Quote:
Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield
That invites a bigger discussion about community. If you don't think a huge part of what's led to predatory elements running wild in our economy has to do with loss of community, and depersonalization of most processes impacting our lives, you aren't looking very closely.
The movie The Corporation remains an excellent starting point for the bigger explanation of What's Gone Wrong. The new Chomsky movie on Netflix is also a nice encapsulation of the Reasons We're Fucked.
ETA: And yet I can't remain anything but selfish and self interested. As I look around, I see no way to fix these problems. The average American hasn't the intellectual brain power or understanding of the forces causing the problems to start a movement to do so. And honestly, he probably couldn't even if he did. There aren't any easy villains or heroes, and no ideological or political solution. The rational brain runs back to the basic infallible logic every time: Choose that which costs you least in terms of money. Draw the circle small, as depressing as that is. Because nobody in a position of power - absolutely nobody - is looking out for you. |
Of course, community in general is at the heart of change. It's essential to solving the problems of persistent crime and education, it is what will fuel a rebuilding of family and health improvement before the need to flood the ER. In Chicago, New York, and cities all over the country, activists are using abandoned lots and blighted areas to guerilla garden (this is one way to combat food deserts without massive farms that, really, Sidd, don't do anything to actually feed people). Smaller businesses that are part of the community may initially lead to further isolation for minorities, but that isolation will acts an incubator for creating jobs, adding to the small economy, and making communities more attractive to and accessible to outsiders, which should eventually lead to more diversity in communities.
But it will require the kind of conscious sacrifice that, I agree, we aren't as a culture willing to make. It will take massive breakdown. Yes, that will hurt a lot of people, the world over. But only by tearing everything down will we have no choice but to rebuild.
And it will eventually all fall down. As we say in the tax game, it's all just a question of timing.
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