Is the United States a free-market country? Not really. So why do we think it is? Basically, a massive public relations campaign to convince us that what’s good for wealthy elites is also good for the rest of us. Spoiler alert: It’s not. We discuss how we ended up in our current corporate hellscape and why 99.9% of us should overthrow this absurd system known as neoliberalism.
We would really appreciate it if you shared this episode with a friend … or, perhaps more appropriately, an enemy.
Chapters:
- Brain Freeze, 0:00 – 12:05 — Socio-political mindlock is endemic in the United States. What made our gray matter even grayer this week? There’s really no way to explain this one so just give it a listen.
- From a Gush to a Trickle, 12:06 – 27:34 — Having a middle class is a policy choice. When did we have one? How did we get it? Who got to be in it? Where did it go?
- Something D-O-O Economics., 27:35 – 38:49 — Wealthy elites really don’t like actual social progress. The modern conservative movement was their response.
- The invisible hand is punching you in the crotch., 39:01 – 1:06:55 — Adam Smith would absolutely despise his modern-day followers. What do they get completely fucking wrong?
- Modern humanity is really weird., 1:06:56 – 1:17:39 — We don’t have a free-market society, we have a whole society run by corporations that make laws to steal our money.
- Cherry on Top, 1:17:40 – 1:25:00 — We despise delusional optimism, but we really like to celebrate sparks of joy and goodness in our lives. This week, Chris appreciates several mentors he’s extremely lucky to have. He didn’t even mention all of them.
Relevant sources:
Gerth, Joe. “White Kentucky Politician Who Opposes DEI Tells NAACP: ‘My Father Was a Slave’.” The Courier-Journal, 13 Feb. 2024. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/columnists/gerth/2024/02/13/white-kentucky-representative-against-dei-tells-naacp-her-father-was-a-slave/72511779007/. Accessed on 1 Mar. 2024.
Korten, David. “Assault of the Corporate Libertarians.” When Corporations Rule the World, pp. 69-86.
Korten, David. “Rise of Corporate Power in America.” When Corporations Rule the World, pp. 53-68.
Korten, David. “Buying Out Democracy.” When Corporations Rule the World, pp. 141-8.
Korten, David. When Corporations Rule the World. Kumarian. 1995.
We want to hear from you! Send us your thoughts on the issues we discuss, tell us why that thing we said was really dumb, let us know how you’re doing, or send us random comments and questions on anything at all. Chris: [email protected], Jørn: [email protected]
If you need immediate help related to mental health please call or text 988 to connect with a confidential crisis specialist anytime of the day seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org/ to start and chat and find other resources. The Trevor Project offers the same thing with a focus on the LGBTQ community. Call 866-488-7386 or text 678-678.
Logo by Dave Sharpe
Music: “Life of a Wandering Wizard” by Serge Quadrado Music.
