![]() It's never been a secret that agricultural workers, people who work elsewhere in the food supply chain, cleaners, gig economy workers, and others work long, long hours in sometimes brutal conditions for little pay - often working multiple jobs. Here the details get a little fuzzy, about whether that wealth has to improve everyone's lives or what exactly.įrom a practical point of view, I think it's fair to say that if actual contemporary western capitalism creates wealth, it is doing so in a system that relies on horrible and exploitative conditions for many. ![]() People talk about the various justifications and injustices of capitalism in many ways, but one common one has to do with overall prosperity: more wealth is created by capitalism than in alternative systems, it is argued, and this wealth improves people's lives. The story describes a beautiful well-functioning town in which almost everyone is well and happy, but in which all the good things depend on the utter misery of one small child - a child who is forever locked in small basement room in squalid conditions and constant suffering. Often when I think about the dysfunction of capitalism, I think about the short story " The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas," by Ursula Le Guin. ![]() The richer classes are finally like - "wait - my food and well-being depends on these people! Are they OK? What if something happens to them?!" ![]() The pandemic crisis is prompting a lot of reflection about the dysfunctions of a capitalist system, which I guess is a good thing, though I'm pessimistic about much in the way of positive change. ![]() Content warning: this post gets a little dark by moments, so if you're not in the right frame of mind, maybe read it later, or don't read it at all. ![]()
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