Hello,
It's me, Kevin, otherwise known as "The Homeless Guy." I've been known as The Homeless Guy for so long that that moniker will certainly stay with me long after I leave homelessness. And being as honest as possible, we must admit that there is a very good chance of me becoming literally homeless again. Actually, I still consider myself homeless. Yes, I have a small apartment, but it is still just part of a shelter system. If a person living in a rescue mission is to be considered homeless, you have to consider me, in my current state as homeless too. And I am barely able to maintain this place. And at any time, I could lose it. But that is ok. Really. Yes, my current situation is much better than living at a rescue mission. But I am certainly able to handle a more stark homeless existence. Any one could. It's not pleasant, by any means. But it is doable. Yes, even you could do it, if you had to. Being homeless isn't the end of the world.
I have recently noticed a more negative, perhaps angry, tone in my writings. I will try to tone it down some. Still, it is very easy to become angry, or at least frustrated with the rest of the world - the world I'm trying to address here. The subject of homelessness hits at people's basic beliefs about religion and politics and society in general. And as I try to point our that certain changes are needed in all aspects of life, in society, many people resist my ideas.
Socialism is considered by many to be "UnAmerican." Although, I don't really get that designation. Being that Americans are supposedly free to pursue whatever they want, anything could be considered "American" if it is what an American wanted. Recently, our Capitalist, Free Market, socioeconomicly based society has taken a turn for the worse. Actually, this religion of money has failed to prove itself as reliable. And it has taken an act of Socialism to save our country from further deterioration. Although, our forefathers didn't use such terminology as "socialism," they most certainly believed in it, saw it as necessary for the health and security of our nation.
When people rail against Socialistic ideas they only do so because they fear that socialism will hinder the profit making process. In this day and age of "money as God" there is a perception that every profit is a good profit. And yet, it was this drive for ever increasing profits that has caused the collapse of our financial institutions.
Yesterday, on Oprah, the subject was on how people could become more thrifty and better weather this economic storm. It was rather pathetic in that the show never dealt with real issue of poverty and how to survive it. Instead they talk about how wealthy people could still maintain a wealthy lifestyle while having less money to spend. And, Oprah avoided any discussion on the unethical practices of lenders and mortgage companies, and laid all blame for the collapse of our country's financial integrity on the greed of people taking out more credit than they could pay for. Sure, people can be stupid and gullible, but those attributes are not criminal. What Oprah avoided was the fact that all lending institutions know exactly how much credit people can safely handle, and they knowingly sold more credit to people anyway. And such is not a matter of stupidity but of malice, and should be made illegal. If we had laws that punished lenders for this practice, would could avoid this kind of serious financial problem in the future.
The Ann Rynd preaching John Galt wannabes have been proven wrong. Hopefully our society will not forget this important lesson.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Dear Friends And Dearest Foes
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I think we've all taken a turn for the negative lately, so don't sweat it.
ReplyDeleteWhat's un-American is how so many people who would benefit from socialism have been frightened into thinking it's a boogeyman, usually by those who *would* see a more negative impact. But even those people are looking at it wrong: as capitalists invest in their physical plant to increase profit, socialism should be considered an investment in their human capital. A healthy, prosperous workforce is unlikely to go on strikes or rampage through the office… or attempt to lynch the owners.
Socialism is not a discrete philosophy of fixed doctrine and program; its branches advocate a degree of social interventionism and economic rationalization, sometimes opposing each other. Another dividing feature of the socialist movement is the split on how a socialist economy should be established between the reformists and the revolutionaries. Some socialists advocate complete nationalization of the means of production, distribution, and exchange; while others advocate state control of capital within the framework of a market economy. Social democrats propose selective nationalization of key national industries in mixed economies combined with tax-funded welfare programs; Libertarian socialism (which includes Socialist Anarchism and Libertarian Marxism) rejects state control and ownership of the economy altogether and advocates direct collective ownership of the means of production via co-operative workers' councils and workplace democracy.
ReplyDeleteThanks Finkelhiemer, sounds like something Americans would enjoy bickering over !
ReplyDeleteWhen people rail against "Socialistic ideas they only do so because they fear that socialism will hinder the profit making process."
ReplyDeleteWrong, wrong, wrong. I fear socialism for many other reasons and the LAST thing I even thought about was the "profit making process" but I will add it to the list...albeit at the bottom. My fear of socialism is driven by knowledge that the government is inept, inefficient, corrupt and self-serving. I do not want bigger, more involved government. The government hasn't been able to manage most governmental programs efficiently and productively...why would we want more government control. It's not about profit. It's about freedom, independence....and again, freedom.
Oh, but the reality is, Government is us, and if government is inept, inefficient, and self-serving, it is because we are those things as well.
ReplyDeleteBut government isn't really the big mess that people make it out to be, but the pervasiveness of that myth proves how much people wish it were true.
Just think of all that government does just to keep you safe, the military and the police and the fbi and the cia, and the water you drink and the electricity running your computer, etc etc.
My exwife workes for the local electric service. And that utility is the third largest in the country, as far as square miles served, and less than 10 percent of the electric bill goes towards operating costs. The rest goes to TVA for the electricity. And that's a pretty efficient service if you ask me.
But, the myth that government is somehow a monster set against the people, and must be slayed, plays right into the robber barrons plans.
and if you feel that government has gone astray, then you have the right, even the obligation, as a citizen of this country, to change the government.
Ideas compete for attention, and the pendulum swings depending on the needs and desires of the people.
Capitalist Free Market proponents of had there way in our country, and they have made a royal mess of things. It's time to try something else.