Capitalism

In a Society Defined by Consumption

In a global society defined by consumption rather than production, voters loathe price increases and are ready to punish rulers who preside over them.  Perhaps America elected a dictator because Frosted Flakes hit $7.99 at the grocery store. How do we move to a different model? A world defined by consumption is not sustainable. And

Capitalism

Wealtherty

Wealtherty is the state or condition of prosperity in abundance of possessions or riches, plus concomitant political power and influence, and resultant risks to the democratic process. This articulation assumes that the social (of social policy) is made up of richer and poorer people. It assumes that there is such a thing as morally and

Capitalism

FTC Staff Report Finds Large Social Media and Video…

Report recommends limiting data retention and sharing, restricting targeted advertising, and strengthening protections for teens. A new Federal Trade Commission staff report that examines the data collection and use practices of major social media and video streaming services shows they engaged in vast surveillance of consumers in order to monetize their personal information while failing

Capitalism

A Bit About Neoliberalism

The term neoliberalism is often criticized because it is used in various ways and understood differently by different people. It’s a slippery concept, but one could also say that about liberalism or democracy or conservatism. Each of these words is tricky and takes on different shapes in different times and places, and that’s true of

Capitalism

The Effect of Class Consciousness on Political Preferences

Political preferences are often discussed through a one-size-fits-all middle-class lens. But empirical data shows that class significantly influences voting patterns, with growing class consciousness driving dissatisfaction with established parties. Karl Marx’s most profound insight was recognizing how commodity fetishism — the fixation on simple commodities themselves — obscures the ways that workers’ labor shapes most