One strand of communist philosophy posits that the proletariat cannot rise up against the capitalist class because of something called “false consciousness,” meaning the failure to realize its true position in the capitalist system. Since Marx’s time, as the world has gotten richer, the capitalists have given the labor enough economic concessions, coupled with a healthy dose of mythology about classless society and upward mobility (if you work very, very hard), cultural pandering (god and guns), and enough scapegoats (communists, immigrants, terrorists) to keep it quiet. Outward oppression has been substituted for subtle exploitation. Since the capitalists were no longer allowed to use the cops and the army to literally beat labor into submission, its chief goal became screwing it out of its money. As a result, the proletariat has been turned into the precaritariat.
It occurred to me recently that the corporate elite in America have done everything in their power to reinstate slavery without having to call it slavery (tying health insurance to employment while paying salaries that will never be enough to own a home, etc). But what we have now in this country seems almost a better deal for them, since corporations don’t have to provide shelter, food, or, in the case of “gig” workers, healthcare. American society is sick, and I’m not sure if it’ll ever get better.
Mark Fisher has an interesting thought in his book Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? He says that late capitalism literally makes people mentally ill, but because it at the same time pathologies things like depression, it makes into a medical issue and closes down an avenue of thinking about it and treating it as a societal issue. I’ve never thought about it this way, but it makes total sense.
The scary part is many people only realize this after they graduate from college, have a family, and have a mortgage. So the capitalism can literally hold their mortgage and their kid’s future as hostages 😂 they end up having to play the game.
It occurred to me recently that the corporate elite in America have done everything in their power to reinstate slavery without having to call it slavery (tying health insurance to employment while paying salaries that will never be enough to own a home, etc). But what we have now in this country seems almost a better deal for them, since corporations don’t have to provide shelter, food, or, in the case of “gig” workers, healthcare. American society is sick, and I’m not sure if it’ll ever get better.
Mark Fisher has an interesting thought in his book Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? He says that late capitalism literally makes people mentally ill, but because it at the same time pathologies things like depression, it makes into a medical issue and closes down an avenue of thinking about it and treating it as a societal issue. I’ve never thought about it this way, but it makes total sense.
The scary part is many people only realize this after they graduate from college, have a family, and have a mortgage. So the capitalism can literally hold their mortgage and their kid’s future as hostages 😂 they end up having to play the game.