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Is Selfish Capitalism Driving Us Mad?


Bob26003

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Is Selfish Capitalism Driving Us Mad?

By Oliver James, Comment Is Free. Posted January 3, 2008.

The growth in greedy consumerism over the past 20 years is taking a heavy toll on the mental health of English-speaking nations

By far the most significant consequence of "selfish capitalism" (Thatch/Blatcherism) has been a startling increase in the incidence of mental illness in both children and adults since the 1970s. As I report in my book, The Selfish Capitalist -- Origins of Affluenza, World Health Organization and nationally representative studies in the United States, Britain and Australia, reveal that it almost doubled between the early 80s and the turn of the century. These increases are very unlikely to be due to greater preparedness to acknowledge distress -- the psychobabbling therapy culture was already established.

Add to this the astonishing fact that citizens of Selfish Capitalist, English-speaking nations (which tend to be one and the same) are twice as likely to suffer mental illness as those from mainland western Europe, which is largely Unselfish Capitalist in its political economy. An average 23% of Americans, Britons, Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians suffered in the last 12 months, but only 11.5% of Germans, Italians, French, Belgians, Spaniards and Dutch. The message could not be clearer. Selfish Capitalism, much more than genes, is extremely bad for your mental health. But why is it so toxic?

Readers of this newspaper will need little reminding that Selfish Capitalism has massively increased the wealth of the wealthy, robbing the average earner to give to the rich. There was no "trickle-down effect" after all.

The real wage of the average English-speaking person has remained the same - or, in the case of the US, decreased - since the 1970s. By more than halving the taxes of the richest and transferring the burden to the general population, Margaret Thatcher reinstated the rich's capital wealth after three postwar decades in which they had steadily become poorer.

Although I risk you glazing over at these statistics, it's worth remembering that the top 1% of British earners have doubled their share of the national income since 1982, from 6.5% to 13%, FTSE 100 chief executives now earning 133 times more than the average wage (against 20 times in 1980); and under Brown's chancellorship the richest 0.3% nobbled over half of all liquid assets (cash, instantly accessible income), increasing their share by 79% during the last five years.

Continues.......... http://www.alternet.org/workplace/72496/

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Likelyness to suffer a mental illness has doubled in the last twenty years because the amount of mental illnesses to suffer from has doubled in the last twenty years. Many of which are laughable to think of as real.

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Shellfish are capitalists???

:lol: No silly...He's talking about the Evil Capitalist Fishermen who go out and Kidnap Shellfish right out of their very own homes and make them slaves to the Capitalistic Shellfish Eating Industry!

Some people think that Capitalism is Evil...they really do...I know it's hard to believe, but it is true. I think much of it comes from a lack of knowledge on the subject of Economics. We are always hearing about the Evil Corporations...and how the CEOs get paid millions and millions of dollars while the poor bastuds doing all the work get the shaft. It is just ignorance on how the economic system works.

Another reason is the constant demonization of the rich...or rather, the 'perceived rich'. Interesting how the Hollywood Elite and the Congressional Billionaires are always left out of the demonization efforts. The pitting of the haves against the have nots is not new, but it is still revolting. In a country where ANYONE can go out and make it if they want to bad enough...riches are at hand for most. What would you who think Capitalism is so bad do if suddenly the Corporations like MicroSoft and Apple and Intel and Sony stopped making the products they make? What would you think if suddenly the corporations that supply Oranges, Apples, Milk and everything else you so eagerly consume on a daily basis stopped producing that for you? What would you think if the Oil Producing Corps suddenly stopped supplying gas for your cars and for heating your homes? Where would you live if Corporations didn't build your homes?

Greed is the twin sister of Envy....and little of it comes from the rich, or the Corporations.

And the mere idea that Corporate Greed is the reason for mental illness is totally absurd....and yet...so many just lap it up. It is an amazing world is it not?

Edited by joc
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The message of western capitalism is simple... 'Greed is good' and that's it..

There's nothing at the top of the hill... except more and more and more and more of what you didn't really need in the first place.

The rest is just 'survival' but as an ideal... it's pretty weak but seems a good motivator for a lot of people.. er because there's a lot of greedy shallow people around.

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Well, in all honestly I think capitalism breeds "evil" when its left to run a muk. When profit becomes the only ambition, the door gets kicked open and ethics are given the boot.

In response to you question about what would happe if "corporations" stopped producing "Oranges, Apples, Milk and oil" (compatible software is likely another question), it would likey return to the (rather efficient) small buisness system we had 70 years ago.

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Add to this the astonishing fact that citizens of Selfish Capitalist, English-speaking nations (which tend to be one and the same) are twice as likely to suffer mental illness as those from mainland western Europe, which is largely Unselfish Capitalist in its political economy.

What's the difference between these terms "selfish capitalism" and "unselfish capitalism"?

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I believe Bill Gates has donated around 30 BILLION dollars of his own money to charity. That is about 40% of his total income that goes to charity, he can't be that bad of a guy. I like my Xbox 360 and I like my Windows (Maybe not Vista at the moment, but it will improve....). Without our horrible corporations we would not have such things, and such things would not be able to be so widespread. Without cororations we would advance much slower.

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What's the difference between these terms "selfish capitalism" and "unselfish capitalism"?

I believe "unselfish capitalism" is when the meat has allready been removed from the shell.

:lol: ok, it was never that funny........

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Capitalists selfish? That's just not possible. Is capitalism not driven and successful due to greed and selfishness? You work so you get paid so you can provide yourself and your own family your needs and wants. It's not necessarily a bad thing, it's what motivates us and what keeps the system running.

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I believe "unselfish capitalism" is when the meat has allready been removed from the shell.

:lol: ok, it was never that funny........

yes it was....

The message of western capitalism is simple... 'Greed is good' and that's it..

I totally disagree. The message of Western Capitalism is...I can achieve a better lifestyle for my family than they might otherwise have. It isn't greed that drives me to work hard to provide the best I can for my family. As I said earlier...Greed is a twin sister of Envy...you just don't find those two operating alone apart from one another.

Well, in all honestly I think capitalism breeds "evil" when its left to run a muk. When profit becomes the only ambition, the door gets kicked open and ethics are given the boot.

In response to you question about what would happe if "corporations" stopped producing "Oranges, Apples, Milk and oil" (compatible software is likely another question), it would likey return to the (rather efficient) small buisness system we had 70 years ago.

I have to disagree with you also...capitalism doesn't breed evil...Greed breeds evil. Dealing drugs on the street and shooting your competition is not capitalism. Capitalism is having an idea and promoting that idea to the point where it makes a profit. How does that breed evil?

Who's Mom and Pop is going to fly to Australia and bring back Oranges when Mom's orange grove in Florida is wiped out by a hurricane? Who's Pop is going to distribute millions of computers nationwide for mass consumption? See, the thing about all that Mom and Pop jazz is this: Mom and Pop grew into major corporations. Mom and Pop of seventy years ago ARE the major corporations. If Mom and Pop were forced to start anew...it would all end up the same.

It is important to remember that a corporation is beholden to it's stockholders ONLY! It isn't about 'greed' per say, it is about doing what is going to be best for the stockholders.

Edited by joc
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I believe Bill Gates has donated around 30 BILLION dollars of his own money to charity. That is about 40% of his total income that goes to charity, he can't be that bad of a guy.

Well, the internet was created by the US military.. but I take your point and yes, Bill Gates was a visionary, he wanted to create the world in his image and it worked; he's turned us all into NERDS. All of us.. that means you... you....and him reading this post over there. :huh:

The internet is great invention but let's face it, most people use it for porn. So, Bill Gates is really nothing more than your average street pimp!

Peddling his virus-up'ed porn for cash, laughing his sick little head off while his fat glasses steam up! :angry:

er sorry about that.. sounded better in my head. :blush:

Edited by Billy of the Hill
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I have to disagree with you also...capitalism doesn't breed evil...Greed breeds evil. Dealing drugs on the street and shooting your competition is not capitalism. Capitalism is having an idea and promoting that idea to the point where it makes a profit. How does that breed evil?

Well, I don't think capitalism is something which is inherently evil. However, take a look at the De Beers corporation. They had an idea, that diamonds should exalted by the pubic, ("Capitalism is having an idea and promoting that idea to the point where it makes a profit") and created a monoply of the market and give then free reign to set the prices as they like (nice profit eh?). The effects of this "promotion" has created and fueled the suffering and oppresion of untold people. I suggest that is infact evil.

http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/a...view/index.html

Who's Mom and Pop is going to fly to Australia and bring back Oranges when Mom's orange grove in Florida is wiped out by a hurricane? Who's Pop is going to distribute millions of computers nationwide for mass consumption? See, the thing about all that Mom and Pop jazz is this: Mom and Pop grew into major corporations. Mom and Pop of seventy years ago ARE the major corporations. If Mom and Pop were forced to start anew...it would all end up the same.

It is important to remember that a corporation is beholden to it's stockholders ONLY! It isn't about 'greed' per say, it is about doing what is going to be best for the stockholders.

You are dead right about that. And I dont want to claim everyone who invests in a corporation is "greedy", yet I do think its all profit driven. I also don't think there are any real corporations which are "mom and pop" organizations nor is that really what I meant by small buisness. In response to you question about "Who's Mom and Pop is going to fly to Australia and bring back Oranges when Mom's orange grove in Florida is wiped out", who is going to supply us with affordable food if there is a golbal up-set or the price of oil goes through the roof? Forget about the small farmers, they have all been squeezed out.

I am not sure if the context of your question points to the failure of a mom and pop buisness or the effects it would have on those who depend on it. In the buiness context, nothing has done more to shut mom and pop down than big buisness. In the context of the local effects, all the dependance on international reliance (of food supply) has done is to position us for a larger failure.

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Well, the internet was created by the US military.. but I take your point and yes, Bill Gates was a visionary, he wanted to create the world in his image and it worked; he's turned us all into NERDS. All of us.. that means you... you....and him reading this post over there. :huh:

The internet is great invention but let's face it, most people use it for porn. So, Bill Gates is really nothing more than your average street pimp!

Peddling his virus-up'ed porn for cash, laughing his sick little head off while his fat glasses steam up! :angry:

er sorry about that.. sounded better in my head. :blush:

Oh Oh... I work for the guy... crap... I'm a code whore :hmm: and why aren't we allowed to watch porn at work? Huh? I feel so cheap and used. :P

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I totally disagree. The message of Western Capitalism is...I can achieve a better lifestyle for my family than they might otherwise have. It isn't greed that drives me to work hard to provide the best I can for my family. As I said earlier...Greed is a twin sister of Envy...you just don't find those two operating alone apart from one another.

Well, envy is another base emotion, like greed which is needed for the system to work. The whole advertising world is dependant upon envy.

But imo it never leads to happiness. For example, Are you envious of anyone?

Because, those they are envious I don't think, will ever be satisfied; it's neverending, there'll always be someone to be envious of.

The amount of self-deluded people I've met, who genuinely believe people are envious of them is staggering.

Like, the old man having a mid-life crisis driving his Lamborghini. "Yeah Baby I've still got it"

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RWE (N-Power) is a corporation recently mentioned alot in the UK news.

They've just decided to raise the cost of electricity and gas by 17% A move which will cause untold misery to thousands of people; especially the poor and the elderly. I'm sure the other big energy corporations will soon follow their 'lead.'

Yet strangely...their profits have been steady increasing.

linked-image

Also interesting to note, in just five years, they've downsized their staff from 131 765 to 68 534.

since October 2007 Dr. Juergen Grossmann is the new CEO of RWE.

linked-image

linked-image

Does anyone here envy or aspire to be like him?

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Gordon Gekko: Greed is good.

The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you very much.

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since October 2007 Dr. Juergen Grossmann is the new CEO of RWE.

linked-image

linked-image

He looks like Aric Baldwiiiin in that Fun with Dick and Jane film

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But here's the thing -- Capitalism isn't inherently evil -- but evil can infect capitalism. Capitalism is also obviously good in many if not most ways.

Except -- here's a larger point -- I think capitalism is beganning to reach a historic crisis point, and must soon crumble, or transform into something else.

The reason that capitalism cannot be sustained in it's present form is that it is working in a closed system.

Capitalism is like a shark -- it must constanty swim and move forward, or it suffocates. If a coporation does not constantly grow, it will die. But the earth is finite. Consumers are finite. The amount of waste capitalism produces will reach a limit of our abilityt to deal with it.

When you look at history, every dominant economic arrangement eventually crumbles and gets replaced by something else. Take fuedalism, for example. What broke the back of the fuedalist system? Two things -- the black plague which decimated the labor supply of Europe. Suddenly, without enough feudal "slaves" to provide labor, the fuedal lords had to start granting more freedom to forces of labor.

The second thing which destroyed fuedalism was science and the Age of Exploration and colonialism. This led to the next major dominant system -- which was mercantlism. When you think about it, mercantilism was a crude form of capitalism.

But eventually mercantalism had to crumble too when it reached a crisis point. That crisis was the rebellion of the colonies and when new ideas of individual liberty and freedom were developed, which was best represented by American revolution.

So now we have had capitalism for about 200 years -- but like feudalism and mercantilism, it's is beginning to reach it's logical point of maximum effectiveness -- and will soon need to be replaced by something else.

The trouble is, those transformations are always very painful periods -- like the birth of a new child is always painful. So I think we are seeing the logical limits of capitalism on our planet -- we can't let the planet be eaten alive by run-away consumerism, which capitalism must have to feed itself. We are in a finite, closed system -- unless we can expand into space and start mining the asteroids, etc. But even that won't do it for long.

So the question is -- what's the next great economic paradigm, and how can we bring it about with minimal pain?

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