Great essay on society - comments?

[GreenGuy]

David Simon has written a great essay on how our society has failed, here (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/08/david-simon-capitalism-marx-two-americas-wire).

Some of his observations:

" People are saying I don't need anything but my own ability to earn a profit. I'm not connected to society. I don't care how the road got built, I don't care where the firefighter comes from, I don't care who educates the kids other than my kids. I am me. It's the triumph of the self. I am me, hear me roar."

"I'm utterly committed to the idea that capitalism has to be the way we generate mass wealth in the coming century. That argument's over. But the idea that it's not going to be married to a social compact, that how you distribute the benefits of capitalism isn't going to include everyone in the society to a reasonable extent, that's astonishing to me."

"The last job of capitalism – having won all the battles against labour, having acquired the ultimate authority, almost the ultimate moral authority over what's a good idea or what's not, or what's valued and what's not – the last journey for capital in my country has been to buy the electoral process, the one venue for reform that remained to Americans."

There's much more, it's a long essay. I wish more people were saying what he is. Anyone want to chime in?

[robinr1]

it seems he feels its the proper role of the federal gov to force some to support others through the butt end of a gun .

[GreenGuy]

it seems he feels its the proper role of the federal gov to force some to support others through the butt end of a gun .

I didn't get that from the essay at all. What I think he was saying is that capitalism is good, but only to the extent that those who practice it also practice some form of altruism, and that we all bear some responsibility for the welfare of others. Your comment seems to echo his criticism of our society, that it's all about ME, and screw everyone else.

[robinr1]

so me not wanting to be stolen from by men with guns and locked in a cage means im selfish.

ok

[Milneman]

so me not wanting to be stolen from by men with guns and locked in a cage means im selfish.

ok

Nope! It means you're sick of interventionism.

David Simon is close, but he misses the mark for one reason. America's never been capitalist. The reason there's such a mess state-side right now is nobody can figure out what they are, capitalist, socialist, the boat is rocking and people want it to stop.
Interventionist. Meaning, government gets into everything, and I mean everything. Does not every theory of what we call conspiracy point to this in some form or another?

If actual capitalism existed alongside actual marxism, and ran the course of history for a hundred years, I would say that the societies that resulted in each of these examples would be amplifications of what we know of the historical marxist countries paralell to what Canada was moving towards in say 1960-1980. Canada used to be an example of how you can adapt socialist ideas into a capitalist society and watch it work. The problem is...and this is not a popular thing to say, but it's the truth...too many people take advantage of a system they simply do not need to. Too many people cheat.

[ghostrider]

I think what he is saying is , it's great to be a self starter and stay connected to community but , the last job of business should be giving money to politicians for favorable laws , you know it stacks the deck in your companies favor taking away the first principal , BEING A SELF STARTER ... you just take your money and buy the conditions you want your business to have ... I tried to post this three times and it took me to a completely different thread ... what ??? this belongs in the great essay on society thread, mods please delete it , if it shows up elsewhere ... sorry my computer is acting weird...