Has America lost it soul though capitalism

[rusk2003]

When Iam riding down the street in my city all I see is business after business no musuems,parks,chairties,zoos and lanscaped gardens like they had in rome. In Europe and Australlia people spend more time with their famlies&friends boyfriens,girlfriends(which is part of the family) and they still have capitallism and plenty of people who have plenty of money. Have America become a self serving nation bulding lacking morals nation,do anything for the almighty dollar, God I hope not.

[salmonhorse]

1. Ee-yup ~

http://dadadot.org/energy.htm

But then again we haven't really even tried free market capitalism as yet...

[fertilizeonarbusto]

2. in short

yes, we have.
I notice that every time I go overseas. People elsewhere seem much closer to other people and seem to enjoy their lives more. Also, things and experiences have value beyond money. Here, anything that doesn't make a pile of money, preferably for some already-rich fat-cat, seems suspect. This makes me very sad.

[TXlib]

7. Beautifully said

Things and experiences have value beyond money.

American corporations only measure things by what they can bring to the bottom line.

That's why excellent TV shows are cancelled, why shit beer sells so well, why movies uniformly suck, etc...

[quilp]

9. What upsets me is how much time the USA rich spend in Europe.

They use this country like a whorehouse to make money. Then they go to places like Europe because the prefer the culture there. The culture is there precisely because European governments do not allow corporations to behave there the way they do here.

[LuLu550]

3. Not capitalism

It has been unrelenting GREED that has brought our country to its knees.
LuLu

[leftofthedial]

5. capitalism is institutionalized greed

at its core

[leftofthedial]

4. that's what capitalism is about

converting "soul" into money

[roughsatori]

6. The "Christian Prosperity" movement

is one of the most disgusting things. The other day a TV Preacher was saying God wants you to be rich. And he meant in dollars--not spiritual riches. I sent away for a booklet from a "Christian" group. In it there was story after story about getting money out of nowhere after donating to the "Church."

I get sick when I hear people talk about the so-called free-market as if it were imbued with morality and goodness, as opposed to being driven by greed.

TV shows that disgust me include the mammon adoring MTV Cribs, and the E-channel show "It's good to be," where they worship the celebrities and their wealth.

So, yes, I agree that as a society we have come very close to losing our collective soul.

[rusk2003]

14. Take their advice and wrtie in and tell them this

Dear Preacher I have decided to take your advice that God wants be to be rich that is why I will not be sending any money to your ministry as should your other followers.



I doubt it will be read on air besideds most of the ones you see on tv are in it for the money.


I listen to Joyce Meyer often she seems to be one of thefew whom is in it for the right reasons.

[quilp]

8. Yes. Capitalism is socially destructive.

Communism doesn't work because it sacrifices the individual to societal ambitions.. Capitalism doesn't work because it sacrifices society to individual ambitions.

This privatisation mania is trying to make all human transactions financial in nature. It will ultimately destroy all social traditions.

Do I want the government involved in the manufacture of toys? Of course not, except for laws about safety. Do I want my health care service in the hands of a corporation whose sole object is profits? Of course not, except in the manufacture of materials and supplies.

Before Reagan we had what was known as American Capitalism. Strong Unions to protect workers. Corporations competing for profits. And government that took pride in its social contribution, and governance. All this is gone in the name of ideology and greed.

[MI Cherie]

10. Capitalism ...

Communism is the exploitation of man by man.

Capitalism is the opposite.

Saw that thought on a screen saver program. At first it was kind of offensive. But then it got me thinking...

[roughsatori]

13. I might be dense but I can not make any logical sense of that tautology

What is the opposite of exploitation that correlates to Capitalism"?
I mean how would you then complete this sentence: Capitalism is the _____ of man by man. I can't think of a word for the blank. My problem may be that I think the first statement is a false assertion.

[MI Cherie]

23. I was confused at first, too ...

Then it occurred to me that whoever wrote it (a screen saver program with "words of wisdom") meant:

Communism is the exploitation of man by Man.
Capitalism is the exploitation of Man by man.

Governments use/abuse people.
Corporations use/abuse people.

In other words, as (sort of) said above:

Communism sacrifices the individual to societal ambitions..
Capitalism sacrifices society to individual ambitions.



:shrug:

[Loonman]

11. Not capitalism.....greed and self aggrandizement

I'd rather be dead than red, any day.

[nedlogg]

12. Any "ism" taken to the extreme . . .

is no good and I'm afraid America has taken capitalism to the extreme.

Capitalism is a great system provided the "Capitalists" understand that they owe a debt of responsibility to the society that allows them to exist.

I don't think our current crop or their willing accomplices in Washington really gives a shit about America.

[rusk2003]

15. that is true

if corprations are not held respionsible by the people they serve and the government then they will run amuck. Many of them don't give two cents for the people they serve. Like that car and tire company that lead to the death of dozes of poeple. They finally owened up to it after they had to pay hundreds of millions in dollars in lawsuits something the current administration wants to prevent by tort reform.

[leftofthedial]

19. but then they are not practicing capitalism

So what you are saying is that capitalism is good up to a point and then everyone should start practicing socialism.

Sorry, but that doesn't make sense.

[sinkingfeeling]

16. I've been saying it for 30 years.....

"Greed will destroy the United States". That's the only thing I've ever been afraid of...not communists nor Iraq nor terrorists. Corporations today don't even care about your business transactions with them. For example, just last month, when I went to pay my auto insurance (been with the same company over 40 years and had just gotten a 14% increase in premium), they had a sign posted that beginning July 1 there was a $15.00 charge for writing a new policy!! The stupid electric company, AEP, which bought out the local company a couple of years ago, has no office, no LOCAL phone number, no place in the area to pay your bill, charges $1.95 extra to pay via internet and has the gall to charge $8.00 per month in a 'service fee'!! I've been trying to get body work done on my car which was hit on 4/13, and after all these months, still don't have the frame work done...reason per body shop number 2, they'd rather take the insurance work!!

Why I STILL intend to move to Ireland!!

[beanball]

18. Greed

W.E.DuBois said it many years ago," racism and greed will destroy America" if we continue to as we are.

[TheBigGuy]

17. The USA has always been this way...

The buisiness of America is buisiness.

I don't see that it has ever been anyway else.

And alot of folks who made megabux have donated museums,zoos, librarys, etc....

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

20. America never had a soul.

It is a black pit on a dark horizon of western progress.

[Threaderizer]

21. That's pretty much what I was going to say

sooner or later, destiny was going to lead us down to the end of this path. Most people don't yet know that the end of their "adequate" lifestyle is coming. Things don't stay the same forever.

[Deja Q]

22. Awesome responses!

But I'd like to know how we can stop the plummeting trend and restore things back to a healthy balance, if not eliminate the evil aspect of capitalism entirely. (I'm not against capitalism, or any system, provided it isn't abused.)