30 November 2013
21 November 2013
Citizen Sofa's statement on "World Filosofy Day"!
On UNESCO World Filosofy Day - as a professed filosofer - and I have no idea what one is - I would like people to perhaps consider how differently it was regarded during periods of the past.
It certainly was not just a difficult, remote, technical, irrelevant academic school and university subject!...
It was a often a part of everyday life for many ordinary people!
It was seen as something to help people in general continue to live and deal with the human conidition!
TAKE PLATO NOT POISON!
www.loumarinoff.com
It certainly was not just a difficult, remote, technical, irrelevant academic school and university subject!...
It was a often a part of everyday life for many ordinary people!
It was seen as something to help people in general continue to live and deal with the human conidition!
TAKE PLATO NOT POISON!
www.loumarinoff.com
20 November 2013
18 November 2013
Franciscanism as a response to the beginnings of capitalism.
This is a "ramble" on the subject of Franciscanism and its role as a reaction against the beginnings of capitalism in the 1300s.
I am constantly evolving, editing and improving the ramble itself as I write this. It is similar to the way that I used to compose essays at university. And it is facilitated by computer technology. Please bear with me and enjoy it!
One reason for the evolution of Franciscanism in Northern Italy and the rest of Western Europe, was that it was a response to the beginnings of mercantile capitalism in the 1300s.
As feudalism evolved towards its inevitable end, the Franciscan emphasis on Christian poverty was part of a reaction against the excesses of what could be seen to be coming to replace it - capitalism and the rule of money!
Hopefully, the anti-capitalist strand in Chrisitianity - and in its various movements including Franciscanism and monasticism in general - can help us gain insights into what we should "do instead" as full blown capitalism also inevitably unravels. Or evolves into something more friendly to humans and our world.
What do I mean by capitalism?
The rule of money and wealth. The belief in constant consumption and cosumerism. The belief in Wage Slavery.
The belief that everything must "make a profit" or perish. The belief that humans must "earn their keep" or perish!
A belief that it is acceptable to run a society according to the principle that individuals should "look after No.1" and take care of themsevles as individuals, having no concern for the collectivity.
These tenets are not moral. Even atheists would not consider these as moral bases for a society!
A blast from the past! A blast of wisdom!
These are the kinds of beliefs and principles that make Cristianity and capitalism clearly very incompatible.
The USA - a very Cristian place - in profession and in reality - rightly gives people their individual freedom and then they can chose to "love their fellow" as they see fit. Or not - as the case may be.
Governments should never and can never enforce religious belief or practice
Neither should a government necessarily enforce a socio-economic system!
And this is why I tend towards some kind of anarchism - as do so many Americans!
(I like the United States of America by the way! The greatest Republic in the world!
And yes you are all stars come what may! And I hope you don't receive too many extra stripes!)
Franciscans in the 1300s renounced money and property completely - if they aren't the same thing.
This was in accordance with the Gospel - as they saw it.
There were disputations as to the extent to which such renunciation should be compromised by the practicalities of life. These disputations are characterized fictitiously in the novel "In the Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco.
Our disputations today should not necessarily focus on the total principled renunciation of money and property, and the like. These are not necessarily necessary or feasible!
Indeed people don't discuss such ideas. It is extremely rare to hear such things discussed.
But still capitalism is very much in need of radical reappraisal in so many ways. The Christian anti-capitalist perspective is very much needed in this!
So as our capitalist civilisation necessarily unravels we can take some clues as to what to replace it with from the reaction to it at the place and time where it emerged - medieval Italy,
PAX ET BONUM! (Peace and Good!)
I am constantly evolving, editing and improving the ramble itself as I write this. It is similar to the way that I used to compose essays at university. And it is facilitated by computer technology. Please bear with me and enjoy it!
One reason for the evolution of Franciscanism in Northern Italy and the rest of Western Europe, was that it was a response to the beginnings of mercantile capitalism in the 1300s.
As feudalism evolved towards its inevitable end, the Franciscan emphasis on Christian poverty was part of a reaction against the excesses of what could be seen to be coming to replace it - capitalism and the rule of money!
Hopefully, the anti-capitalist strand in Chrisitianity - and in its various movements including Franciscanism and monasticism in general - can help us gain insights into what we should "do instead" as full blown capitalism also inevitably unravels. Or evolves into something more friendly to humans and our world.
What do I mean by capitalism?
The rule of money and wealth. The belief in constant consumption and cosumerism. The belief in Wage Slavery.
The belief that everything must "make a profit" or perish. The belief that humans must "earn their keep" or perish!
A belief that it is acceptable to run a society according to the principle that individuals should "look after No.1" and take care of themsevles as individuals, having no concern for the collectivity.
These tenets are not moral. Even atheists would not consider these as moral bases for a society!
A blast from the past! A blast of wisdom!
These are the kinds of beliefs and principles that make Cristianity and capitalism clearly very incompatible.
The USA - a very Cristian place - in profession and in reality - rightly gives people their individual freedom and then they can chose to "love their fellow" as they see fit. Or not - as the case may be.
Governments should never and can never enforce religious belief or practice
Neither should a government necessarily enforce a socio-economic system!
And this is why I tend towards some kind of anarchism - as do so many Americans!
(I like the United States of America by the way! The greatest Republic in the world!
And yes you are all stars come what may! And I hope you don't receive too many extra stripes!)
Franciscans in the 1300s renounced money and property completely - if they aren't the same thing.
This was in accordance with the Gospel - as they saw it.
There were disputations as to the extent to which such renunciation should be compromised by the practicalities of life. These disputations are characterized fictitiously in the novel "In the Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco.
Our disputations today should not necessarily focus on the total principled renunciation of money and property, and the like. These are not necessarily necessary or feasible!
Indeed people don't discuss such ideas. It is extremely rare to hear such things discussed.
But still capitalism is very much in need of radical reappraisal in so many ways. The Christian anti-capitalist perspective is very much needed in this!
So as our capitalist civilisation necessarily unravels we can take some clues as to what to replace it with from the reaction to it at the place and time where it emerged - medieval Italy,
PAX ET BONUM! (Peace and Good!)
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