I happened onto your blog by your Paul Ryan post. Interesting. Naïve but interesting. Full disclosure: I’m in the banking business and I do well for myself. Full disclosure: I see the real world better than you academics tucked away in your classrooms and offices.
Here’s the scoop: the world operates through capital. If you have it, it works for you and you can influence people. If you don’t have it you’re out of luck. You have no real power. While you complain and gripe (even whine) about how it is so unfair that the rich are rich, that Republicans favor capitalism [and many Democrats do too], and that “the poor and needy” aren’t taken care of more, that is how the world works.
During Obama’s 2008 campaign, he rallied the idealists to chant that “Yes we can” find the means to help everyone and reign in financial spreadsheets of the big bad corporations. That was a lie. All of that rhetoric is a lie because everyone in Washington and in corporate America know that the engine keeping America afloat is business. Without business there is no America. America = business.
Let me say this another way, you need Republicans to keep making the decisions for big business. We need to have the Bush tax cuts extended permanently. If you spook the corporations and the CEOs, you are only hurting yourself. They are who really lead this country. They have always led this country. If you make them mad or slow down their capital, you will feel the effects and you will not like it. Your ethics really have no place in politics. Politics is and has always been about keeping capital flowing and growing. Social programs don’t really have a place in all this but one must keep appearances since there would be a public outcry.
If Ayn Rand praises the producers of the country that is the right view to hold. They should be the ones making the decisions for us because they hold all the cards. Money does talk and money does rule.
Republicans do what Jesus couldn’t do and we should be grateful. If Jesus became president, financial America would collapse along with everything else.
-an onlooker
Right... The Republicans did such a bang up great job between 2000 and 2008. The economy collapsed and the were oblivious to it.
ReplyDeleteI think you are part of the problem. The more people who think in unhuman ways, the more we become an unhuman world. If life is nothing more than the cyclical path of capital and money, kill me now. I choose to believe in something more for humanity. Why don't you?
ReplyDeleteVery comfy in your illusions of power and importance?
ReplyDeleteAmerica=people
Without people there is no America.
Check back in a generation or 2 and see what capitalism does. Is it like a job with endless potential for growth and promotions, or is it like working at Mcdonalds and thinking that some day you'll probably own the place? Money is great when the markets function, when people believe that there's something worth buying, but when the natural balance of the environment becomes unlivable, that all will collapse. All the lies and self indulgent reasoning in the world aren't going to turn sand into food, or return life to the oceans. We all will be but a memory... if there were someone left to remember...
What did I expect? Look. If you have money you can change the world. Nice ideas don't work anymore. Look at Obama. Where did all his nice ideas go? Money. He's become a very good friend of Wall St. and we really appreciate it. Republicans are better friends than Democrats and we appreciate them more. Have you taken a good look at whose in power over here in Washington? The beltway is packed with the elite. They got there because they had money. Money talks. Money rules. You either accept that or whine about your little ideas. Ideas are nothing without the right kind of financial support. Look at your Scott Walker. Do you think he got there without a trove of money?
ReplyDeleteIt may be hard for many of you to accept that money and capital are the engines of America. But real change comes with real dollars. Speak with money or whine in your little offices and dorm rooms.
So what happens when America caves in on itself? I mean, I think we're on the path to self-destruction... this capitalistic game we're running I feel can't last forever. I believe eventually, given the way this country runs, we're going to drill ourselves into a pit that we can't climb out of. This country's values as a capitalistic whole are stuck in things that don't help humanity, ease suffering, or accommodate peace. America doesn't value nature, family, or life. America values money, convenience, service (because America is lazy), the hottest celebrities, nice cars and large televisions. America doesn't value ideas. America doesn't value real friendship, intellect, honesty, health, or compassion. Sooner or later, something will happen in this country where people won't be able to depend on their wealth, where money won't have the value it does, and people will have to look to other people for something to love. And Mr. Banker, you certainly are part of the problem as ANON 9:23 said, because (and this is my best guess) it was money you sought.
ReplyDeleteLOL. This post was actually pretty funny. Money is the new religion! We went from a world where we get value from the word of god to a world where we get value from the pursuit and obtainment of money. (Neither ideology truly understands what value is.) To follow anything so superficial with such vigor is absolutely beyond pointless. I honestly feel sorry for the person who wrote this piece. Of course, the writer does have some truths, but the problem is he/she sees these truths as positive, and I see them as negative.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm pissed at how politicians have convinced us we should be afraid of losing the favor of corporations. It just goes to show what terrified little pussies politicians actually are in the face of corporate sponsors. I'd like to take it back to when politicians were afraid of getting branded, tarred and feathered if they didn't do what their constituents wanted.
Value from the word of God? Oh please. It has always been about money. Don't feel sorry for me. Feel sorry for yourself for not understanding the way the world works. Every nation works on money. Those who have the money run the country. Those who do not have the money always complain about not having the money. And then they make up these silly ideas to make them feel like they are taking the higher ground and have the right to complain. They make up things like democracy, values, nature, helping everyone, and lifting up all for the good of all. Then they use these made up ideas to whine against those in power. It's like making up the rules as you go and slapping someone on the wrist for not following the rules. Very silly. But the rules have already been set. Money and capital are the only rules. Our political and justice systems are only smoke and mirrors to mask these rules. Republicans are better at playing by these rules than Democrats are.
ReplyDeleteI feel sorry that you are not aware of all this. You may say that I am part of the problem but there is no problem. There is just how things work. The real question is whether you will play the game or opt out. If you hold onto your silly ideas you opt out. If you accept that this is how the world works since we started having nations then maybe you can start doing something. And the way to start doing something is to vote for our corporations to keep doing what they are doing with as few regulations as possible so that America can keep being a super power. That is in all our best interests.
I do find it funny that all you can do is say that I am part of the problem without giving me a "reasoned rant". Since this blog is supposed to be about reasons I would have thought you would try to prove me wrong instead of just saying that I am wrong. There is a difference and that probably shows why you have a hard time understanding political realities.
Well, let me prove you wrong. First, you don't have a clue to how the world works if you think that it works only on money. I suggest that you do some serious reading in the history of capitalism and imperialism and learn the origin of wealth or capital accumulation. Wealth was stolen via slave trade, colonial wars and theft. It is you who need to learn more about political realities not the students at Whitewater.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, ANON 4:36. As for you ANON 3:08, I see what you mean, but you bore me with your "that's just the way things are and it's a pity you can't see that" attitude. This tells me you are a closed minded individual who has very little, if any hope, for the rest of the world. Why are you OK with the fact that money runs the world? Clearly you seem to like the game, as you have figured out how to play by the rules and "win". So, you see nothing detrimental about your actions, and you choose to invalidate other points of view by calling things like democracy, nature, and peace a silly idea. Well hey, this just in - the people that run the world right now eventually DIE and there are new generations to come, which means a possibility for CHANGE (God forbid you ever think about CHANGE!). So, before you go raising your kids or teaching future generations in any way, telling them "this is how things are and always will be, so you might as well just go along with it", I would like to make sure they have plenty of cotton readily available to plug their little ears with, because your rigid, one way thinking, and overall idea of life is sad, and like a disease that isn't realized until one reaches his/her deathbed. Here's my advice - get a grip, and lose your grip. Take some acid, think abstractly, open up, loosen up, cry, jump for joy, LOVE. Stop mocking us idealists, us hopefuls, and put aside your grim, stony take on the world. It's not all that cold and concrete, sir.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that whenever I look back on this blog post that there are more non-arguments presented against what I said. What is so hard for you people to understand? If you actually understood what capitalism and imperialism are you would understand that they are other names for money and power. Who cares where the wealth came from. It is here now and it is what drives everything. To have money is to have power. If the money came from somewhere illegitimately that has nothing to do with what the money can do now. We are talking about political "reality" not political "history".
ReplyDeleteAs for the last comment, yes I am comfortable with my view. I see it all around me. It would be like denying that I breathe air. And as I breathe air quite, I can play the money game quite well. You train yourself. You learn the rules of funding the right projects, candidates, marketing campaigns, and deals. You keep the wheels greased and the love comes back. You can hope all you want that some new guard of "idealists" will come to power when the old guard dies, but the old guard won't die. How old is America now? Many generations have passed and the wheels of capitalism still roll.
Why do you think I'm stodgy? That's like telling a Laker that he's stodgy for continuing to play by the set basketball rules. Basketball is basketball. You learn how to play by the rules. Politics is politics. You learn how to play by the rules. And the rules in politics is money/capitalism. If you don't want to play the game, don't tell me that I am afraid of change because I do play the game.
But with all these comments I still don't see any argument against me. Again there's a lot of telling me that I am wrong without much reason why I actually am wrong. Clinging onto old ideals and telling me that I am not holding onto them doesn't make for an argument.
Ok Anon 6:46. It's not that I'd like to say you're "wrong". It's that I'd like to say build your perspective, man.
ReplyDeleteJust a few things...
I find it interesting how loosely you use the word "love" in your post. Is money love?
I also find it interesting how sure you are that things don't change, that nations don't collapse, that progressions don't happen, just because things have stayed the same for "many generations" in your eyes.
Why do you think as though civilizations don't come and go? Why do you think that just because America has been here since you and a few of your forefathers have, that must mean that's the way things will always continue? You are so stuck in your own world it's almost hilarious. You have no conception whatsoever of how long humans may continue to live on this planet, and how much of an impact the youngest generations can have on the outcome of the future. How can you say for a fact that "the old guard won't die"???? Every nation falls apart sometime, and my guess is that America has nearly had her run. Capitalism likewise, may be near it's end. Corporations don't necessarily have to run the lives of individuals forever. I think the only reason you're OK with your life being run is the "love" you get in return.