Consumerism, X-Mess, and a New Items Shop for You

Consumerism is part of the yoke by which we are controlled, enslaved, and distracted from life’s priorities. We should use our holidays more for spending time with friends and family and less on barreling through stores and heaping giant loads of useless junk on everyone. That’s why I shared a critical consumerism documentary in last week’s Video Weekend.

Political Awakening Video Weekend 10-14-2018 (10 videos + 6 micros)

Stars: Virginia Eubanks, Chris Hedges, RJ Eskow, Alex Lawson, Richard Wolff, Harriet Fraad, Stephanie Kelton, Jimmy Dore, Josh Androsky, Lee Camp et al., Mike Figueredo, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Mark Steiner, D.D. Guttenplan, Thom Hartmann, Jeff Sharlet, and Nick Brana.

Topics:

1. (Un)Fair Society
2. U.S. History of Fighting for a Fair Society
3. Medicare vs the Robber Billionaires
4. Economic Updates
5. Money in the Economy Explained (incl. MMT)
6. Public Banking for a Better World
7. News (Trade Deal, ‘elite’ SCOTUS Picks, Tax Scams, U.S. Syrian Raid)
8. Progressives vs SJW Corporatist “Dems”
9. Hate-Filled Groups for the Oligarchy
10. Evil ‘Elite’ Mindsets
11. Movement for a People’s Party

Video Weekend 05-26-2018 (14 videos)

Once again a wide range of online videos about the wrongs of our world and our fight to fix them. Don’t forget to share. Stars and outlets: Jimmy Dore, Kyle Kulinski, The Real News, Democracy Now, Gayle McLaughlin, Richard Wolff, Mike Figueredo, The Majority Report, Yanis Varoufakis, Jesse Ventura, and others on:

1. The People’s Wishes
2. Media
3. Oligarchy (Plutocracy) vs Democracy
4. Political Corruption
5. The People’s Fight
6. Economic Truths
7. Historic Causes
8. Poverty and Ethics
9. Empire

 

I. The People’s Wishes

Polls reveal popular policies:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for: “Majority Supports Progressive Ideas ” and “Data for Progress“)

 

II. Media

Corporate media blocking a constructive public conversation:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: »Bernie Yells At Chuck Todd, Stunned By Stupid Question: “Of Course Not!”«)

 

III. Oligarchy (Plutocracy) vs Democracy

The mentality of the lords and our suffering society. Billionaire’s quote: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Billionaires Justifying Their Wealth: ALWAYS Great Content“)

Comment: “Generational theft”, one of those manipulative brainwashing canards from the establishment, suggests that the old are stealing from the young. News flash: the young will become old and wish to retire when their bodies give out. That’s what Social Security was invented for, to ensure at the public level what t the private level often fails, say when senors’ kids died or are too poor themselves to help them through that difficult last phase of life.

Comment: The “entitlement problem”… When I think of an entitlement problem, I think of the billionaires (the 1%) and their right and left hands (the next 10 to 20%) who live in privilege that 99.9% of them were born into (the others being gold diggers and unscrupulous business predators such as hedge fund managers). They think they are entitled to owning the whole world and having us unwashed masses exit purely to serve them and powder their asses. But those very same demon lords paid PR crooks in “think tanks”, the twin-party tyranny, and the mass media to flip the term and accuse out of luck working class Americans of “entitlement” when they gratefully accept desperately needed help from a government that was created by our founders specifically to lend such help as part of serving the people. The hypocrisy and entitlement thinking of the parasites and predators living a demon lords life at the top of our dungheap society, such as this guy squeezing his wealth from thousands of Home Depot workers, are really stunning. Their motto: Me and my friends have done well. So, what’s the problem?

Antidemocratic philosophies and machinations:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Democracy in Chains: The Radical Right’s Stealth Attack on American Democracy“)

 

IV. Political Corruption

The party bosses personally rig the primaries:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Progressive Catches Dem’s Rigging Ballot Selection In New Jersey“)

Why not to vote Republican (no reason to vote “Democratic” either):

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Republican Voters Get SLAPPED With Reality“)

Let’s not forget that voting for establishment “Democrats” is also self-defeating for the American People.

 

V. The People’s Fight

Great ideas, including the building of a broad progressive tent (~6:56):

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Why Are Million$ Pouring Into CA Lt. Governor Race?“)

News Update on the People’s Grass Roots Fight: A Teacher running amazingly successfully against a party boss, being blocked out by the media, and having an army of volunteers…

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Progressive FIERCELY Challenging Corrupt Corporatist Dianne Feinstein“)

 

VI. Economic Truths

The truth about risks and profits (risks for us, profits for the rich). Workers run more risks than entrepreneurs and investors:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Economic Update: Another Gilded Age“)

Gist: We are always being told that capitalist inequality is justified by entrepreneurs/investors taking risks with their wealth when they invest into businesses. In truth, if they are half-way smart or well consulted, their eggs are never in a single basket. Meanwhile, workers who “choose” to work for them can loose their jobs, employability, homes, healthcare, and families when those entrepreneurs/investors or their CEOs make mistakes or callous decisions. As workers, in our current system, we live at the mercy of the plutocrats, A.K.A. the 1% and their henchmen.

Money is political, bank magic, inflation, deflation, gold standard, bitcoin, growing fascism, system analysis, DM, healthcare profiteering, pretenses of right-wing populists, changing the conversation…:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “A Brief History of Capitalism. Yanis Varoufakis Interview“)

 

VII. Historic Causes

How our society of plight and suffering was built:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “The American Industrial Revolution“)

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Just the Facts: The Emergence of Modern America- The Gilded Age“)

 

VIII. Poverty and Ethics

Morality Revival: The New Poor People’s Campaign fights Policy Violence.

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: ““It’s Time for Moral Confrontation”: New Poor People’s Campaign Stages Nationwide Civil Disobedience“)

 

IX. Empire

Empire’s Dark Side (esp. interesting the unconstitutionality of U.S. wars and empire 12:43 min in):

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Empire In Crisis & Bruce Fein”)

~

Ending Note: It takes me at least 100 hours of spare time each month to research and write news updates and analyses and work on my book. Please widely share links to these articles, so this work is not for naught. You can also help in other ways (including much needed financial support). Only together can we change this messed-up world. Let’s do it! 🙂

 

The Seductive and Destructive Power of Debt

A hallmark of our dark current times is debt. More and more people are drowning in debt while banks get bailed out and bankster CEOs ride into the sunset with huge bonuses even after crashing the world economy. People often think that a system of credit and debt is the latest in economic developments, but in reality debt has a long and interesting history which explains why our almost religious worship of debt can lead to dreadful human suffering.

You have the option of listening to the following 1 hour and 21 minutes-long talk by David Graeber or read my short 598-word summary below:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: »David Graeber: “DEBT: The First 5,000 Years” | Talks at Google«)

Summary: Debt started, and is apparently inborn in us, as a way of social cohesion. Example: I gave you, my neighbor, a cow. So, some day, you help me build a new barn. Another neighbor gave me a bunch of chicken to start my chicken coup, and next year, when he has had a bad harvest, I give him and his hungry family several sacks of potatoes… 

Video Weekend 11-04-2017 (7 + 1 Videos)

This weekend’s mix of enlightening videos, starring Jimmy Dore, Chris Hedges, and David Graeber, focuses primarily on two topics: government (despotism vs democracy) and the economy:

Note: Somehow the announcement of this posting failed to go out yesterday. I have therefore just added one very entertaining video at the end here instead of making a new post out of it. It’s big fun! Skip to it if you watched the others yesterday.

 

I. “Democratic” Party Reform not Working (Jimmy Dore):

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Tulsi Gabbard Rips The DNC – Demands Change”)

Maybe Tulsi should dress in her uniform when she gives speeches. (and also stop being so polite)

 

II. The hill of the shining beacon has caved in (Jimmy Dore):

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “CIA Whistleblower Reveals CIA Still Torturing – Here’s How“)

 

III. The Silencing of Truth, Justice, and The People (Chris Hedges):

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “On Contact: The Silencing of the Left with Robert Scheer”)

The thing to realize for a lot of folks who have been raised to hate the “left” and self-identify as the “right” is that when you are against billionaire money in politics and for the needs and wishes of the people, you are actually “left” by the standard definition. The establishment has played a trick on you reversing the definitions of political labels, turning them on their heads, so that we, the people, fight each other over self identification, hating the other group for being our opposite when, for the most part, they are actually the same. So, if we can’t agree on the meanings of these labels, let’s drop them – they are only words, after all – and unite around the actual issues on which most of us agree, like a fair economy and functioning democracy where we all can have a good living and a voice in our public affairs.

Quote: “Everybody out there has a story of abuse.” So… maybe we should all become more willing to accept the grievances of others and commit to help one another?

 

IV. Ideal vs real vs underestimated economic inequality (in case I haven’t shared this before):

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “The collapse of the american dream – This will scare you”)

 

V. Money is not our limit (David Graeber):

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “David Graeber: debt and what the government doesn’t want you to know | Comment is Free”)

 

VI. When the rich make the tax rules to their benefit, it creates gross inequality:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Were Not Broke – The Corporate Tax Cheats of America”)

 

VII. A final word of reason — Voter’s Leverage — This is how democracy works:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Democratic Civil War! A Struggle We Must Win“)

 

VIII. HEHEHE:

Jimmy Dore at his finest as a comedian, giving us an ironic parody of disgusting MSM behavior:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Thank You, Hillary! Our Response To The Tonight Show’s Hillary Love Fest”)

~

Independent media are critical! Let us help each other! Share articles. Comment. Submit guest posts. Help in other ways. Or beat your cryptic and boring science classes with Beanstock’s help for a mutual win-win!

Parasite Capitalism: The Economic Model of the 21st Century | Mic

An excellent article giving a quick insight into (one aspect of) the entirely parasitic modern form of financialized and casino capitalism that’s all about playing the markets and our vile banksters leeching off of working people and productive companies until life becomes so expensive we can’t afford it anymore.

In this article, you will also become a bit more familiar with Trump’s good friend, Goldman Sachs (from which so many of his appointees come).

Here is the link: Parasite Capitalism: The Economic Model of the 21st Century

 

 

Contribute or Not Contribute, That’s the Question

Recently, when I laid out my thoughts about the most sensible way of arranging our society – solving problems together rather than cannibalizing each other – someone agreed with me on principle but voiced worry that such appeals can preface unjustified raids of our pockets by government. This is my response:

The System Rotting from Within (PS)

Financialization is a scheme of legalized robbery.

Quotes:

“So, it is not surprising that the quality of our lives has gone down via sinking income and rising living costs for all these decades while our smarmy politicians tell us through their lying teeth that our economy keeps growing.”

“For many of us, the water is up to our necks, and the same is true for the communities, plants, and animals we need to survive. Even our climate is toppling over. How much longer will we tolerate this system of death?”

Continue reading…

Michael Hudson Explains: We Have Been Conquered

This excellent interview explains why our living costs keep rising without us getting any more for all the extra expense. It explains how all wealth keeps being transferred to the top; how we get poorer in a booming economy and booming stock market; how corporate raiding creates unemployment and makes those of us who still have jobs work ever harder; and what the unholy alliance (or rather abusive relationship) between Big Money and government has to do with it all.

The Dark Side of Money – Part 2: Salient Quotes

If, like me, you were impressed by the quotes in the revealing video Money as Debt which I showcased in part one of The Dark Side of Money – and you would like them in writing for future reference – here are the most powerful ones I wrote down:

Our national circulating medium is now at the mercy of loan transactions of banks, which lend, not money, but promises to supply money they do not possess. ~ Irving Fisher, economist & author

Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist. ~ Kenneth Boulding, economist

Making money from simply having money is the act of a parasite, it is theft. (slightly rephrased)