Monday, June 6, 2011

What is Capitalism?

Capitalist propaganda film from 1948. Notice it's not the free market that gets any credit, but "capitalism", which from its inception has been a state-supported system of private privilege. And notice also that they use some small business owner as their example (which might indeed be a true instance of the free market in operation) and not one of the real hallmarks of the statist capitalist system, the giant corporation.

3 comments:

  1. Great video btw. Really rather enlightening.... xP

    I was also wondering whether you had any posts about freeganism (loosely based or otherwise) or whether you could possibly do a post about freeganism as an anti-capitalist/consumerist movement. I'm trying out freeganism to the extreme for the whole of next week. In fact, I posted about it earlier today. Looking for some motivational material and tips and whatever. Depending on how next week goes, I'm going to see how freegan I can be afterwards, how I can adjust my lifestyle. If you do decide to write a post on freeganism, I would be more than happy to link it on my blog and discuss freeganism in more depth.

    If not, oh well. Continue what you're doing. I do enjoy reading =]

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Erika. I'll see about writing a post, and thanks for the info on your interest in freeganism.

    I'm not so much anti-consumption, however, as I am anti-capitalist. I take joy in consuming things, my argument is more with the hierarchical nature of the economic system we're forced into, rather than with the abundance of modern consumer goods (though I do find much of the stuff companies get people to waste their money on to be ridiculous and a misuse of resources).

    I was going to write a post about dumpster diving (not the whole of "freeganism", of course) once, but didn't get around to it, maybe because I knew I probably wouldn't go out and do it myself.

    I certainly wouldn't be opposed to a discussion on all the aspects of a lifestyle with which I share some common ground, especially in my own views on living outside the rat race of our modern wage-slave society.

    ReplyDelete
  3. My only issues are that it's difficult to escape this kind of society in which we live. The ease of just conforming to it all is.. well... easier.

    I often have this inner war with myself. I oppose this mass consuming kinda lifestyle, which imo goes hand in hand with the whole misinformation of the media, etc. But I just don't know what to do about it in the long run. Other than arm myself with knowledge and read things (like this blog, for example). But when it comes to putting shit into practice, I'm at a loss as to the extent of my realistic capability. I really would like to know the alternatives (preferably cost-effective) as so that I wouldn't feel like such a hypocrite all the time. But how exactly do you break out of the box whilst still being able to continue comfortably with your life?

    ReplyDelete

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