- Capitalism and Alternatives -

American Dream is false god

Posted by: Julian Watts ( Seattle, USA ) on May 13, 1997 at 00:54:14:

In Reply to: We don't live in Utopia posted by Bill on May 11, 1997 at 18:42:52:

>>Millions of people are in the gutters and on the streets of America and other capitalist countries. The number of disposable humans increases daily, as the capitalist bosses find ways to make more profits with fewer wage-slaves.

>How can you compare the fallout from a government beuracracy and poor social structures to that of capitalism? Capitalism is Freedom. It is the drive for personal and econmic freedom.

There is in reality no such thing as true freedom under any political system. The history of the world is consistent on this one fact - humans are highly competitive and there will always be those who wish to control the lives of others for their own ends. Capitalism simply attempts to legitimise and regulate this process through government and its laws.

What is most worrying about capitalism is that attempts to put out a smoke screen to divert our attention from this reality. Capitalism to a large part relies on tricking those who funtion within it into believing that they have far more freedom than they in fact do. This is done by selling them capitlist ideals to strive towards (ownership, profit, consumerism) rather than striving for human ideals (personal growth, independence of mind and action, and a true sense of community).

In short, you are only free to function within the capitalist society and you MUST conform to it's rules. There is no room for independence. I challenge you to step outside of the capitalist society you cherish - attempt to REALLY exert your personal freedoms you claim to have (I'm not saying break any laws here) and see how far you get...

>Are you crazy? Think about the founders of that business that you so condemn.

These people are one in many thousands. This 'Americcan Dream" you allude to is a false God. People like Ray Kroc are held up as icons for us to aspire to, but they are freaks - the rarest of the rare. Most Americans commit their entire lives to chasing something they cannot have, nor really need. Many fall by the wayside. Many die having never really (I mean really) known their family, neighbours and freinds, and I think this is sad.

> Good Point. We don't live in Utopia. As far as education, only the truely ignorant would dismiss the power of knowledge.

We do not live in Utopia. This does not mean we should not strive for it - or at least something better than we have. If we are not willing to work to better ourselves and our society, then we are as good as dead and might well be encouraged to follow your extreme solution:


>Alright, your right I think I will just go kill myself.



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