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"Short Notes"
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19 aug |
Socialism |
[The following was placed on a moderated discussion group after another contributor
made some hopelessely naieve statments about Socialism and of those who espouse
social & economic equity]
As they say in the USA Senate, I speak in disagreement with the gentleman
known as BuckCub when it comes to issues regarding social economic equity and
merchandising. Difficult enough subjects to deal with in lengthy tomes, all the
more difficult on a moderated discussion forum. But, raising the subject
begs for response so here goes.
BuckCub asks a number of questions and claims to refute socialism, but
makes a number of assumptions that fail to muster the subject to a level of true
debate because of the superficial level of the questions posed.
Points being:
1-do socialist bears only concern themselves with issues in places with exotic
names? Give it a rest already. Socialist bears in capitalist countries
legitimately rail against electrical power utilities and oil companies; about
greedy insurance company, hmo, medical managed care, pharmaceutical
manufacturers, "big" tobacco, banking industry execs and heads of those legalized
gambling casinos that capitalist society graciously refers to as stock
(futures/arbitrage, etc.) trading houses. Hell, even against Bill Gates (who
only learned about charitable giving in the past couple of years, when he
recognized that even he has to suck up to other people once in awhile to
curry political favor)
2- We can rail against corporate giants who don't give a shit about the real
human occupied communities where they are based, who feel it is perfectly
acceptable to completely uproot entire communities and families and neighborhoods
just cuz a handful of corporate execs want to live in some other part of the
world. (e.g.. Scott paper and numerous other firms bought out by multinationals
and based around Phila PA in the last several years)
3- and socialist bears in the USA will continue to legitimately criticize
corporate execs who bleed the profits off the companies with whom they are
employed by demanding -and extracting- massive (and grossly inflated, legally,
though not legitimately earned) compensation packages and golden handshakes which
even European capitalists look at with disgust and shame.
4- Actually, making comparisons between corporate behemoths and little "free
market" merchants trying eke out their business lives hawking rainbow stickers
and bear T-shirts - is disingenuous. As if the corporate multi execs care
a fig about the little guys. If it was perceived as best of some
megacorporation's bottom line, they would not even slightly hesitate to undercut the little
business and force 'em into bankruptcy. Its only people they don't know,
so who gives a shit, right?
5- and socialist bears might justifiably criticize callous venal corporate execs
who KNOW they are producing products (or byproducts) which are harmful to
humanity. For example: the big tobacco execs before Congress a few years ago who
lied outright when denying they ever knew (in the 1990s for Gawd's sake) that
tobacco products were addictive. Or the big mineral firms who got sued for
slowly killing workers in the asbestos industry, losing the damages lawsuits,
filing for bankruptcy and saying they can't afford to pay compensation yet who
somehow had the money and credits to open up the same giant mining concerns but
with different corporate names, only days afterward and conducting business as usual
6_ As for Seattle, it seems clear that BuckCub only watched the photo-ops
promoted by mega corporate lions (e.g." probably CNBC, CNN, FOX networks) who
-after all- have an agenda to make anti corporate people look bad, so naturally,
they will only broadcast the few folks who rioted and-or who were egged on by the
Seattle police who it was later learned took special pains to aggravate tense
situations. Those who glibly dismiss social critics seriously run the risk of
being caught unawares and show themselves to be sadly misinformed. and suggest
that they are hopelessly duped by corporate propaganda. Too bad. The Internet
provides more comprehensive coverage that what a couple of corporate
bandwidth hogs would hope we all believe.
Oh, and to relate this to Bears discussions, I find it ironic that so many
comfortable cushy white collar types who have for centuries lived off the hard
efforts of burly working class blokes, get so immensely defensive when anything
suggesting corporate improprieties might have ever occurred, yet will so quickly
follow the British upper class obsession with sweaty working men. What's
up with that?
All this said, truth of the matter is, one falls risk to a great danger by
aligning oneself with corporate criminals of ANY fiscal denomination.
These guys (and a few women) don't care one bit about anyone but themselves. They
could give a flying fuck about Bears selling trinkets, unless they saw a way to
exploit people mercilessly in the process.
Moreover, in the couple of posts that BuckCub has made about his
perceptions of socialism, indicates -or at the very least suggests- that he ain't got a
clue as to what he's talking about -social economic equity wise.
But it seems that what BuckCub is talking about when he -apparently misguidedly-
refers to as "capitalism" is the gay equivalent to mom and pop shops selling their wares.
Which totally misses the point raised criticizing advertising on a
moderated list. Listing one's URL to make someone aware of a bear-themed business
venture is not the same as, effectively, spamming everyone on the list with
advertising blather. Once at a URL site I have no problem with scrolling past banner
ads, or even text advertising. Hell it's easy enough to be informed. I just don't want to have
the adverts imposed on me while I am reading a non-commercial discussion group digest.
apr 10-16 |
apr 17-26 |
apr 30-may 5 |
may 16-May 30 |
june |
jul 1-9 |
jul 28-aug 15
Catch you on the rebound!
~Will Brady
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