The 5 Biggest Obscenities of Capitalism Today

Thought I'd share a concise, well put-together and sourced article with you this fine Monday morning.

This article supports my on-going contention that it is BIG BUSINESS that is the problem and not government. Government has been corrupted by BIG BUSINESS and no longer is in the employ of WE THE PEOPLE but it is not and never has been the motive cause of inequality and destruction.

www.alternet.org...

At couple of quotes to prime the pump.

Even after 30+ years of free-market failure for the majority of Americans, the business people refused to surrender. Growing inequality had become a certainty. But Goldman Sachs adviser Brian Griffiths [7] explained that "We have to tolerate the inequality as a way to achieve greater prosperity and opportunity for all."

Rand Paul may have been referring to Apple's self-congratulatory claim of 500,000 jobs [14] added to the U.S. economy. But Apple only has 43,000 U.S. employees. It is estimated [15] that the company makes $400,000 profit per employee while paying [16] an average of $12 per hour [17] for its store workers.

Deception, delusion, denial. Capitalists have completed all the steps of their free-market program. Billionaire Kenneth Griffin [30] believes that the wealthy "have an insufficient influence" on politics today. The Chicago Tribune [31] concurs: "What's so terrible about the infusion of so much money into the presidential campaign?......that's not a bug but a feature...it's the sound of democracy."

It's a little like having an obscene gesture thrust in your face.

Good article. S&F

reply to post by FyreByrd


When I first read the article I thought it was leaning towards a bias.
But then I finished reading and came to my own conclusion...

The big bankers and money hoarders shouldn't be called "capitalists".
They should be called what they are..."corruption-laden-filthists".
Because when a person chooses wealth over compassion...they surely die inside.

But the world draws everyone into such a mentality that they are forced to believe it is all we have.
When in actuality, the abundance of riches that is the Earth itself, has been given to us.
Apparently "capitalism" will inevitably destroy this gift.
All over a contrived source of wealth.



hmm...

reply to post by FyreByrd


Think bigger. It is the banks, or more specifically, those who control the banks. Without superbanks, none of those supercompanies would even exist. Antitrust laws mean nothing, when one person can just control many huge businesses from the shadows, under the guise of a bank.

You can blame "big business" or "capitalism" or even governments...

But what any system like these really is, is a network of humans doing daily work to feed their family. The issue is that greed makes us both blind to our success but the failures of the system to have any limits.

We as humans do a job and get paid.

What seems to go noticed these days, is that the work done is not proportionate to the effort of everyone in the business, so you end up with basic wage works complaining about doing everything and the top cats, doing very little but drinking coffee and eating biscuits in board rooms doing very little and not complaining at all.

I'm not suggesting that a super smart CEO with a million great ideas should not get paid well, some even may be happy with a less of a cut, they are happy and the increased pay down the line as a result makes everyone else happy - but we dont want our neighbor to be more happy than us now do we?

Its greed and while people are greedy, pick any model you want for anything its going to sway at some stage off path and crumble.

You dont need to hug trees to be a decent human, just think for your self, family and friends - people who are strangers to you are just people you have not met yet.

Lipstick on a pig.

Labeling the cronie corporatist system currently in place as capitalism and free market will not make it so. It's still cronie corporatism enforced by the hammer of money give to lawmakers.

Top cats: depends on their position but Im sure many are hard working and are in a cutthroat environment meaning they would have to stay on their toes. Possibly owners of big companies, family board members and the like might get away with doing less.

People working in shops get paid less because of the demand of the job. You can teach someone it fairly simply.

Now the point of the company making millions whilst paying little wages out is a bit more sour. Some companies do need a lot of cash flow to invest in future ideas, the worst will pay it out to a lazy biscuit eating board as bonuses.

Its not ideal but it is hard to just change and equally hard to find a better solution.

This is one of those threads you wish you could flag more than once. People need to see this. On the other hand, saying that, my mind immediately responds with something like "But will that even matter?"


What can we do, really? I'm sure many people are aware of this phenomenon. But this is a david and goliath situation to the extreme. These big companies and banks have politicians in their pockets. What can anyone really do? Riot? That doesn't seem like it would end well, for anyone involved. (Except for the mega-corps-- who like cats seem to have 9 lives and always seem to land on their feet.)


In another thread, about bankers, I found myself wondering why someone hadn't already targeted some of these people. One would think that if bankers start getting sniped, one by one, maybe eventually they'll get the message. (I am not, for the record, advocating anyone actually do this. I abhor violence, and it's usually not the ideal solution. But sometimes you wonder why these psychos and vigilantes don't target the real overlords and destroyers of our society.) Then again, these jerks have money for private security teams that would almost rival the military.


So where does that leave us? What can stop them? Change of conscience? That one's almost laughable. If these people had morals, or a conscience, things would not be as they are. So where does it end? Do we just let these people keep milking us dry, while they grow fatter?
...

On that note, I have to say as much as this sickens me, I'm almost more disgusted by the shills, and the Corporatist Apologists. You know the ones-- you've seen them around. The ones that usually defend big business, and the 1%ers, even in the most ridiculous of situations. Claiming it's "just capitalism." You have to wonder how any intelligent, sane person could defend such things, unless they were a well-paid part of the structure, themselves. And I'm sure some of the apologists are. What i think disgusts me almost as much, are those who defend the corporatists because they've achieved the lowest levels of the upper-class. Those pulling in 6 figures who figure themselves to now be part of the "Rich Folks Club" or however they think of it... or maybe have ambitions (or delusions) for themselves to become one of the 1%ers... so they lie, and twist things, and defend the evil-- even though they're (somewhat) getting robbed too-- just to a far lesser degree.


The whole thing really is quite disgusting.



You ever wonder what we could be, where we could be, as a species, if humanity had given up this silliness long ago and were able to work together, in unison? How much further and better off could we be? We'd probably have explored other solar systems explored by now.

reply to post by iwilliam


I would have posted but you stole all the words from my mouth.

Everything you say is dead on.

Obscenities of Capitalism Today

If I may...

Capitalism is a term used to roughly describe a system of free marketing. Like any other system, it is neither good nor bad... it is simply a concept.

Well, like all concepts... such as communism and fascism and any other, it can be abused and one of our species' favorite shortcomings is... greed. In short, any concept can be vulgarized by a few.

The notion of a system that is open and free is good... IMESHO. But again, it can be and is often abused.

My belief is, I guess, that we shouldn't judge any ideal by the actions of a few who take it and then stick a cactus up its tailpipe. All we have to do is grab the steering wheel before someone else comes along... who is either politically obsessed or just as greedy.

Originally posted by TKDRL
reply to post by FyreByrd

 

Think bigger. It is the banks, or more specifically, those who control the banks. Without superbanks, none of those supercompanies would even exist. Antitrust laws mean nothing, when one person can just control many huge businesses from the shadows, under the guise of a bank.

edit on Mon, 15 Jul 2013 09:02:45 -0500 by TKDRL because: (no reason given)

A Bank is a BIG BUSINESS.

Originally posted by redoubt

If I may...

Capitalism is a term used to roughly describe a system of free marketing. Like any other system, it is neither good nor bad... it is simply a concept.

I think you've inadverantly hit on something in regards to so called 'Free' Markets. First, the whole goal of a true capialist is to have leverage/or inside knowledge about any given transaction or trade which means they are not operating in a free market where all parties have the same information.

Adam Smith's "Invisable Hand" requires that all parties have the same knowlege in an exchange and we know that Capitalists don't operate in that fashion. Hence, in my opinion, capitalism has to go because it is a direct cause of lies and deceit throughout not only the economy but our society as a whole.

Second and what caught my eye in your post was your phrasing "Free Marketing". Marketing is Public Relations is Propoganda in service of BIG BUSINESS is to create destortion of peoples knowledge of markets and/or individual transaction therein.

Which brings me to a Frank Zappa quote "Government is the entertainment wing (read PR) of the Military-Industrial Complex."

In a Capitalist model how can it be any other way???

There was another thread I saw yesterday about the repeal of a law that prohibited the Federal Government from broadcasing Propoganda to US poplulations.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

A fine read, deserving of great attention.

Then from another Alternet article, one by James K. Galbraith the renouned economist about the destruction that 'Austerity' policies are causing throughout the world. A small quote a tad out of context but good:

And in particular — and I’m not one to be a booster of the American experience — but we can compare the U.S. and Europe, and we can see that in the U.S., although there are many problems that remain — unemployment, foreclosures, stagnation — the situation is fundamentally stable. It stabilized some time ago, whereas in Europe it has not. The crisis just gets deeper and deeper. Why is that? It is not because the U.S. instituted and followed a policy of rigorous austerity. It is precisely because we did not.

www.alternet.org...

I'm considering another thread based on this article but it does require reading. It's very hard to discuss economics with those without background and raised to worship the free market.

It's time for an economic forum on ATS.

Thank you for your inspiration.

Nice Article and very true.
Sadly, what we have in this country is Corporate Fascism.

We used to pride ourselves on being the most Free Country on the Earth with the most Free and Fair Elections where everyone is represented. Perhaps that was all brainwashing propaganda after all.

We were told that everyone has a vote and stake in who is elected, but we were not told that the Big Corporations and Banks have been selecting for us on who to vote on.

All the Big Government Honcho's go before the Captains of the Industries and Banks (Bilderberg, CFR, etc) before they take their place in the White house.

Originally posted by iwilliam

What can we do, really? I'm sure many people are aware of this phenomenon. But this is a david and goliath situation to the extreme. These big companies and banks have politicians in their pockets. What can anyone really do? Riot? That doesn't seem like it would end well, for anyone involved. (Except for the mega-corps-- who like cats seem to have 9 lives and always seem to land on their feet.)

It's an evolutionary thing. Look at the past which has been ruled by Capitalism and BIG BUSINESS under various guises. The evolution of, let's call it, Socialism is very new - it's a new mutation and struggling for a foothold.

But it is the direction that evolution is going if we wish to survive.

Capitalism is about production for profit. Socialism is about production for use. Two very different organizing principles.

One about exploitation of, well, everything and everyone, the other about effecient care of everything and everyone.

An example that I learned working in aerospace many years ago....

The US Government spent 100s of thousands of dollar (contracts to BIG BUSINESS) to develop a pen that would write in zero (or near - for you nit pickers out there) gavity. The Soviets solved the same problem by using pencils. Which is more efficient? Which is more conservation (in the original meaning of conserving resources and energy)?

Now you bring up the retort of "Job Creation" (see OP article about Apple's job creation). And yes many engineers and support and admin staff were paid to do this. How many hated the work? How many would have worked in a field more meaningful if they could make a living wage with benefits?

I have a friend who is perfectly happy working at a fast food joint. Her son pays the bills (happily too, I might add). How many people might love to do that work for a living wage and benefits?

The jobs undocumented workers take - many would love those jobs for a modest living wage and a social safety net.

My daughter is a nanny and loves it gets a good wage but no sick days, no health care, no Worker's Comp or unemployement. She'll only be able to do what she loves for a short time in this rat race and can only back-stop her so much any longer.

Imagine a world (Star Trek anyone) where you could support yourself and your family doing what you love? Imagine a world where Doctors did the work because they loved the work and not for the paycheck. I know several Doctors who have quit because of paperwork and other bureaucratic nonsense (and no that doesn't mean the governmnet is bad, its BIG BUSINESS that writes the bureaucratic hoops that Governmnet imposes and inrichs BB).

Get back control of the banks, and you'll get back control of the corporations.

Until then, they're all running amok, freely doing as they damn well please, anywhere they damn well want, however way it damn well suits them, worldwide. The cashflow and revenues are no longer staying "in country" and haven't for decades now.

Remember that it was Marx that over simplified and over exemplified and re-defined the meaning of "Capitalism".

All this banking and corporatist agenda has been going full steam since Marx started writing about the whole thing.

What do you think Marx's REAL goals and objectives were anyway ?

The whole 'central bank' thing as we know it today started after Marx 'wrote the book'.

The big international borderless corporations use many 'Marxist' ideas to control populations (employees) and governments (laws). Just read that gem called the "Communist Manifesto" and compare.

Marx supposedly 'disagreed' with Hegel, but just take a close look.

Originally posted by FyreByrd
Thought I'd share a concise, well put-together and sourced article with you this fine Monday morning.

This article supports my on-going contention that it is BIG BUSINESS that is the problem and not government. Government has been corrupted by BIG BUSINESS and no longer is in the employ of WE THE PEOPLE but it is not and never has been the motive cause of inequality and destruction.

www.alternet.org...

At couple of quotes to prime the pump.

Even after 30+ years of free-market failure for the majority of Americans, the business people refused to surrender. Growing inequality had become a certainty. But Goldman Sachs adviser Brian Griffiths [7] explained that "We have to tolerate the inequality as a way to achieve greater prosperity and opportunity for all."

Rand Paul may have been referring to Apple's self-congratulatory claim of 500,000 jobs [14] added to the U.S. economy. But Apple only has 43,000 U.S. employees. It is estimated [15] that the company makes $400,000 profit per employee while paying [16] an average of $12 per hour [17] for its store workers.

Deception, delusion, denial. Capitalists have completed all the steps of their free-market program. Billionaire Kenneth Griffin [30] believes that the wealthy "have an insufficient influence" on politics today. The Chicago Tribune [31] concurs: "What's so terrible about the infusion of so much money into the presidential campaign?......that's not a bug but a feature...it's the sound of democracy."

It's a little like having an obscene gesture thrust in your face.

edit on 15-7-2013 by FyreByrd because: (no reason given)

Raw Capitalism will and always has led to slavery. There is NO dispute in the books.

all the idiots who spout "capitalism" are as usual, not thinking it through. Imagine playing poker and one guy has the lions share of the chips. And every hand he can just raise hugher than anyone can call.. BOOM!!... wins every hand he wants.

That is capitalism

reply to post by FyreByrd

Libertarian minarchists would argue that what we have seen in recent decades was not capitalism, but a form of corporate fascism.

Those obscenities of "capitalism" (including the underlying reasons for the current GFC) could not have happened in a minrachistic capitalist system.


reply to post by tkwasny

Originally posted by tkwasny
Lipstick on a pig.

Exactly.

Originally posted by xuenchen
Remember that it was Marx that over simplified and over exemplified and re-defined the meaning of "Capitalism".

All this banking and corporatist agenda has been going full steam since Marx started writing about the whole thing.

What do you think Marx's REAL goals and objectives were anyway ?

The whole 'central bank' thing as we know it today started after Marx 'wrote the book'.

The big international borderless corporations use many 'Marxist' ideas to control populations (employees) and governments (laws). Just read that gem called the "Communist Manifesto" and compare.

Marx supposedly 'disagreed' with Hegel, but just take a close look.

I would if you could actually source anything less general then "The Book" and Marx. Big Banking interests were around long before Marx - and playing the markets even then - something about tulips as I recall.

Originally posted by HanzHenry


Raw Capitalism will and always has led to slavery. There is NO dispute in the books.

all the idiots who spout "capitalism" are as usual, not thinking it through. Imagine playing poker and one guy has the lions share of the chips. And every hand he can just raise hugher than anyone can call.. BOOM!!... wins every hand he wants.

That is capitalism

Or the board game of Monopoly which was designed to teach people about how Captialism worked during the last great robber baron age.