"The wealth that's extracted from imperialism goes into the coffers of the select few, whereas the costs of empire are paid out of the common treasure of the people."
-Thorstein Veblen, 1906
***
And this is exactly how "Privatizing Profits and Socializing Losses" works..
I wrote about this as well, from a communications theory perspective. Corporate media is complicit in the rising adoption of authoritarian governance, the actions of ICE across the U.S., and the death of Alex Jeffrey Pretti and Renee Nicole Good.
The main problem in the U.S. is the unshakable belief of ordinary Americans that the benefits of the "rule of the elite" will trickle down to everyone. They are conditioned to believe that wealth is magically created by the "elite" because the elite knows how to manage capital and it is better to have the crumbs than nothing.
Americans at large fail to understand that that most of the wealth of the "elite" is extracted from the working ppl all over the world, including Americans themselves, and the crumbs they enjoy are only an insignificant percentage of what has been taken.
As a country, the US has been founded on that belief and it runs deeply in the American psyche. Americans are having REALLY hard time realizing they have been exploited like cattle by their own "Elite".
I agree with you 1000%. The myth that the working class will somehow become the very elite who exploits them is the basis of much of the false consciousness that is prevailing in America.
The capitalist has “no right to peace” is a banger of a quote. It is like a cult mentality that we are indoctrinated to uphold a system that doesn’t even serve us.
I was reading through this and thinking, "this is brilliantly explained", and I was thinking I might post a link to it, then I got to the section that proposes internationalism as an escape route. I feel that I have personally substantially escaped "American" ideology (I could have blind spots on that), but not through internationalist thinking, but quite the opposite, i. e. focusing on US policy. Taught by a self-described Marxist-Leninist, I reason that since, if I have any political power whatever, it is over the actions of the country I live in and hold citizenship in, the US, rather than any other country, and since I experience conditions in the US first hand and don't have first-hand knowledge of conditions in other countries, it is not my place to judge and critique the internal politics and politicians of other countries. In other words, I avoid participating in cultural imperialism. So the position I take isn't internationalist, but rather, focused on the political debates in the context of one nation and on the questions concerning the policy of that nation. But from my teacher, I learned not to "we" myself with US empire.
Hey Jack, I think you’re misunderstanding what I mean by internationalism in this case. Internationalism does not mean imposing your will on other countries it means supporting liberation struggles and fighting against other forms of oppression abroad. It means seeing the plight of the Palestinians, Congolese, Sudanese, etc. as your own and fighting within your own country to bring awareness and assistance to their plight.
The plight of the Arabs in Palestine is in large measure caused by official US behavior, specifically the sending of material and money to their oppressors. The proper position of a US resident is to oppose all that sending. In cases where US officialdom is not involved, it’s hazardous to try to discern, from an overseas vantage point, who is struggling for liberation and who is pretending to struggle for liberation but is in fact struggling against it. Advocating for “assistance” plays into the hands of the elements within the US that would profit from interference. The key concept that I’m repeating here is “cultural imperialism”.
The Anglo-murican Imperialist Oligarchy doesn't want to work, trade and cooperate. They only want to LOOT, ‘cos maximum immediate profit comes from looting.
***
Anglo-murican Imperialist Oligarchy degraded to the point where they can only suck out the Imperialist RENT from the rest of the world
This is part of why i left teaching, especially teaching social studies. I am not proud of my family lineage but the quote that haunts me from my grandfather when he spoke to my students (my last year teaching and the last year he was alive) was speaking of his experiences in the [tiny mustache man] youth circa 1939 Germany.
As a school boy, he compared his school experience to that of the American education system, he said, "oh you know it was just school. Like primary school, we played on recess, did our ABCs, our [that one salute that is not good], and our reading and arithmetic, and our marches. It was the same way you guys do you pledge first thing in the morning, and then you go about your learning."
I remember the excitement I had for 20 years waiting to hear about the story from him, but that is when I discovered my family history, and the cost of me being so highly educated. Maybe that is what I'll be honest about today, because it still feels like I am disgracing him.
This is excellent. I relate especially to the bit about being taught to feel the Empire as "mine" as a child--the American flag was mine, that meant MY people. Pledge of Allegiance starting at 4.
It backfired on my parents, who wanted me to identify with my Confederate heritage, when I was about six years old at Six Flags--they bought me a Rebel cap. I insisted on the Yankee one because of which flag I associated it with.
It was very confusing for me. Which ones were the good guys? Surely not the ones who flew that strange flag with an X on it.
Thanks for this insightful and well detailed analysis. 🙏
“Media in this case is constrained by factors related to power and economic incentives. In the USA about 6 media companies control pretty much all the major news networks. It would be naive to assume these corporations do not filter and control what their news networks are allowed to talk about.”
In case anyone has any doubts about mainstream media’s control over narrative and public perception, below is a breathtaking one minute and thirty-eight second compilation of network news anchors regurgitating the same corporate dribble. Notice the demeanor of each of these sock puppets, they’re reciting the script as if it’s gospel.
👉 Sinclair's Soldiers in Trump's War on Media
Description: Anchors at Sinclair-owned local news station parrot a script pushing Trump talking points and “the troubling trend of irresponsible, one-sided news stories plaguing our country.”
Hello, I am pleased t make your acquaintance. Very comprehensive and straightforward presentation. I am quite familiar with it’s content.
It is the result of a long relationship with a Chilean exile. I worked for him as a diplomatic aid when he was state Consul of Chile.
The fact I am born a native of Texas sometimes made for awkward experience. At certain moments. I attended all the functions of the state consular corps in the state in which I lived, for more than 30 years. It would be a welcome opportunity to meet someday, I sense we could trade some interesting stories.
"The wealth that's extracted from imperialism goes into the coffers of the select few, whereas the costs of empire are paid out of the common treasure of the people."
-Thorstein Veblen, 1906
***
And this is exactly how "Privatizing Profits and Socializing Losses" works..
I wrote about this as well, from a communications theory perspective. Corporate media is complicit in the rising adoption of authoritarian governance, the actions of ICE across the U.S., and the death of Alex Jeffrey Pretti and Renee Nicole Good.
https://open.substack.com/pub/justaskinquestchins/p/from-language-to-screens-using-communication
The main problem in the U.S. is the unshakable belief of ordinary Americans that the benefits of the "rule of the elite" will trickle down to everyone. They are conditioned to believe that wealth is magically created by the "elite" because the elite knows how to manage capital and it is better to have the crumbs than nothing.
Americans at large fail to understand that that most of the wealth of the "elite" is extracted from the working ppl all over the world, including Americans themselves, and the crumbs they enjoy are only an insignificant percentage of what has been taken.
As a country, the US has been founded on that belief and it runs deeply in the American psyche. Americans are having REALLY hard time realizing they have been exploited like cattle by their own "Elite".
youtu.be/0V71NSM3A1A?t=110
youtube.com/shorts/ox7Qh_N8LwQ
I agree with you 1000%. The myth that the working class will somehow become the very elite who exploits them is the basis of much of the false consciousness that is prevailing in America.
This underdeveloped country is a cult more are seeing through its propaganda lies, let the regime fall.
The capitalist has “no right to peace” is a banger of a quote. It is like a cult mentality that we are indoctrinated to uphold a system that doesn’t even serve us.
"Imperial identity" is a brilliant way to explain it. Long live internationalism.
The education system greatly needs people like you. Thank you for your work.
I was reading through this and thinking, "this is brilliantly explained", and I was thinking I might post a link to it, then I got to the section that proposes internationalism as an escape route. I feel that I have personally substantially escaped "American" ideology (I could have blind spots on that), but not through internationalist thinking, but quite the opposite, i. e. focusing on US policy. Taught by a self-described Marxist-Leninist, I reason that since, if I have any political power whatever, it is over the actions of the country I live in and hold citizenship in, the US, rather than any other country, and since I experience conditions in the US first hand and don't have first-hand knowledge of conditions in other countries, it is not my place to judge and critique the internal politics and politicians of other countries. In other words, I avoid participating in cultural imperialism. So the position I take isn't internationalist, but rather, focused on the political debates in the context of one nation and on the questions concerning the policy of that nation. But from my teacher, I learned not to "we" myself with US empire.
Hey Jack, I think you’re misunderstanding what I mean by internationalism in this case. Internationalism does not mean imposing your will on other countries it means supporting liberation struggles and fighting against other forms of oppression abroad. It means seeing the plight of the Palestinians, Congolese, Sudanese, etc. as your own and fighting within your own country to bring awareness and assistance to their plight.
The plight of the Arabs in Palestine is in large measure caused by official US behavior, specifically the sending of material and money to their oppressors. The proper position of a US resident is to oppose all that sending. In cases where US officialdom is not involved, it’s hazardous to try to discern, from an overseas vantage point, who is struggling for liberation and who is pretending to struggle for liberation but is in fact struggling against it. Advocating for “assistance” plays into the hands of the elements within the US that would profit from interference. The key concept that I’m repeating here is “cultural imperialism”.
💖
I wish I could restack this Harder 💯💯💯❤️❤️❤️
Thank you so much 😊
The Anglo-murican Imperialist Oligarchy doesn't want to work, trade and cooperate. They only want to LOOT, ‘cos maximum immediate profit comes from looting.
***
Anglo-murican Imperialist Oligarchy degraded to the point where they can only suck out the Imperialist RENT from the rest of the world
This is part of why i left teaching, especially teaching social studies. I am not proud of my family lineage but the quote that haunts me from my grandfather when he spoke to my students (my last year teaching and the last year he was alive) was speaking of his experiences in the [tiny mustache man] youth circa 1939 Germany.
As a school boy, he compared his school experience to that of the American education system, he said, "oh you know it was just school. Like primary school, we played on recess, did our ABCs, our [that one salute that is not good], and our reading and arithmetic, and our marches. It was the same way you guys do you pledge first thing in the morning, and then you go about your learning."
I remember the excitement I had for 20 years waiting to hear about the story from him, but that is when I discovered my family history, and the cost of me being so highly educated. Maybe that is what I'll be honest about today, because it still feels like I am disgracing him.
This is excellent. I relate especially to the bit about being taught to feel the Empire as "mine" as a child--the American flag was mine, that meant MY people. Pledge of Allegiance starting at 4.
It backfired on my parents, who wanted me to identify with my Confederate heritage, when I was about six years old at Six Flags--they bought me a Rebel cap. I insisted on the Yankee one because of which flag I associated it with.
It was very confusing for me. Which ones were the good guys? Surely not the ones who flew that strange flag with an X on it.
This should be the script for the next talking filibuster
Thanks for this insightful and well detailed analysis. 🙏
“Media in this case is constrained by factors related to power and economic incentives. In the USA about 6 media companies control pretty much all the major news networks. It would be naive to assume these corporations do not filter and control what their news networks are allowed to talk about.”
In case anyone has any doubts about mainstream media’s control over narrative and public perception, below is a breathtaking one minute and thirty-eight second compilation of network news anchors regurgitating the same corporate dribble. Notice the demeanor of each of these sock puppets, they’re reciting the script as if it’s gospel.
👉 Sinclair's Soldiers in Trump's War on Media
Description: Anchors at Sinclair-owned local news station parrot a script pushing Trump talking points and “the troubling trend of irresponsible, one-sided news stories plaguing our country.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fHfgU8oMSo
Thank You Jae
Hello, I am pleased t make your acquaintance. Very comprehensive and straightforward presentation. I am quite familiar with it’s content.
It is the result of a long relationship with a Chilean exile. I worked for him as a diplomatic aid when he was state Consul of Chile.
The fact I am born a native of Texas sometimes made for awkward experience. At certain moments. I attended all the functions of the state consular corps in the state in which I lived, for more than 30 years. It would be a welcome opportunity to meet someday, I sense we could trade some interesting stories.
Absolute fucking banger