Actually, Ethical Culture, or now it's called Ethical Humanism, is a non
theistic religion, or that's how it defines itself, which believes that we must
work to promote the conditions that allow us to live ethical lives. That's why
I liked it. The values were derived from Judaeism and Christianity. It focused
on human endeavor as the means to a good end. But the religion part is, I
suppose, that choice, the choice to be concerned about the welfare of all of
us, rather than just ourselves, personally. That choice is probably more
important than the economic or political system that one favors.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2017 11:43 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: He promised tax cuts
Richard Wolff cuts to the core of the problem. And yes, just about any form of
government can become the people's oppressor. As I've said before, the central
problem is not which form of government we apply, the issue to be solved is our
human nature...our need to climb to the top, to control, to win. I believe
that if we tackle changing conditions so we can modify this part of our makeup,
we will be able to design a far more equitable government. Wolff does give
examples of companies owned by all of the workers, sharing equally in their
collective labor. Applying this universally will take some study.
But of course we are far too busy developing new ways of killing people, to
take the time to develop a better life for all.
Carl Jarvis
On 3/31/17, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Yes, but suppose Capitalism just meant the man who lives in your
neighborhood, owning a small store and employing some of your
neighbors in the store. Suppose it didn't mean huge multi-national
corporations.
However, I do like Richard Wolfe's model much better. The factory is
owned by its workers who are the only people who benefit financially
from it. They determine how it will be run. They choose people to
manage it, the accountant, for example, and they get rid of managers,
supervisors, anyone who isn't doing his or her job in a way that
benefits them. He points out that the important component is
Democracy. He also points out that you can have a socialist state in
which there's no democracy and the state is as profit driven and careless
about its workers as any big corporation.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2017 12:02 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: He promised tax cuts
Miriam,
Perhaps I'm too simplistic.
But let me ramble around a bit and see if I can make my point...or put
my other foot in my mouth.
From my experience, when one person depends on a share of another
persons labor in order to maintain their life style, there can never be
equality.
No matter how good a person, or how caring, when the choice is to
determine which of the two will be forced to take a loss, the person
in control...that is the one who is taking part of the other persons
labor, that person will choose to protect themselves and their families.
Capitalism is fundamentally bankrupt. If we could control Capitalism,
we should have figured out how to do it after so many generations have passed.
Capitalism is unstable. It has highs and lows. But remember, the
lows are far lower for the working and lower classes than are the
highs. And the highs are far higher for the Ruling Class, and they have very
shallow lows.
So at best Capitalism is weighted toward the people at the top.
But having said all that, and not saying tons more, I feel that the
central issue is not Capitalism. The problem is Us, Human Beings.
How do we who care for one another's well being build a system that
protects everyone, while allowing individual freedom?
Carl Jarvis
On 3/30/17, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I guess I differ from you in that first, although certainly Trump is
a Capitalist, there are humane wealthy people. You can't sum him up
by just saying he's a Capitalist. He's a Narcissist. He has other
mental and emotional limitations which make it impossible for him to
function effectively as a national leader. Ssecond: We could manage
in a system of regulated capitalism so long as our democratic
institutions remained intact.
That would certainly be better than an autocratic socialist state.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl ;
Jarvis
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2017 1:48 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: He promised tax cuts
Bonnie, you can sum him up in one word. Capitalist.
I wonder what it will take to get people to understand that the
bottom line of the Capitalist is Profit and more Profit, while the
bottom line for our survival is People.
Obama made the mistake of thinking that he could compromise with
Corporate Capitalism. Of course he leaned that way, himself. But
the fact is that two such diverse positions cannot compromise. The
Capitalist has only Profit as a bottom line. Less Profit is not in
the language of a Capitalist. More and bigger and more. This leaves
no room for People.
People are a resource for the Capitalist. And when People are not
being used as a resource, they are being played as consumers. We are
never seen by the rich as Citizens. They are the Citizens. We are
placed on Earth to serve their needs. And I wish some of my friends
could get it through their heads that these Elite folk really believe
that they are where they are because they come from superior breeding.
The truth is that they are just as phony as the System they embrace.
Carl Jarvis
On 3/29/17, Bonnie L. Sherrell <blslarner@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Certainly the Donald is an expert at shifting the blame. He's done
nothing but accuse others of doing what he or his cronies did to
begin with. He's a bully and a braggart and a coward from the core
of his being.
Bonnie L. Sherrell
Teacher at Large
"Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even
the very wise cannot see all ends." LOTR
"Don't go where I can't follow."
We gave the Goblin King control of our nation!
