I started spending extended time out of the US more than a decade ago. I quickly realized how sick and abusive that country is, and it is because of its worship of unfettered capitalism. I don't know how to prepare people for what's coming. I'm sure you don't either. But we both try. We'll only get through this together.
We peasants across the planet, the ones who make up 95% to 99% of the population, have spent our lives believing the lie that wealth, power, and endless consumption are the only true measure of success and human worth, and the only means of experiencing true happiness. A lie created by and for the powerful elite and this capitalist machine. The same people who hoard all the wealth and power, and the same system that guarantees we'll likely never be able to acquire our own. A lie they repeatedly tell to ensure that we all continue to work harder, faster, and longer while believing that doing so will eventually make us just as wealthy and "happy" as them one day. The irony, of course, is that we can never be allowed to "get ours" because it would require dipping into "THEIRS", so the system is designed to prevent just that.
The bigger truth though, is that wealth and power ARE NOT the measure of man's worth, and they're most definitely NOT the true means of happiness either. If they were, then the tiny few who possess them would not spend all of their days constantly obsessing over obtaining even more of both. Honestly, look at the wealthiest hoarders just here in this country alone. Are they truly living their best lives? Are Trump, Thiel , Musk, Ellison, and Putin happy? No, they're not. Was Epstein's disgusting sexual appetite and drive for wealth ever satiated? No again. They had/have more money and power than many countries, and yet they're more obsessed with growing their wealth and power today than they've ever been before. Sure, they don't have the same financial stresses we do, but yet, they're oftentimes even more unhappy than us. Why?
Well, I believe it's because money, power, and consumption aren't a means to true happiness at all, just convenience. Convenience can often feel like happiness to those who rarely experience it, but it's not. It's comfort, and comforts can bring a temporary happiness, but not true happiness.
Now, consider being out in the woods and stumbling upon a stray dog that's been abandoned, injured, and starving. It's initially a heartbreaking sight to see but you decide to run over and comfort that dog and carry it home. You spend the next few weeks feeding, loving, and healing that dog, and that dog returns the love tenfold. Just experiencing the unconditional love and appreciation that the dog offers fuels a happiness in your heart that lasts so much longer, and is so much bigger than any new material purchase, another drug induced high, or any sexual pleasure will ever be.
The dog doesn't require or want money, power, or material goods at all. In fact, it wouldn't even know what to do with most of that. What it wants is simply love, companionship, and the ability to live it's life in peace. The very same thing all living creatures want. What it offers in return is a lifetime of devotion, protection, and unconditional love and happiness as well. Now, obviously, there's a lot more to the means of true happiness and our true purpose than just kindness, love, and selfless generosity, and I honestly don't know what the answer is in full. But I certainly know what it's not, and all human history and all the unhappy kings and elite throughout it seem to further support that argument....
It isn't capitalism per se ,but the insatiable need of men for status. Money to gainpower, power to gain status.
If it weren't for the ability to pool assets (capital) there would not be any U.S. of A. It all started when a group of wealth London merchants and lesser nobility pooled their assets and prevailed upon King James to grant them a charter to adventure forth and exploit the territory that stretched from the lost colony of Roanoke to Maine, which they called Virginia, and thus a private enterpise was established, the base of which they called Jamestown. And it remained a capitalist adventure until 1624 when James revoked the charter and made it a royal colony.
All the technological advances that we enjoy would not have happened were it not for capitalism, and (sadly) war.
The problem is man, his need for status, for domination. Which is the real motivation behind religion, "family values", "pro life", and which came to fruition as MAGA,and their avatar Trump.
I started spending extended time out of the US more than a decade ago. I quickly realized how sick and abusive that country is, and it is because of its worship of unfettered capitalism. I don't know how to prepare people for what's coming. I'm sure you don't either. But we both try. We'll only get through this together.
Yeah, I've never met a genuine dog lover who's a bad soul. That's great that you've got 4 rescues!
We peasants across the planet, the ones who make up 95% to 99% of the population, have spent our lives believing the lie that wealth, power, and endless consumption are the only true measure of success and human worth, and the only means of experiencing true happiness. A lie created by and for the powerful elite and this capitalist machine. The same people who hoard all the wealth and power, and the same system that guarantees we'll likely never be able to acquire our own. A lie they repeatedly tell to ensure that we all continue to work harder, faster, and longer while believing that doing so will eventually make us just as wealthy and "happy" as them one day. The irony, of course, is that we can never be allowed to "get ours" because it would require dipping into "THEIRS", so the system is designed to prevent just that.
The bigger truth though, is that wealth and power ARE NOT the measure of man's worth, and they're most definitely NOT the true means of happiness either. If they were, then the tiny few who possess them would not spend all of their days constantly obsessing over obtaining even more of both. Honestly, look at the wealthiest hoarders just here in this country alone. Are they truly living their best lives? Are Trump, Thiel , Musk, Ellison, and Putin happy? No, they're not. Was Epstein's disgusting sexual appetite and drive for wealth ever satiated? No again. They had/have more money and power than many countries, and yet they're more obsessed with growing their wealth and power today than they've ever been before. Sure, they don't have the same financial stresses we do, but yet, they're oftentimes even more unhappy than us. Why?
Well, I believe it's because money, power, and consumption aren't a means to true happiness at all, just convenience. Convenience can often feel like happiness to those who rarely experience it, but it's not. It's comfort, and comforts can bring a temporary happiness, but not true happiness.
Now, consider being out in the woods and stumbling upon a stray dog that's been abandoned, injured, and starving. It's initially a heartbreaking sight to see but you decide to run over and comfort that dog and carry it home. You spend the next few weeks feeding, loving, and healing that dog, and that dog returns the love tenfold. Just experiencing the unconditional love and appreciation that the dog offers fuels a happiness in your heart that lasts so much longer, and is so much bigger than any new material purchase, another drug induced high, or any sexual pleasure will ever be.
The dog doesn't require or want money, power, or material goods at all. In fact, it wouldn't even know what to do with most of that. What it wants is simply love, companionship, and the ability to live it's life in peace. The very same thing all living creatures want. What it offers in return is a lifetime of devotion, protection, and unconditional love and happiness as well. Now, obviously, there's a lot more to the means of true happiness and our true purpose than just kindness, love, and selfless generosity, and I honestly don't know what the answer is in full. But I certainly know what it's not, and all human history and all the unhappy kings and elite throughout it seem to further support that argument....
Ah, from one dog lover to another, you have spoken the truth.
My four-legged rescues give me a reason to live, without whom, I would rather depart from this world filled with lies, cruelty, and murder.
I upgraded to a paid subscription after reading this post from you. One of the best posts ever!
It isn't capitalism per se ,but the insatiable need of men for status. Money to gainpower, power to gain status.
If it weren't for the ability to pool assets (capital) there would not be any U.S. of A. It all started when a group of wealth London merchants and lesser nobility pooled their assets and prevailed upon King James to grant them a charter to adventure forth and exploit the territory that stretched from the lost colony of Roanoke to Maine, which they called Virginia, and thus a private enterpise was established, the base of which they called Jamestown. And it remained a capitalist adventure until 1624 when James revoked the charter and made it a royal colony.
All the technological advances that we enjoy would not have happened were it not for capitalism, and (sadly) war.
The problem is man, his need for status, for domination. Which is the real motivation behind religion, "family values", "pro life", and which came to fruition as MAGA,and their avatar Trump.
Outrageously, insanely, true. There will be a reaction to that action.