The American Dream. FULL.

There is not a single doubt in my mind that the system of capitalism is corrupt and can never be made uncorrupt. I mean: It is just so simple. Capitalism actually ENABLES individuals to DEPRIVE OTHERS of RESOURCES. The very individuals who reserve to “right” to do so are given greater STATUS in society, and THESE PEOPLE Tend to be in charge of it.

I don’t know about you, but to me that seems ABSOLUTELY INSANE.

I mean, look: The food is right there! The means of production. My neighbour’s home. Supposing that I accidentally left the stove on and locked the house. My dog is trapped within. I locked my self out. I have taken such precautions to avoid THEFT that I have no way at all to break IN to my house, at least not with out potentially risking the life of my loved ones – a dog, a child, what ever – who are INNOCENT and there fore more vulnerable. My only chance might be to throw a stone throw a window, and then what if my stone hits my loved one? What if my loved one comes to my rescue and is scarred by glass? And before I might rescue her, within MOMENTS of rescue, and in a state of total panic, the Police will arrive to detain me, tearing me away from my baby daughter whose face I see, about to die in ashes, because my neighbor (who of course does not trust me because the media imbibed him with a distrust of even his own neighbours) called the cops on me? And as I struggle against these militarized pigs, they insist: Don’t worry. Your anxiety evidences that you are clearly delusional and that you require treatment at a mental hospital. We can dismiss every thing you say. And we have done our job. The money that we make to-night we are FREE TO SPEND AS WE PLEASE. Perhaps we shall go to a strip-club, where your older daughter is working now, being oogled by men whose occupation was the systematic annihilation of a people in a foreign land where – guess what? CIVILIANS NEVER STEAL FROM ONE AN OTHER, AND MANY OF THEM CAN NOT AFFORD LOCKS.

The American Dream.

Of course my opponents will argue that my account is biased. But I should think: SURELY any tale of horror how ever gruesome does not rival the Absurdity of that of the Rugged American Individual. What’s worse? A firing squad ordered by Pol Pot? Or being unable to trust even your own neighbours, to speak nothing of your own government, your own police force, and of course your own judgement?

It is okay. Jung DID say that intelligence varies from person to person, and so do ethics. I do not usually go for statistics, but at least for its (mytho)logical value I might cite the claim that one out of five Americans is a sociopath. But not many people take kindly to the term “sociopath” any more, and rightly so; all mental illnesses are invented. I like my name for these people best: Capitalists.

Dm.A.A.

Of course the parallel betwixt capitalism and sociopathy is belaboured. It is as ubiquitous as that of Fascism and sociopathy. And of course as Mussolini pointed out the natural out-come of Capitalism is Fascism. Per chance the only real reason that I even tolerate people who are not against Capitalism is that the liberal egalitarian school system that I was raised in compelled me not merely to spend time around people of EVIDENTLY a dangerous inferiority of intelligence but all so to actual establish grudging PARTNERSHIPS with them, expected to deal with them as all capitalists do: In a bureaucratic game of zero sum where compromises are made based on the nebulous conception of “self-interest” rather than a mutual striving towards a Common Goal that has been furiously deliberated upon as an Ethical Imperative.

There is no thing at all in this world that might entitle you to the “Fruits of Your Actions”. Incentive is the feeblest of pseudo-ethical appeals, and pragmatism the most depraved. But I am not here to preach the Categorical Imperative or the consequences of Utilitarian Totalitarianism. My appeal is rather to Common Sense.

If you loathe your work, you are doing a poor job at it. Plain and simple. It in no way justifies your greed.

If you enjoy your work, you should be grate full for the opportunity to take part in it. It in no way justifies your entitlement to some fruits.

If we all adopted this principle, we would all work and ALL enjoy the fruits. This is simply the most basic and ubiquitous of ideals. HOW was it that we strayed so far from it? There can be absolutely no excuse.

But some might say: What if my neighbor does less work than I?

Fantastic. And yet allow me to remind you that your NEIGHBOUR might even have needs that SURPASS yours. So he is weak and you should be proud to be of superior character to him. May be his own shame will motivate him to work harder.

But others might say: What if no one will do work?

But of course that is absolutely mad. If no one works then we all suffer. I would rather set an example for others with the desperate hope that they will follow than to become suicidal.

But still more will say: What if only a few are exploited by the many?

Is it better than the many exploited by the few? I wonder. Each of us who has been cheated has suffered alone. Why should one feel entitled that society would spare one the human condition? Why not in stead live moment by moment, thinking no thing of routines, payment plans, and dues? A wrong would naturally have its consequence in derision and scorn, but must society acknowledge the wrong-doer? He is often in fact one of the capitalists, a hypocrite who feels entitled to reciprocity and to the fruits of his actions because he has no soul or conscience.

But still more interlocutors will ask: How does one assess the merits of a person in such a society?

Well you might re-call the film Amelie de Poulain. In this film, at a climactic moment, we see a young girl who had devoted her life to the service of others. Yet she suffers at the climax because, despite her success in all of her altruistic enterprises, the one time that she tries to help her self she is disappointed. And one might imagine her privately asking: WHY God? Why am I a victim of such poor fate? Do I not DESERVE the full fill ment of my own needs? I have clearly done only my best to serve others. It is not that I served them with ANTICIPATION of a reward. But if every human being on this planet is entitled to his own needs, then WHY is my fortune so poor? (to speak nothing of my richness of spirit.)

If you think that this could only happen in a communistic society, then you need to check your privilege.

Of course only a sociopath would compare her to say one of Al Pacino’s gangster characters. Whether it be Tony Montana or Michael Corleone, the gangster’s plight is not one of victimhood but one of his own guilt. He has to face the fact that not only he but OTHERS (the worse of the two consequences, invariably*) suffered on behalf of his lolly-gagging enterprise, which was entirely motivated by Self-Interest and with tragic hybris could not see beyond the spoke that Pragmatism had drawn.

THAT is how we shall judge character. By those who serve without anticipation of a reward being rewarded and those who seek their own end (and are all bastards and hypocrites) being punished.

We are not ashamed to say any of this.

*Per chance only the products of our own projected Shadows could ACTUALLY benefit at the expense of others and not suffer. But then may be sociopaths DO exist, as evidenced by the endurance of these ills.

Dm.A.A.