay a living wage or offer good healthcare.
But I think more and more people are getting fed up, and I think there's a real opportunity here to encourage people to finally re-examine the welfare capitalism ideology. To look it in the eye. To say, enough.
There's a lot of fear out there when people talk about alternatives to how we live, like democratic socialism.
But its mostly based on misunderstanding.
For example, most people think that democratic socialism is anti-capitalism. Its not. Its anti-welfare capitalism.
But its mostly based on misunderstanding.
For example, most people think that democratic socialism is anti-capitalism. Its not. Its anti-welfare capitalism.
The same goes for the concept of de-growth.
People think de-growth means austerity or asceticism--a bleak future.
But de-growth isn't about giving things up its about improving our lives, about moving from growth in quantity to growth in quality.
People think de-growth means austerity or asceticism--a bleak future.
But de-growth isn't about giving things up its about improving our lives, about moving from growth in quantity to growth in quality.
They're both about the welfare of people, and the planet, not the system, or the handful of wealth-holders that it represents.
They replace violence and greed and individualism with compassion and relationships and responsibility.
They replace violence and greed and individualism with compassion and relationships and responsibility.
COVID shouldn't have been hard to handle. Anyone saying otherwise is making excuses.
Which is what we always do with welfare capitalism--make excuses for it.
Which is what we always do with welfare capitalism--make excuses for it.
