This world is being handed over to a few hundred billionaires and transnational predatory corporations gorging themselves in an economic bloodfeast that leaves hundreds of millions billions dead or damaged. Yet many of those people-- people who go bankrupt because of health care expenses, people who will live their lives burdened by student debt, who face no realistic hopes for a decent job, whose children face even bleaker futures, who are living shallow, meaningless lives focused on consumption of crass, worthless things with brand names, who are eating foods that are beyond unhealthy, to the extent that they reduce lifespan, increase risks of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and inability to resist infections-- continue to vote for corporatist politicians in both major parties in the US, or abroad who vote against their best interests.
The question is "why?"
I believe it's because people are living in a story narrative that has them convinced that it's the best thing for them and their families. So my question is, "What are the lies, the deceptions and illusions that keep these billions of people complacent, accepting this unjust situation, even supporting and advocating for it."
I'll throw out a couple of guesses, but I'm hoping that the best answers will be in the comments from Becker, Pear, Schwartz, Kaiser, Hall, Ramani, Penisten, Arnold, Walker, Tremlett, intotheabyss, Wight, Roll, Tell, E. J. N., Geery, Sanchez, Repstock, Baker, Butler, Vierotchka, Stryker, cruz, Schreiner, Herendeen, Reichel, Palsimon, Collins, Duveen, Quandy, Srodes, farris, BFalcon, MacDonald, to name a few, and even from Bill Johnson, Braverman and Doc McCoy and anyone else.
So, here are some of my guesses on the lies and delusions that keep billionaires, psychopaths and predatory capitalism in power:
1-"Individualism is an American value." Ok, so, we do have a history of people like Daniel Boone make that Davey Crockett (thanks Chucky Jesus for the correction)-- rugged individuals-- but Boone sacrificed his life for a bigger picture. It is noble to be an individual, yet stand up for and fight for the rights of others and for the community. The individualism we see celebrated today is the selfish, narcissistic kind that Ayn Rand-- a disgusting person who preached the worst values-- encouraged. Individual expression and independence can be great. I pride myself on not being a part of the mindless crowd. But it is possible, no, essential that individualism not come at the price of justice and fairness for the people and the commons. Individualism must be alloyed with kindness, empathy and a keen desire for justice.
2- "Consumption and increasing production are essential to a healthy future." This is a malignant, cancerous idea that afflicts the minds of most economists and far too many consumers. As I've grown older, and I think wiser, I've found that I need less and less things to be happy. Before I turned 50 I used to love to peruse catalogues and products. What a waste. Yet so many include acquisition as one of the their primary values.
3- "Bigger is better." That's mostly true for the biggest, but not the rest of us, as I've explored in my article series Small is Better than Big.
4- "Protecting the Wealthy protects my possible future." Supporting legislators who pass bills that protect billionaires because you think you will become wealthy is one of the worst fantasy/delusions. Take the elimination of the estate tax, for example. Currently, the estate tax exempts the first five or ten million for a family. That means it covers probably 98% of the population, yet a huge percentage, particularly of people who have estates under $100,000, will vote for legislators giving welfare to millionaires and billionaires.
5- "Regulations are bad, against freedom." There is a price for freedom. That price includes rules, laws, regulations and responsibilities. Freedom that fails to consider the needs of the people, of the ecosystem is self-centered, likely predatory and not deserving. It is also likely to be very short-lived. The inhabitants of Easter Island used up all the trees on the island because they could-- and then the culture died. Nature exists because of "regulations," like pH (acidity) and many different biological balances. it is wise to learn from mother nature. People and corporations who/which resist regulations are really thieves in disguise, hoping to evade responsibilities and externality costs that they want others to pay. When you see a company or politician decrying regulations, you see a thief or someone who advocates for a thief.
6- "The system can't be changed." So many people have become victims of oppression, living with authoritarian mindsets that keep them cowed and thoroughly dominated by an oppressive system that is concentrating power into fewer and fewer hands of wealthier and more powerful people and corporations. The system can be changed. it is ripe for change. People must wake up, come together via grass-roots, bottom-up movements, values and risings of consciousness, through education and empowerment, and they will replace the current rotten, corrupt system, as powerful as it seems, with something healthier, more just and fair. It has been done before. It is inevitable. When we change the system, it will bring about all kinds of changes that we've been wanting. But it takes waking people up.
That's a start. What do you think? What are some of the lies and delusion you see as keeping people voting against their own best interests?
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