Friday, June 10, 2016

Helena Norberg-Hodge and Steven Gorelick — Globalization and the American Dream

In reality, however, globalization is a continuation of a broad process that started with the age of conquest and colonialism in the South and the enclosures and the Industrial Revolution in the North. From then on a single economic system has relentlessly expanded, taking over other cultures, other peoples’ resources and labor. Far from elevating those people from poverty, the globalizing economic system has systematically impoverished them.…
"Progress" on the backs of others.

Counterpunch
Globalization and the American Dream
Helena Norberg-Hodge and Steven Gorelick

5 comments:

Ryan Harris said...

What a brilliant article, a complete take-down. Another excellent example of why other cultures view liberal policy adoption as a loss and move backward rather than progress.

Tom Hickey said...

I don't think that they understand the same thing regarding "progress." Traditional cultures view the liberal West about the way that early Christians viewed the Romans — decadent and on the way out. They are sure that history is going to repeat in this regard.

Peter Pan said...

...nearly half a million children 0-3 years old are taking drugs to combat anxiety.

In my day, they had a device known as a pacifier. Oh well, "progress".

Peter Pan said...

Not surprisingly, time spent in nature – something essential for our well-being – has all but disappeared: only 10 percent of American children spend time outside on a daily basis.

I often forget that growing up in an urban area is a perspective that is completely foreign to me. Yet that is where a majority of the population lives. What am I missing? How do urbanites perceive the world differently to us rural folk?

Andrew Anderson said...

— ... and on the way out. Tom Hickey

Maybe but I doubt they have a superior replacement. We aren't at the top of the heap for nothing so we must be doing plenty right. Our money and credit system, for example, is great for producing wealth and advancing technology. However it is unjust and unstable so it is dangerous too. We need to fix that and compensate the victims before it leads to even more social degradation and destruction, not to mention world war.