Economics and China

[kandrathe]

I don't know if I agree with your sentiment on this logic.
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So I think we can agree a lot of good comes from big government, and the concept of Progressivism is sound:
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We swim in a sea of morons kandrathe.

There is some of the "Progressive Era" which I thought sound, such as Trust busting, rooting out corruption, establishing National Parks, woman's suffrage, even some compulsory education. But, I don't believe we should surrender our lives, goals, or purpose to the desires of a cadre of still mostly wealthy, white, men in Washington DC. Who is to say that their world view, or even a majority world view is to be imprinted as the model of our lives? The difference is in being offered opportunities by our benevolent progress driven society, versus de-facto being enrolled into the myriad complexities of life against our will.

It is always tempting to defer societal decisions to the supposedly benevolent dictator, or in our case oligarchy. Or, this one for Jester. In this oligarchy world view, you are a worker, serving the needs of the corporation. You will be educated with consumerist values, and the skills needed by the corporations. You will be served, whether you like it or not, by the corporations and taxed a large percentage of your wages for the privilege of living in our society. You by law, must have a driver's license or picture ID on you at all times. You pretty much need a driver's license anyway in order to do most things in our society. You will be taken to a school from ages five to eighteen and taught according to the State standards, stamped for approval by the Federal Department of Education, or deal with their curriculum standards and tests for home schooling. Unless your parents are wealthy enough to send you to a private school, who must also adhere to State and Federal curriculum standards. You live in (iirc) California, which is a whole level more Effed, in the B when it comes to living by the law.

Ok, so this is an overly dystopian view of our current society. I see it more starkly as I'm very contrary to being a corporate tool. I think in this way FIT and I are alike, whereas in solutions I tend to be closer to individualist and anarchist, and he tends towards collectivism. The illusion is that government protects us from the corporations, whereas I think/feel the government is in collusion with corporations.

It's like boiling the frogs, by the time they realize the water is hot, they are already dead. Your negative self-perception is indeed indicative of the temperature of the water, and do not despair (I've felt the same). In our society, the value of something is determined by its utility to corporations, like your college education, your salary and the importance of this supposedly brain-dead occupation. My guess is like many of us 99%'ers you just feel trapped into doing what you have to do to make ends meet. Where are your choices? Who controls what you do every day?

I'm thinking along the lines of, Walden, by Henry David Thoreau. Maybe your purpose was not to get a marketable college degree, and make a huge contribution to the corporate machinery. Maybe, you are meant to be a good man, a loving husband, and raise amazingly well adjusted, thoughtful, caring children. Maybe, you could just be contented to have a happy home life, and "to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life".

I think the happiest man I ever met was a life long dairy farmer friend of my father, who had an eighth grade education. He had hands as hard, and rough as stones, but a big warm heart, and so much love for every person he met.

But, maybe you are correct, and we are swimming in a sea of morons. I'd say it's a sea that is getting way too warm for me. You? But, steering this back toward China... In comparison of freedoms, I'd rather live here, or Scandinavia.