Capitalism has many means with which to control and subjugate a population. At worst it uses physical force through military and or police forces, at best it uses very powerful but subtle propaganda. You can read Noam Chomsky "Manufacturing Consent" for more on that. This is about the idols which keep capitalism afloat and able to run on fumes for such a long time. That idol is hope. The idea that one day you will hit it big in hollywood or win the lottery. And the idols it uses are blasted to us through the media. Famous and rich people who have made it. And often these people tend to be simple, simple enough for us to believe that we are more sophisticated and therefore can do much better than them.
The greater the divide between rich in poor the more idols capitalism needs to seduce the people into thinking they will be the next big thing, or that they will strike it rich in some magical way. This is how capitalism survives, a magical dream like fairy tale that if you work hard enough, you too will be rich and famous. Our society is full of rich and famous people, and many famous for no good reason. And we are constantly updated about their lives and what they are doing. We are so enveloped in our envy for these people and their lives that we even allow them to influence our culture. Its a drug, or as Marx may say it is an opium of the masses for more dangerous or subversive than any religion.
Even as our capitalist system disintegrates into monopoly capitalism and the gap between rich and poor grows wider, people are still unwilling to confront the system. They are unwilling to stand up and say enough. Why? Because this hope exists that one day they too will be a millionaire and live large and worry free. Some people want this life so badly they don't even wait, they take on debt to accrue material things to make it look like they "made it." They create this facade so that others may look at them in awe and admiration, when in reality they have chained themselves with debt. They have made themselves slave, they have willingly taken on a master to attain this "good life." So we wonder, why don't people stand up? The idol of capitalism, hope, ensures that things can go really awry, that the system can continue to suck the people dry and they won't do a thing about it. Topple the idols, you have nothing to lose but your chains!
The greater the divide between rich in poor the more idols capitalism needs to seduce the people into thinking they will be the next big thing, or that they will strike it rich in some magical way. This is how capitalism survives, a magical dream like fairy tale that if you work hard enough, you too will be rich and famous. Our society is full of rich and famous people, and many famous for no good reason. And we are constantly updated about their lives and what they are doing. We are so enveloped in our envy for these people and their lives that we even allow them to influence our culture. Its a drug, or as Marx may say it is an opium of the masses for more dangerous or subversive than any religion.
Even as our capitalist system disintegrates into monopoly capitalism and the gap between rich and poor grows wider, people are still unwilling to confront the system. They are unwilling to stand up and say enough. Why? Because this hope exists that one day they too will be a millionaire and live large and worry free. Some people want this life so badly they don't even wait, they take on debt to accrue material things to make it look like they "made it." They create this facade so that others may look at them in awe and admiration, when in reality they have chained themselves with debt. They have made themselves slave, they have willingly taken on a master to attain this "good life." So we wonder, why don't people stand up? The idol of capitalism, hope, ensures that things can go really awry, that the system can continue to suck the people dry and they won't do a thing about it. Topple the idols, you have nothing to lose but your chains!
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