“If we have no business with the construction of the future or with organizing
it for all time, there can still be no doubt about the task confronting us at
present: the ruthless criticism of the existing order, ruthless in that it will
shrink neither from its own discoveries, nor from conflict with the powers that
be.” — Karl Marx New Morality and its values – worthless!
Hard work – Frugality – Modesty – Honesty – Altruism – Politeness
Morality amounts to a supreme value that is said to distinguish humans from the
animal kingdom, ennobling humanity as the crown of creation. But strangely
enough, it never quite exists because the world is really only populated by
greedy bosses, corrupt politicians, lazy unemployed people, and selfish
singles; not to mention rude children who don’t say hello. The world is full
of jerks.
Of course, everybody knows an exception: oneself. This is only one of the many
self-righteous stupidities of the moral consciousness, which has one and the
same false explanation on hand for every harm that capitalist society inflicts
on its inhabitants: bad behavior is to blame because people do not abide by the
moral virtues. If everyone would just be as virtuous as oneself, the world
would be okay and everyone would make a living.
This entitlement mentality, usually fiercely criticized in the public, is
vigorously stoked by politicians, captains of industry and preachers when it
comes to morality. A person can’t have enough decency! For the political
community, morality obviously brings a significant benefit. But for the
millions of ordinary people who go to the dogs, it is no good.
This will not only explain the concept of morality, but for once put the much
praised virtues to the test. What good really is hard work, frugality, modesty,
honesty, altruism and politeness? This much can be anticipated: criticism of
such noble values is not a plea for their opposite, i.e. for dishonesty or
selfishness, but an objection to the market economy and the democratic morass
in which the false moral consciousness thrives.
... is not a commodity!
“Education is not a commodity!†(poster against tuition fees)
“Water is a public good, not a commodity!†(petition right2water.eu)
“Health is not a commodity!†(a criticism of health care privatization)
“Housing is not a commodity!†(slogan against gentrification)
Now and then, critical people get annoyed at some point because an important
commodity is given a price that those who need it can no longer afford. It is
certainly their mistake that they present their objections against reality as
if reality itself would prohibit this high-ranking good from being made a
business item. But they do notice that the purpose of making money with a good
in principle excludes those who need an object from meeting their need and that
this condition must be met before the exclusion is lifted. In short, they
notice that the commodity form of goods is hostile to needs.
Full at http://www.ruthlesscriticism.com/
---------------
"The commodity form of goods is hostile to needs" This is history, not ethics.
Nothing in the nature of reality forbids the existence of the commodity.
Carrol
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