I despair that people hate their fellow people so much.
I despiar that people are so consumed by greed.
I despair that people are so willing to renege on their promises.
I despair that people suffer so little empathy.
I despair that people cling so strongly to the need for military might.
I despair of the America's Republicans.
God save America.
It certainly looks like they're not trying to.
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I learned long ago that sometimes, the only pragmatic alternative to getting depressed is to get angry.
“Never despair, but if you do, work on in despair”
The evil ones seem to have the upper hand in our world. Perhaps a revolution is in order.
May I refer you to this 2008 NYT article from Nicholas Kristof -‘Bleeding Heart Tightwads’ – see here. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/opinion/21kristof.html
He points to evidence going some way to puncturing the ‘Republicans are greedy, Democrats are compassionate’ stereotype that the left likes to trot out occasionally.
Kristof identifies as a liberal (in the American sense), so this article can’t be dismissed as a selective boast from the right.
Don’t despair. You should have written ‘ I despair that some people …’ The real importance for me of the News International troubles is that the collusion and lies of the ‘power elite’ have been revealed. ‘People’ can only form conclusions from the information available to them, and the deliberate deficits in the supply of real knowledge has resulted in some ‘people’ retreating into fearful positions and mistaken assumptions. Of course, others profit from the distortions. The success of your blog is that you have created an access to a more real view of the world, and the possibility of confronting the ‘bad’ and fighting for the ‘good’. After all, even Charles Moore in the Telegraph, is beginning to question his own assumptions about the free-markets or neoliberalism.
Yes, even Charles Moore is questioning his assumptions about neoliberalism. This was a truly amazing article published in the Telegraph and clearly shows that many enthusiasts of neoliberalism are having their belief system challenged. Some of us have waited a long time to see this. Also the latest report by the Resolution Foundation reinforces the message that the true beneficiaries of neoliberalism are the ultra rich and that the majority of people have stood still in terms of their gains from economic growth.
In fairness, I don’t think you’ve thought things through either. As a couple of contributors (Roger Phlegm ?) have pointed out, you’re still trying to keep the wheels on this crazy bandwagon of MORE consumption, MORE debt, higher GDP.
I think a David Cameron Govt could actually be v good for Britain, albeit not for the reasons given, if it results in a poorer UK. A UK where there was less car usage, fewer foreign holidays, far cheaper homes (they’re currently about 100% over value), & much less debt, wouldn’t just be good for the environment, it would, simply, be better.
Do you remember those “Peter & Jane” books they made you read as a boy ?
“Peter & Jane play in the garden while Mummy makes Cottage Pie, afterwards we all have fun naming flowers then Daddy comes home for dinner at 6”
Nowadays, its more like
“Mummy drops Peter & Jane at the nursery at 8 before scooting off to work. She leaves them in the hands of a barely qualified Croatian lady who speaks no English & puts them in front of the TV. Mummy collects them at 6 & microwaves something vile but made edible by the addition of vast amounts of salt & sugar. Daddy comes home around 10 to say good-night”
The life we are making people live is NOT a good life & something fundamental has to change.
I really do think you have got me very wrong
Wait for my forthcoming book
The suggestion you have made will not stack
I am a member of the Green New Deal for a reason – it’s not pro consumption and I never have been
Richard
Fair play to you for all the work you’ve done exposing the evils perpetrated through secrecy jurisdictions, & the opaque lines of Companies & Trusts that allow the wealthy to not only squirrel money away from the taxman but use that money in the most underhand ways to corrupt & gain influence.
I also really like your ideas that Pension Funds should be compelled to invest a portion of their funds onshore in UK manufacturing or, say, agriculture.
BUT I can’t go with zero interest rates & QE as answers to a problem caused by a society addicted to debt & consumption & constantly seeking to raise GDP. Coming off this cycle will, unquestionably, be agonisingly painful but that doesn’t mean we can ignore it. A doctor faced with a patient who has horrible head-aches & uncontrollable shaking all morning doesn’t prescribe a double whisky even though it would, in the short-term, solve the symptoms !
WILLFUL BLINDNESS has now consumed our society! and that’s a crime!
How can someone buy 10 tons of fertilizer without question? Is he a farmer? So sad!
Actually – he did rent a farm…
But still amazing