The Industrial Revolution in America has changed the world forever, and not because of great inventions and more efficient production with carbon, but the ideologies of business, marketing, corruption, and global and national economics took flight. Like all animals (with the occasional exception of lemmings), we as human beings have an instinctual need to survive. Although, this commonality that we share with the animal kingdom has a moral barrier differentiating our methods that has evolved along with our different cultures and beliefs. The early industrialists however found a loop hole in this “barrier” and not only used it to insure their survival, but survival in excess, and at the expense of others. Sure the reforms that were a bi-product of this period such as trains, automobiles, the cotton gin etc. were inventions that have truly improved our “quality of living”, but as Mark Twain said, “It is yet another Civilized Power, with its banner of the Prince of Peace in one hand and its loot-basket and its butcher-knife in the other.”
Since the beginning of tribal civilization, human beings have always had a sort of nationalistic drive of dominance and violent tension with tribes or civilizations other than themselves that has been a destructive but socially beneficial tension causing improvement and reform, a healthy tension as Marx would put it, pulling our evolution both physically, socially and mentally forward. Now however, this tension is guised under a destructive cloak of evil called globalization. This globalization was not such a bad idea to start out with however, take the WTO for example. Although a single organization governing the entire planet’s trade is bound to be corrupted just like the trusts and senators at the turn of the 20th century, it was a nice thought.
So what do we call survival in excess? survival in style? survival with your mansion walls painted with the blood of the poor? Self interest. The conniving, thieving and extortion of others to benefit number one baby. Yea. Putting my hatred and sarcasm aside, the goal of globalization itself is self interest, staying in power has always been the goal of those spearheading globalization and plan to keep it that way, even if it means destroying the planet and themselves along with it. Self interest drives the individuals heading the corporations and governments (same thing) that are to extort the self interest of the survival of common human beings to reap a capitalist profit for themselves. For example, you got to work to eat. So, why don’t we make the food cheaper, making it “easier” on the working man, but reap huge profits! Har har, the Mcfries go along with a little McEconomics. Along with some McPoison, but that last bit is just for some laughs for the corporate frat men lounging at the estate, built with the bones of millions of starved children.
Now you may ask yourself, what is the incentive of being such a corporate meanie pants? The incentive of power and dominance. you know that big kid with the smelly armpits that always hit you in elementary school? God knows I do, this big kid and his posse are out for your blood, why? Well, by literally keeping the “little man” down, they ensure power, corporate strength, a life of luxury on the global play ground and not to mention, all the girls! what’s up with that? Did you know, that out of the top 100 largest economies in the world, 51 are corporations and 49 are countries. That sounds like a hundred reasons to question society to me.
What is the “corporatocracys” as john Perkins would say, favorite thing to do? Suppress other countries into dept with an invisible fist. AN INVISIBLE FIST WITH AN AK-47 IN IT! Any who, this invisible fist that guides the regular course of trading, economics, etc. is the reason that corporations exist, and not only that, but the corporations are so rich because they use this universal need for economic dependence to shove the 3rd world into eternal dept, always keeping the top global players on the throne, and everyone else giving taxes for a chance to look upon it. The invisible fist is the false notion that pain and suffering, NAY, death and torture is necessary and inevitable for economic and evolutionary progress as human beings, it is a fabrication given to society to justify and convince that there are no other options. that certain lives and liberties are expendable to keep the machine ticking.
Self interest, Incentive and the Invisible fist are what govern our global economy on an ideological scale (and gleeful evil). The edge of the cliff of destruction is near however, because you can only emit gas for so long before someone else in the hot tub gets out. The hot tub being the planet (quite literally hot) and the person being society, civilization, and any plant or animal life. Was it worth that big Mac? Was it worth turning your head when the media told you it was ok? was it worth acting like my dear classmate Brooke and pretending nothing matters but starbucks? I say no, I say I want to live, I say that it is time for radical change. And I don’t mean driving around a trendy efficient car, I mean some damn changes ideologically. that is the only way to show those corporate silly bumpkins what true incentive is, what true self interest is. lets get some damn global interest, some human interest in here and survive damn it.
