Capitalism vs Humanism - the next great war...

Under the guise of "progress" we have devalued some great minds of our past. It never ceases to amaze me how relevant some of these messages are, years later. In the process of acquiring resources and influence through capitalism, the US has lost its innocence. Now laws no longer protect the innocent, but favor the errors of our future.

Here's an excerpt from The Great Conversation, published by Mortimer J. Adler in 1952. I can't help but reflect on the fact that even though this was written over a decade ago, it embodies the fallacy of the current policy.

We cannot hope to make ourselves intelligible to the rest of the world unless we understand ourselves. We now present a confusing picture to other peoples largely because we are ourselves confused. To take only one example, how can we say that we are a part of the great tradition of the West, the essence of which is that nothing is to be undiscussed, when some of our most representative citizens constantly demand the suppression of freedom of speech in the interest of national security? Now that military power is obsolescent, the national security depends on our understanding of and devotion to such ancient Western liberties as free speech. If we abandon our ideals under external pressure, we give away without a fight what we would be fighting for if we went to war. We abandon the sources of our strength.

Capitalism will win because there is no profit in Humanism. Profit is the driving force in the lives of most Americans. I've had this conversation. Nobody seems to be interested in the greater good and give full support to the greater greed. It is a sad state of affairs, and nobody cares.

I would support socialism/communism if they were not so easily exploited by "top of the food chain minded types".

Total destruction of all currency and thus the reevaluation on ones self worth is the only answer here. If we had to base our self worth on the good deeds we've done for mankind, I would have to say that many's good deed accounts would be in the negatives.

This would lead to a mass suicide. Many can't see the value of their own lives without the numbers and cents.

I could be wrong.

Besides all the other arguments pro and con to both..........there is actually only ONE that needs to be recognized....

Capitalism in a semi perfect world, would work JUST fine.....if people didnt let greed push them over the edge...

If we cant get something as simple as Capitalism to work......

How do you expect us to get humanism to work?

I think I understand what the OP is reaching for with this thread, but IMHO it will fail as a thread because of the way the OP worded the title.

People shouldn't be so sensitive about words and rigid ideological frameworks, but there are a lot of humans who are unable to look beyond the left-right paradigm. Because of conditioning, people in general have been taught that outside of Capitalism, there is only one conceivable system -- Socialism/Communisim -- which is evil, discredited, and the anethema of freedom and the American Way.™

In truth, both Capitalism and Socialism/Communisim are obsolete because, in their currently-understood forms, they are 18th-and-19th-century philosophies which are predicated on a mechanistic, materialist view of the universe. Both assume infinite growth and infinite resources, for example, and this flaw lies at the heart of both systems and in truth makes neither fully appropriate for a 21st century defined by networks, flattened hierarchies and resource wars, rather than cotton gins, assembly lines, and the bounty of an infinite Wild West. In point of fact, there are many, many viable systems beyond Capitalism and Communism, and it is a tragic failure of the imagination that keeps people from exploring them when they are needed more than ever.

reply to post by CodeRed3D


It's actually freedom vs authoritarianism.

A world with a mixed system. That would be best. Nobody is alike and when it comes to ideologies you will see this coming to the service. The current system is trying to enforce itself to all.

The battle is against authority, yet I disagree with freedom.

The human species lives in groups and need a leader. It is how we evolved. As long as the majority rules regardless of how they are manipulated. The minorities will always be a prisoner of the system.

See my signature...

Originally posted by Sinter Klaas
A world with a mixed system. That would be best. Nobody is alike and when it comes to ideologies you will see this coming to the service. The current system is trying to enforce itself to all.

I'm totally in agreement. People are different and need choices they can run to. And yes, I'd have to admit, the title was poorly worded.

In the title, I wasn't referring to a war that should happen. I was referring to the war that is going on right now. In the interest of extreme capitalistic views, the US is no longer a "Country" but a "Corporation". In the striving after the new business model and values, the freedoms of democracy are slowly being chipped away. This is already causing discontent between governmental leaders and the people they are leading.

Although people have missed out on the proper education that explains the true definition of Humanism, by instinct the masses are flocking that direction. The unrest is undeniable.

I didn't intended this to be a Capitalism vs Humanism thread. I was merely reflecting on current events.

The key to this and the answer that solves the corrupt nature of socialism is freedom.

Freedom being the only law.

Allow me to elaborate.

Please read this in its entirety:
www.abovetopsecret.com...