Sunday 15th October 2006
The one key idea that is a mistake, yet which still rules our society is that life is a competition. That the guiding principle is survival of the fittest, that there is no such thing as a free lunch, that the world owes no one a living, that you have to look after number one, that this is the self-preservation society, that you have to do what everyone else does and try to make your way in the world, that it cannot be any other way.
That you have to get a job, get a profession, risk all in business ventures.
That everyone has to earn a living.The idea that life is a competition pervades our life in every possible way. It is basically the same idea that Hitler believed in. It is the foundation principle of European and American capitalism. It is the basic law of our life. It is also a mistake and a lie.
The idea is a mistake and a very costly one. The idea that life is just a competition is not just morally wrong; it is also economically impractical and unsustainable. The cost of the idea in human, environmental and economic terms is massive. It needs to be replaced with another older and far more enduring idea, an idea that was natural to our species for most of its existence. It is the idea that life is to some degree sharing, co-operation, altruism, community; that society can provide and does owe us as a community at least our basic needs.......
To be continued.
The one key idea that is a mistake, yet which still rules our society is that life is a competition. That the guiding principle is survival of the fittest, that there is no such thing as a free lunch, that the world owes no one a living, that you have to look after number one, that this is the self-preservation society, that you have to do what everyone else does and try to make your way in the world, that it cannot be any other way.
That you have to get a job, get a profession, risk all in business ventures.
That everyone has to earn a living.The idea that life is a competition pervades our life in every possible way. It is basically the same idea that Hitler believed in. It is the foundation principle of European and American capitalism. It is the basic law of our life. It is also a mistake and a lie.
The idea is a mistake and a very costly one. The idea that life is just a competition is not just morally wrong; it is also economically impractical and unsustainable. The cost of the idea in human, environmental and economic terms is massive. It needs to be replaced with another older and far more enduring idea, an idea that was natural to our species for most of its existence. It is the idea that life is to some degree sharing, co-operation, altruism, community; that society can provide and does owe us as a community at least our basic needs.......
To be continued.