Politics

There is an implicit notion in our culture that corporations equal capitalism. Nothing is more false. 

Capitalism is the notion that folks make products or offer services, each with a relative value. The customers have the option of this pair of shoes or this house painter, and they base their choices on the perceived value each vendor offers.

It's actually quite a good system. Honest competition, along with a bit of salesmanship, lets the customer decide the best value or the vendor who most suits them. We learned about it in high school.

While corporate media spent endless hours on the pending vote to make Brett Kavanaugh a Supreme Court judge, Mitch McConnell and the Republicans had this thing rigged from the start. No way his accusers of sexual misconduct were going to be truly heard at his 'hearing'.

This circus is what we get from corporate media and corporate-owned politicians. It will not get any better until we, the people wrestle power from them starting this November.

Still, those of us who resist this obvious corruption recognize it is not the win Republicans imagine.

Even as we are all here together, events punctuate our lives and culture.There is a deep discontent in our world and lives here in the United States. The world is degrading as are our lives, while signs of emergent sustainability and political engagement abound. Curious times.

The 2017 election brought a host of firsts, and a clear repudiation of Trumpland. 

The Black Swan theory was developed by Nassim Nicholas Taleb to explain the disproportionate role of high-profile, hard-to-predict, and rare events that are beyond the realm of normal expectations in history, science, finance, and technology. The printing press is an example.

There is something very strange in the air these days. We're learning the truth. After a long struggle where we've been fed bullshit our entire lives and long centuries, we're starting to see the truth. Incredible. Astonishing.

There are a few reasons. The long arc of history is progress. Rulers and elites have been lying forever, but now we're seeing through the veil. Progressive movements have given us glimmers, but this time feels different. We won't be fooled again.

It’s clear that Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders is the only candidate who has a substantial grasp of the depth of Washington corruption, corporate malfeasance and the horrific inequality that is the United States today.

Welcome to World 5.0

And welcome to my blog on my favorite idea. This first entry is to intended to help you get your head and heart wrapped around this crazy notion of World 5.0 - that this moment is all that exists, and that the most valuable and entertaining way to spend it is in Love.

"Terrorism" is the perfect term to highlight the permanent war paradigm at this time. After all "Communism" or the "The Cold War" don't carry the weight they once did. And, once 'Terrorism' loses its convincing value, there will other threats thrust in our face to ensure we allow 500 billion dollars a year of our money to be used for U.S. Imperialism. And for those offended by such strong language I do not apologize. I ask that you open your eyes.

There is much talk about taxes in the U.S. these days, with the Tea Party Movement as the most vocal group outlining their disagreement with how our government raises and uses taxes. These folks are generally anti-tax, suggesting that the less we are taxed, the better. It's a Libertarian stance.

Others, often with some sort of social justice leanings, will decry some ways in which our taxes are used, normally for wars like Iraq and Afganistan, and others more against the whole militaristic bend of the U.S. government.