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I was talking to a US expat this afternoon. Besides the congratulations and commenting the expectations for the new administration we reflected on the damage th
by eecc 6y ago
I was talking to a US expat this afternoon. Besides the congratulations and commenting the expectations for the new administration we reflected on the damage the last 30-40 years of propaganda for individualism have made.
Individuals, their inner world and potential are very important, but you have systematically mortified the importance - and the “evolutionary advantage” - of the human societal organization.
Over optimization for the hedonistic “self bootstrapped” man turned most of you - that don’t have the strength, but most likely the luck, to be Randian heroes - into the exact opposite: submissive corporate drones.
It’s time to lay the groundwork for long term change, isn’t it?
- projektfu 6y agoYes, the basic human societal unit is the tribe, as evidenced by Dunbar’s number. Within tribes, interconnected extended families used to facilitate the social cohesion. In the US, both the small-scale society and the extended family have been harmed by atomizing and dispersing people for mostly economic reasons.
- arkis22 6y agothis is absolutely incorrect. there is literally 0 reason to dispersing your family for economic reasons. It is always cheaper to cohabitate and long term care facilities are extremely expensive.... Especially in the US.
- arkis22 6y agoWhen I think of submissive corporate drones, it's people in public unions. Not the people at the mercy of Randian heroes like the entrepreneurs of silicon valley. I had a friend who left public teaching because they wanted to own him and his votes for 35 years and a pension he'd never vote away. (not a drone right?) As opposed those awful individuals who move between for profit companies choosing who and what they work for.
- eecc 6y agoOr the employee of a sprawling corporation with a family to feed, a mortgage to pay, a family health plan to pay, college and university for their children to pay. Tell me someone that is more beholden to their master than these modern peasants. Yet their daily delusion is to be as free as Bezos could dream of.
- arkis22 6y agolol what you are describing is responsibility. not slavery. yes, it is a responsibility to have a house for your family, to keep food on the table, and to work for their education. if you don't provide those things and rely on the government to provide them, what good are you? why bother to work? you are a slave. or better stated you're a willing sacrifice. to your body and to the people you love. deal with it or rely on charity. life isnt free. but it seems like you think union members have a life free of these ignorant and unimportant realities. not many public companies ask for a 35 year work tenure and your nonstop political loyalty.
- eecc 6y agoThat's your problem there, the patronizing "life's a bitch now get back to work". Sure it's difficult and it takes effort and good will. But damn dude, I never said one should have all for free - that's a childish simplification. I'm arguing nobody deserves to live under the Damocles' sword of having their life thrown under the bus for a mishap, or an accident. We have enough resources to do without homo homini lupus. enough
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- arkis22 6y agoI described the life experience of caring for the people you love as a good thing. you described it as "bitch now get back to work" we aren't arguing about the possibility of insurance ruining your bank account. as if the childish simplification isn't that when you're a union you're not beholden to some greater master.
- ddingus 6y agoI very strongly agree with this. All of us need to talk, avoid judgement and just understand one another better. A higher degree of basic solidarity will help us a lot.
- scsilver 6y agoThanks for this perspective.
- nec4b 6y agoAbsolutely not. Every society that denies individualism or prefers collectivism finds itself sooner than later in misery.