Unless you become more watchful in your States and check this spirit of monopoly and thirst for exclusive privileges you will in the end find that the most important powers of Government have been given or bartered away, and the control of your dearest interests have been passed into the hands of these corporations.” -President Andrew Jackson, Farewell Address, March 4, 1837 (2)
Telling is not training.
Talking to Christine Hooker Sisul, eyeing a giant Irish flag, I had the vision of 1930s Germans cheering the Nazi flag. The snow, which I had seriously mistaken for ash from a BBQ pit earlier, became the snow ash from Schindler’s List. I wonder what we believe today will become embarrassing, taboo, or laughable in the future.
I thought: a monied economy… I don’t claim this thought, however. Hans has identified that Liberal capitalism is the most fit. It also won’t help me make financial progress to rage against the machine.
5 million bucks for a Shakespeare book. I’m going to keep it simple when I say that our monied economy is disordered.
This person could be lead through a path to see that that money for this old book could be used for better things. I assume here that we take certain truths to be unalienable and obvious.
The unrecognized problem is that money is not a fair measure of value since different people have different amounts. Let’s say two persons value something at 10% of their potential to value. That 10% has way too much variance in this world. So-and-so’s 10% value is different than someone else’s. That’s fair only if so-and-so has performed, has merited the unequal distribution through a more honest measure than today.
The solution I propose is a focus on equal opportunity from birth. A “human experience” more uniform and fair than the diverse possiblitites currently available.
The dream seems to include communal raising of our children, like school, only hopefully vastly improved and effective. The dream includes common sense achievement of humanitarian goals and standards.
I agree with Hans that we must rethink our ideas of equality. We are not equal on many levels. This needs to be recognized by “society.” We should have equal chances to excel in our common pusuit of human advancement. Human advancement can be specified and measured, yet it is not… not in the way I want at least.
Capacity to meditate perhaps can be measured with a clock or brain imaging. People who can demonstrate particular capacities or histories are rewarded with new freedoms, new choices, better housing.
Help me refine this manifesto, constitution.
Here’s another phase to behold– Marketing has started to address customers as individuals again. More and more this will become the norm : see ClueTrain manifesto.
An economic theory will emerge that reconciles the conflict between money as a measure of universal value doesn’t address the relative nature of each pocketbook.
It’ll be as simple as every child born with the same opportunities.
And if you can see how different that’ll be, you can see how difficult those changes will have to be.
At De La Salle, we utilize the ADA to “level the playing field.” On a sidenote, Christie’s use of this phrase to my eighth grades was over their heads. I know because everything I say is over their heads.
“Look out folks, it’s a big one,” one of Dad’s favorite lines is today’s prophecy. The question today though is “what is the ‘one’?” Mom, can you check that punctuation, please?
Seriously, who knew the apocalypse would be personal? Come on folks, I know someone knew but didn’t tell me.
We all have a dream and our actions point towards the dream. Martin Luther King’s was inspiring enough to change the mindset of a nation. Jesus’ dream is the kingdom of god (or reign of God).
I saw a dream tonight. I sat at the dinner table with a rich lawyer, a great man distraught, but not broken by how “it is all about the money.” Everyone knows that it sucks.
Yet, there is scheme that made a fortune for an endowment fund that could be used for non-profits everywhere. The formula will determine energy output by each human and will combine creatively with cognitive-sociological statistical algorithms. It will be compared to the genome project.
It’s simple: imagine a perfect stable capital growth chart that serves as ladder. We already have it, it’s just not fixed. Put in certain data and force fit it. Capitalism requires the assumption that “one can’t predict the market.” That’s the old addage for why communism didn’t work, right? In God’s economy, the market will never burn anyone.
Imagine a community where all human needs are met. Impossible, right? Of course. Well how about just the basics: the bottom of Maslow’s hierarchy. Now imagine a computer coaching each person to reach a higher potential. Imagine the incentive systems for reading, praying, loving, massaging, exercising, setting goals, dwelling on inspiring possibilities. Imagine no fear of money or inadequacy, only desire for better. Imagine a world with a De La Salle on every corner. It would be super complicated, but it could be done and it wouldn’t be that difficult.
Peace incubator anyone? A new world vision has emerged, our leaders just don’t want to let go of the old. Our leaders have lost the vision. What is our next action step? How do we get to learn what we don’t know that we don’t know? Conversation is a start.
30 days of… The dude who did Supersize me is doing a reality tv show. He lived thirty days on minimum wage. Some major academic institution proved that being poor is more expensive than middle/upper classed. Cabs, check cashers, convenient stores are pricier than cars, savings accounts, and grocery stores. Hans is right when he said that “capitalism is the best system we’ve seen, but it doesn’t solve our problems.” It’s time for experimental economic systems. I demand green, transparency, efficiency, and some more values.
Peace
BP, Shell, and Mobile Exxon are selling themselves as green.
I should comment about the EU so here’s the scoop. According to one prophesy, in a global war, Russia invades Europe, who warworn provides no resistance…. having heard of Italy’s multiple liberation holidays, seen Germany’s fighting men (my relatives) dejected, seen how pathetic France is in person, and now the EU is rejected.
What i enjoy about the rejection to unite is the multiple interpretations. America war between the states, regionalism, ….I’m too tired to be blogging. I’ll clean this up tomorrow if I get a round tuit.
Peace.
The magic formula is spotted on a billboard labeled the “financial revolution.” One of the crazy conspiracy theories I’ve read spoke of the global economy designed by benevolent aliens to create enough wealth to advance humanity to the next level. Riiiight.
The magic formula comes to mind often this week as I witness IDAs which match funds 4 to 1 for students. Meritocracy anyone?
Peace,
Kurt