And how do you think you would feel about money being forced upon you having grown up in the society that we propose?
One where from the earliest age you are taught that work, and the knowlege needed for it, is the basis of self worth?
Where instead of work being a drudgery, endured because starvation and homelessness are less desireable, it is the fulfillment of your young life's dreams.
A society that asks you how you want to contribute rather than one that forces you to accept what is available at the time for the lowest compensation possible?
A society that actually delivers on its promise to let you excell at what you are good at despite your parents deficiencies in raising you.
Do you really expect kids from homes where dad drinks all his check and then beats mom out of her's to be able to function at a level equal to a child raised in a loving supportive home?
It is no different than being raised in a society that does the same.
Nor different than expecting a devout religionist to switch brands of beliefs.
Had you grown up in a society that gave you whatever you needed to be happy in return for 20k hours of your life in productive labor, would you then accept the crappy deal offered by crapitalism?
I think not.
The robots would already be here in such a society and unemployment wouldnt be a word, nor war, human trafficking, misery, poverty, nor all the other wonderfulness brought to us by crapitalism.
So, really it is a matter of perspective.
I hope my option of another purview opens your eyes, just a little.
It doesnt take much imagination to beat the status quo you claim to embrace.
"Had you grown up in a society that gave you whatever you needed to be happy in return for 20k hours of your life in productive labor, would you then accept the crappy deal offered by crapitalism?"
That is a slippery slope. "Society" is not capable of providing happiness to EVERYONE at the same time. We would have to be robots. There is nothing in nature that is "fair". Why should we expect fairness?
Are you saying that the level of happiness we get now is acceptable?
You are ok with how the folks in Homs, Syria have been treated by the status quo?
Take a look at the drone footage and think how many of the families that lived in those homes before they were turned into rubble just wanted to live peacefully in their wage slavery.
The status quo denied them even that.
We should expect 'fairness' because we are capable of rational thinking.
Just because rule by force is how it has been for most of recorded HIStory doesnt mean we arent capable of doing better than we are now.
I agree that society isnt going to make 100% of the people happy 100% of the time, but that doesnt preclude it from eradicating 100% of the poverty and 99% of the wars and humantrafficking.
Fairness is a subjective term. It is unrealistic to expect it.
Under crapitalism's rules i agree.
Its a dog eat dog system.
However, in a rational system it will be the status quo.
I don't actually know anyone who thinks their worldview is irrational.
Of course not, if they knew the difference they would change their opinions,...
So, tell me, do you like how the people of Homs, Syria and Yemen have been treated?
Do you consider it rational?
Just the price you pay for being on the wrong side of naked aggression?
One more crapitalistically craptastic day?
When confronted with the evidence of their irrationality, most folks, not all, alter their viewpoints.
I think it will be hard to find folks that support murdering little kids for profit, but how many morons are cheering the drone strikes?
It's an information war.
When I read your response I "hear"... I am sad that life isn't fair, and I want to fix it. I think that displays a kind heart, good ideals. However, I guess where we part ways, is that I don't think it is supposed to be fair.
I don't think there is any way to make things equal. There will always be a runt. A big puppy that eats more... There is no "Fair". If you take money out of the equation, it will be... But you were born closer to the river that has the good fish. There is no fair, money or not. That is my view.
My Mom drank, she was abusive. I spent some years struggling... That isn't Paris Hilton's fault. I don't expect her to pay me for it.
I don't dislike that world you want to build, I am fine with you thinking about it. I am unwilling to participate or for you to act like your view is "righter" than mine.
Yes, i agree.
We cant all be Einsteins, Jobs, or Platos.
Some of us will do little more than harvest crops from the field.
However, absent that labor the Einsteins would have to do it themselves, and would then have less time to ponder the stars.
No question some labor contributes more to the general welfare, but when that is valued higher, through monetary means, it sets in motion what we have now, priveleged, and disadvantaged, children.
By eliminating the money score card our contributions will be measured by the happiness of those around us.
I will be seriously happy when the plumber unstops my drain and he will be happy with the guy that invented the machine to automate that.
I am less happy when i have to work 7 days to pay for his one day's labor as he is unhappy about working 100 days to pay for the machine.
So, i will never fix enough cars to equal a surgeon saving one baby through performing a c-section, i just envision a world where we each do that for the love of the work without the attached monetary consequences of one c-section being equal to three years of fixing cars.
This being the case, the easiest way from here to FreeBorn Anarchism is to just keep what we have but instead of paying for stuff, everything is free.
The guy that supplies the builders continues to supply the materials, the builders continue to build the goods, the bums find something to contribute, and we all eat for free, even the previously wealthy.
It really could be that simple, buuuuuut,......cognitive dissanance says, 'No!!', very loudly, and folks mostly dont question their programming.
Just ask a muslim when he will be converting to scientology.
I know using affirmations makes me come off as arrogant, like i think im better than you because i have put together an attainable solution to most of society's ailments, but were you to meet me in person that would not be the impression you would leave the meeting with, id hope, anyways.
(I recognize that my cause needs a better messenger.)
In order to influence a crowd affirmations are required, crowds dont rationalize, they react. Source
When we begin to speak as individuals it is important to explain the whys of what one is saying.
I hope i can do that for you in a way that doesnt trigger any more automated rejections.
I just have far more practice with crowdspeak than interpersonal relations, i am highly antisocial, for reasons that may become more obvious were you to pursue a deeper understanding of 'me'.
I appreciate you and I appreciate where you are coming from. (Appreciation is different than agreement) I also respect the idea.
I think when I get triggered is when a gift economy person comes into my space and attacks my beliefs.
I would totally listen if it came from the place where you wrote the above.
The simple switch to... This is what I believe and why I believe it. I think, wow, that is interesting. When someone tells me how to think, I tend to respond with go away with your silly ideas.
We all have room to pitch our position better, in fact in this very article, I was attempting to trigger people and thus conversation. I get maybe I have some skills others do not. They were not given to me, they were learned to some degree. Although I fully acknowledge despite family issues I was raised a middle class, white American, and that does impact my point of view.
While you have not changed my mind, I have found some understanding of what you think and why.
Let's call that a win!