Capitalist Realism

We live in a contradiction, a brutal state of affairs, profoundly inegalitarian – where all existence is evaluated in terms of money alone – is presented to us as ideal.
To justify their conservatism, the partisans of the established order cannot really call it ideal or wonderful. So instead, they have decided to say that all the rest is horrible.
Sure, they say, we may not live in a condition of perfect Goodness. But we’re lucky that we don’t live in a condition of Evil.
Our democracy is not perfect. But it’s better than the bloody dictatorships. Capitalism is unjust. But it’s not criminal like Stalinism. We let millions of Africans die of AIDS, but we don’t make racist nationalist declarations like Milosevic. We kill Iraqis with our airplanes, but we don’t cut their throats with machetes like they do in Rwanda, etc..

- Alain Badiou

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DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

Many, not just capitalist's, often say that this is the best system in the world. And they are somewhat right in the fact there is nothing better.

My problem is it's like comparing apples to oranges. They are both fruit.

If any were to put a scale from 0 being worse and 100 the best on the inequalities of systems, a no system being zero, then capitalism would be a five and all the others less than that.

We can do far, far better. Yet the minority will always be at the controlling top.

And that is sad. 😞

Eternity · 26-30, M

@DeWayfarer i dont know man. The Netherlands seem to have it figured out.

Id rank them above us.

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@Eternity they are politically a dead horse through out the world. Netherlands isn't even wanted by the EU.

Not apart of a coalition, you're powerless. Which translates into higher taxes and little progress. Basically dead as a country.

It's fortunate that they are not close to Russia like Finland or Poland is. They would be apart of the Russian republic by now.

You can't isolate any country in this world. Yet that is exactly what Netherlands has done.

Eternity · 26-30, M

@DeWayfarer tbh dude I could care less how powerful they are.

Their people are content. At least way more content than we are. Superb education system and a living wage for all. Healthcare for all.

Congratulations to us in this big strong nation where half the people in it want to blow their own brains out 👏🏽

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@Eternity I guess you either didn't read or it didn't signal anything in your head....

[quote]It's fortunate that they are not close to Russia like Finland or Poland is. [c=000000][big]They would be apart of the Russian republic by now.[/big][/c]

You can't isolate any country in this world. Yet that is exactly what Netherlands has done.
[/quote]

Eternity · 26-30, M

@DeWayfarer it didn't signal anything in my head because it is irrelevant.

If my mom had balls she'd be my dad.

The USA is a fortress too. If we were weaker would we be part of the Canadian Reich?

Or the Mexican Empire perhaps?

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@Eternity it is totally relevant. Because the whole world isn't located behind a glass door that will easily be smashed when any Russian sledge hammer comes close to their borders. Bye, bye Netherlands.

Eternity · 26-30, M

@DeWayfarer @DeWayfarer ukraine seems to be doing a fine job keeping them at bay. A testament to the strength you find when you [i]need[/i] to fight rather than just want to.

Power isn't more important than the contentment and quality of life of the people within a nation. That's what I believe.

It is the want for strength that has brought us to this point in humam history where life itself has been monetized and WMDs abound.

Not saying that one should not be prepared for war. Of course.

But we as a nation are beyond prepared for war; we [i]are[/i] war. We lust for it. Pour money into it. We are a nation defined by war mongering and greed.

If the worst thing that can be said about the Netherlands is that they are a dead horse that's pretty good man.

Give me the dead horse over the big evil monster whose stomach we live inside of

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@Eternity Ukraine was never powerless. Netherlands simply never had the resources to even defend itself like Ukraine has.

Your talking about a country that is a fraction smaller than what is currently occupied by Russia in Ukraine proper. 🤣

And you are trying to compare those two countries. That's outrageously laughable. 🤣

The Netherlands is a dead horse even compared to Ukraine!

They simply can not defend themselves. And that means the end of the Netherlands.

No defense, no need to worry about human rights or any such niceties. Because they can't defend themselves.

Historical example:

Greece was the first democracy. Their good works where everywhere. Yet Rome (a republic) cleaned their country to the ground.

Netherlands is like ancient Greece.

Eternity · 26-30, M

@DeWayfarer that is better than a well defended nation that isn't worth defending.

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@Eternity You probably didn't see this added edit.

[quote]Historical example:

Greece was the first democracy. Their good works where everywhere. Yet Rome (a republic) cleaned their country to the ground.

Netherlands is like ancient Greece.[/quote]

And you refuse to listen to the ancient tears of those ancient Greeks.

Eternity · 26-30, M

@DeWayfarer yeah. Then rome proceeded to decline and fall due to bad policies that served the elites at the detriment of their society at large...sounds familiar 🤔

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@Eternity that's a different problem. Not saying it doesn't badly need to be resolved. Yet ancient Greece simply couldn't defend itself. So Rome took it over bit by little bit just like Russia (a so called republic) is doing now.

Eternity · 26-30, M

@DeWayfarer i see your point. I do. But a well defended place that no one inside is glad to be within is usually called a prison.

The USA could stand to take many, many leaves out of book of the netherlands.

Especially since we have the benefit of distance just like they do.

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@Eternity I'm listening
to president Zelensky right now addressing a presidential press conference. I suggest you listen as well, he just address this very issue.