Sunday, April 4, 2010

Capitalism

I could have done this fifteen years back but this lethargy and laziness would be blamed for my not being a success in life (most probably) when I am no more. Well so I have been wanting to do this thing for a long time. I asked many people about what is their opinion/definition of Capitalism and after receiving their responses my resolve was steeled - I had to write about it because people were so ignorant!
My definition of Capitalism is - it is a form of madness in which the guy with the most money smothers all competition and he is there on top only by virtue of his money, whether he earned it by smuggling or gun running or pimping are questions which are not asked in capitalist economic system. So there you are isn't this so different from "An economic system based on a free market, open competition, profit motive and private ownership of the means of production" ha ha the PR department definition of Capitalism.

The basic thing we have to understand is capitalism is far from what is mentioned above in quotes, and this reminds me of a movie I watched almost a decade back on TV in which a young girl in America becomes a nude model for a magazine so that she could pay for her university! If that did not alarm you please do not read on, you are probably too dead to understand what I write further.

Capitalism = colonialism! now that is a big one. That means capitalism drowned those millions of people in colonies in their own blood! That is a reality it did precisely that! What was the East India company? Of course that was a gigantic capitalist enterprise!What else was it if not that?

Capitalism also means that your friendly green grocer from where you and your father bought stuff will soon have to close shop and probably go down and work at a big general store chain in a big mall! He just cannot compete with them! That is capitalism!

Did you feel that content in newspaper or magazines has changed. I asked my journalist friends because I felt I could be biased about this and they said it is more infotainment now and less news. Well that is a toned down response from them probably they did not give it that much thought but I did. Content has changed dramatically - now the magazines and newspapers are talking all the time about sports and celebs. The small stories the small news is altogether missing. Like I remember this story about a graveyard worker, he was interviewed by a reporter, those little stories, they are altogether missing. Reporters are no longer at liberty to report what they think is important and feature writers have been instructed only three or four things to talk about. Also did you notice that they are talking so much about sex now. As if the whole of India became so much sexier overnight . Sex sells you know, they discovered it long time back but newspapers discovered that only recently. Every other day there is a survey in which 'sexy' things are brought out of covers supposedly exposing the sexy underbelly of Indian society. Wow thank God for telling us that you sickos!

What really disturbed me and alarmed me was capitalism in media and entertainment business. Did you notice that none of the Indian films now are small budget well it is not possible to make small budget movies anymore because half the budget goes in publicity. The blitzkrieg of publicity - that disturbed me - and one by one I stopped watching movies backed by big publicity which left me with no movie to watch in the end because all movies or nearly all were riding piggyback on publicity blitz. The reviewers ha ha it makes me just laugh, the reviewers, if you are a pimp come on say it don't call yourself a reviewer.

Capitalism in MSM = Main Stream Media - baby these are the real knights of Capitalism. Those polished news anchors talking about how a celeb brushes his teeth or what girls a certain sport person meets. Even those journos who were say only a decade back were serious people have turned jokers just to take home a huge pay packet. Sick! Sick! Sick! And you people watch those channels all the time - don't just switch off your TV like I did but then again there is the problem of ladies. Thank God Marx died or all over the world they would have had to stick a narrow strip of printed paper on "Religion is the opium of masses" so that you would now read "TV serials are the opium of masses". Imagine the glee a lady must be experiencing who found after watching those serials that it is after all alright to have extra marital affairs because decent looking ladies are having it in TV serials. Aha! Every supposedly immoral thought is now okay! Great ! Watch on watch on !

Did you ever stop to think that none of the MSM channels criticize big telecom giants like Idea, Reliance, Airtel etc. Why? Could it be because together they are the biggest ad revenue providers to MSM.

It looks like there is a separate university altogether that trained some smart guys to fool people by television programs and they were then unleashed on the general populace. So you have all these programs where people are voting like crazy for reality shows at almost Rs.6 per sms and then sending multiples sms messages per day. If I asked a million people to throw Rs.6 per day in the gutter for almost a month would they do it? No! Obviously No! Because I am not trained to fool people. You have to learn the esoteric art of fooling people and they are teaching it at universities. It is legal! It is called studying for an MBA! MBA courses were there when I was a student but I never ever thought for studying for an MBA, why should I study for an MBA I thought, I always wanted to study literature and history but a lot of young people out there do not think like that. They are not to blame, capitalism laid traps for them. So capitalism is not kind to its children. What is slavery or rather wage slavery - that is the difference! Slavery is inter alia being allowed to meet your children for a limited time, working long hours in an uncomfortable position, not being allowed to go out and enjoy during 'work', doing work highly abhorrent to you, being forced to assume and obsequious persona - well that is what a so called 'professional' specially a management guy has to go through. Gradually things are coming to a pass when both husband and the wife will need to work because due to societal pressure they need to maintain a certain standard of living. Long hours at work, not being able to see one's own children, not being able to tell them stories and tell them about their heritage, a bad back plus myriads of health problems - well one would like to break free but Capitalism will not allow it - why because the guy/gal took a huge loan to study for an MBA abroad. How are you going to pay the loan back? Ha ha - caught!
In recent times clubs have become religion for people the sports clubs of course ! ha ha Manchester whatever and others. Capitalist media in cahoots with these club bosses is bringing it on thick! Capitalism is keeping people occupied in this stuff while it schemes the next big scam. It is so funny their chosen club is religion for people, they buy T-shirts, expensive memorabilia and stay awake most of the night to watch matches in which their favourite club is playing! What do you think about this?

I promise you I am ending soon just this last bit - do you think a capitalist society is a more advanced society? Ha ha ! Do you think that is true? What caused environmental pollution, irreversible environmental degradation . I leave that to you. A society's emphasis on aspects of human life can be gauged by the complexity of its institutions - did I phrase that correctly - in the west financial institutions and their working is very very complex but thankfully in India religion and philosophy is far more complex - so there you have the answer - the emphasis of Indian civilization is on God, religion and philosophy - I hope these act as bulwarks against the juggernaut of Capitalism - I am quite hopeful they will!

So do analyze the life around you a bit and do not give your money to those Capitalist bandits!

24 comments:

  1. amazing. nicely written
    liked at first glance of reading.

    will have to do a more detailed reading at leisure to comment more

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  2. Thanks so much! ppl read but do not comment but obviously you are not one of those!

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  3. I have always believed what Lord Budhdha said .. To find a middle path .. I agree with what you have said here but I do believe that true Socialist economy cant help either.. We need to tread the middle path very carefully..

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  4. Thanks for commenting Prem Ji!

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  5. Very well written.

    We are living with stories of sufferings all over the world. They have not left space for anything else to rise. Those with responsibility to question are dead.

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  6. I am not a neither a proponent of Capitalism and nor Communists.In theory both talk of development but in practice both have to catered interests of few individuals. Tobacco & cigarette are bad for health but good in business for its overriding profit factor.Tribal are kicked out of mineral rich areas where they lived for years for capitalist reasons.90% have just 10% wealth & 10% enjoys 90% wealth.Communists have failed world over because of corruption and lack of exposure and competition.The list goes on... The problem still remains how we can have equitable growth and uniform distribution of wealth? Its here the role of government comes but can you expect it to work when they take donations and funds for political campaigns and activities.Things are not black and white, so I will not propose to go Capitalist or Communist.Rather I think take good from both but have greater transparency and accountability to defeat the evils of the nation.

    Akhtar Hussain
    Lucknow

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  7. I'd any day go with the "PR" definition of capitalism, or, free markets as they call them. For me, there's nothing wrong in bartering skills/resources. But ya, oppressing is simply not done! I agree with your viewpoint that the telecom biggies and MSM are like the "true" capitalists of your definition, but I think a majority of Indian population has benefited from trade.

    Our typical Marwari/Gujarati grocery store guy is not a capitalist, rather a fair-trader. Only when they grow too big for their size, they tend to lose the basic ethics of fair trade and oppress the smaller players.

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  8. Akhtar Ji , thanks for commenting but I never said a word about communism!

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  10. Sangeeta Ji what ur witnessing is the PR presentation of capitalism we are not in grip of those ppl yet... that will happen .. I hope it doesn't but if it does it will be gruesome..
    Also I meant big general stores chains like Spencers, Reliance Fresh etc.

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  11. Good points, I am not very familiar with Indian culture and social influences, but some of what you say still applies to the US past and present

    Conglomeration and the industrial revolution did cause the destruction of many small enterprises and industries, but it also forces an economy to focus on what it does best. The US auto industry and financial industry are examples of two industries that should have been allowed to fail so that new business could flourish.

    I have yet to see a country run a completely capitalist society, that is because Capitalism doesnt seem to address ethical questions such as your example of the young girl selling out to pay for school.

    A socially responsible capitalistic society has a small government in place to address the ethics and form laws that actually protect innovation and hard work.

    The real problem with capitalism nowadays (in my opinion) is too much government intervention, check out the C.A.R.S (cash for clunkers) program, the US tried last year, millions of useful vehicles were destroyed for the benefit of the failing US auto industry...thats not capitalism and neither was the stimulus bills that gave taxpayer money to terrible businesses...Im ranting, but my point is a responsible capitalistic system works in theory, but shady politicians ruin it.

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  12. This was excellent. Very well written and I wholeheartedly agree.

    I especially liked the part where you equated capitalism with colonialism. That is a major point and one that I think more people would do well to consider.

    I've often said that we can do whatever we choose with this world. I'm so often astonished and much chagrined to see that THIS is what we've done with it.

    Thank you for writing this. I greatly appreciate your thoughts on this topic.

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  13. Dear Mr. Mathers your comments will always be very very valuable to me because I think you are one of those rare human beings who are free of prejudices. Thanks so much!

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  14. "Under capitalism, man exploits man; under socialism, it's the other way round", So goes a Polish proverb. Well, eventually; yes.

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  15. Ha ha Sarthak ji u know life is not that simple Socialism is supported by religion but Capitalism not at all!

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  16. Hi Anurag,
    I liked what u wrote. the though were presented in succinct manner. but I m sorry it didnt impress me, reasons:
    1. u r right in ur observation and analysis partly as light is not shed even remotely on alternate socialism or communism
    2. Obviously solution is no easy job to fit in blog, but it would be nice to have ur directed thought on the same
    3. I m no fan of capitalism or expert in economics, but am MBA (lolx) and what I missed here was analysis on both the front of capitalism (good n bad)
    I am really looking forward for a nice discussion on the same with you, sometime. My twitter handle is jemin_p

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  17. Thanks for commenting and following.. I wil do the needful in Capitalism II.. coming soon.

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  18. There is no equality in Capitalism bcoz it rewards ones for its efforts. Capitalism will live on as long as guys like me will be working in office in the hope that someday our efforts will bear fruit. Every system has its flaws but Capitalism is the least flawed of all. Long live Capitalism.

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  19. Neither I have enough brains, nor am I so much literature literate, but still this piece touched me. I too feel we all are a victim of Capitalism. I too am, I agree and I love that.
    Why? Because I love money. I see competition all around me, money all around me doing magic. So, I too enrolled for a costly degree and hope to make profit out of it.

    My take on my action is that I want to defeat all those millionaires and capitalists, by being the next capitalist. Yes, I want to be the next one. Just because the charm of money. That is the ruling factor today, everywhere.

    Your take on mainstream media was the best thing that I liked. Media should not be biased. True journalism, as someone from my age and culture would say, is sexy. It appeals more, not those pompy fake ads and sex columns.

    Also here, I do not agree with you completely. The so called "clubs" you mentioned, do not have any capitalist effect. Maybe I too like some sort of club or other sport county. I too listen to western music, maybe POP or R&B. I do not see any sense here with capitalism.

    That is what by far I have been able to gauge from one time read. Would surely love to give it a second read.

    And yes, you deserve to write more such things. So, please go on. Good luck.

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  20. Younger Bro,

    I am a Capitalist myself as you know very well.However,the sort of Capitalism you describe here is also something I am ashamed of.

    I guess it comes down to pure human nature,Greed and the need for more.A system is only as good as the people part of it.Be it Capitalist,Communist or otherwise.

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  21. You are a capitalist but you only play with numbers not human lives! But what a comment you put there very balanced indeed, I will have to keep this in mind while writing Capitalism II. Your community does business as a religion and also donates liberally so I guess you are not the kind of 'capitalist' I am talking about up there in the blog post!

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  22. They say that a chain is as strong as it its weakest link, sadly our chain is made up of entirely weak links, each easily succumbing to greed - by force or by choice. The systems can be good only as long as the people who are responsible in ensuring that it runs see to its just cause and not as a means to profit themselves.

    Unfortunately, world over, be it the US-the best example of capitalist and govt nexus, or in India where you have an empowered thief at every corner. The key question here is to how to drive out that greed, and do good for one and for all... is it the socialist way, the communist way or the capitalist way.. unfortunately each path, including the middle path always seems to be the most rotten path! Maybe we need to collectively come together to forge a new beginning, but whats the guarantee that we ourselves will not succumb to the ease of power and money - and actually elevate the life of the mango aadmi~~~

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