He’ll achieve these goals the same way he always has: by bringing us together and reminding us how much we share and how alike we really are. You see, Barack doesn’t care where you’re from or what your background is or what party, if any, you belong to.
With her speech at the Democratic National Convention last year, Michelle Obama announced what the methodology of the Obama administration would be: compromise. Compromise is not inherently a bad thing, obviously. It is necessary for people to coexist with any semblance of peace.
However, the problems we face — and by this I mean economic problems, because all other problems are rooted in their economic roles — will not be solved by compromise, where those who have motivation to preserve the status quo are part of the compromise. This will simply keep things the way they are and have been for decades.
We need fundamental over-turning of how our society is fundamentally organized. Presently, the fundamental organizing factor in world society and culture is money. Money is completely abstract, 100% so. It doesn’t really exist, it has no value other than the value we all pretend it has.
For me, this is obvious, as long as I stop and think about it for a moment. But then that moment passes, and I revert back to my American reality, wageslaving, buying stuff, and paying off debt. It is more than the default mode of being; it has its own momentum. It is difficult to recognize, much less escape.
I was reading a friend’s blog and she is experiencing similar frustrations. This “bailout” package they are talking about is only an attempt to prolong the economic status-quo, and does not recognize the fundamental problem: Capitalism as a concept is flawed, is not indefinitely sustainable, and is near collapse under its own weight. Pretending otherwise is, at best, prolonging the inevitable and at worst, making the inevitable much more unpleasant than it needs to be.
Yet, capitalism is remarkably resilient, as my friend and old teacher has taught me. Injustice, oppression, and suffering are built-in to the very fabric of capitalism and are not escapable. But as capitalism grows and wealth consolidates itself, the amount of injustice and suffering systematically increases, in that more and more are affected. But enough people are left in enough comfort, that they have motivation to preserve the status quo. And sadly, most days I include myself in this group.
I agree that money only has perceived value, but the same could be said of anything, including heirlooms, property, music, family, self respect. It’s all perceived. It’s our belief in any of those things that make them a reality.
Obama is certainly enjoying his celebrity status as president, endlessly mugging for the camera trying to appear “hip” for the ’12 audience. So far, he’s making “W” look like a genius.
Everyone should read “Animal Farm” before voting again.