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> On 01 Sep 2015, at 2:12 PM, Louis Proyect via Marxism > <marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu> wrote: > > The little handful of recalcitrant capitalists who don’t like what is > happening will not have to stay and watch if they don’t want to. The workers’ > government of rich America could easily afford to give them an island or two, > for their exclusive habitation, and pension them off and get them out of the > way. How big is Catalina Island here? That might be just the place for them. > It will not be necessary to kill them off. Just send them to Catalina. Let > them take their bonds and stock certificates with them—as mementos of bygone > days—and give them enough caviar and champagne to finish out their useless > lives, while the workers go on with their work of constructing a new and > better social order. It’s a lovely dream, but I don’t think it would work - luxury isn’t satisfying on its own to such a person; it’s necessary to know that you have something others don’t, that they wish they did, and that everyone who matters knows that. We’re social creatures through and through, even in our most anti-social manifestations. It isn’t luxury that drives ambition but prestige - and the true enjoyment of prestige requires both deprived inferiors and cohorts with whom to gloat. It’s why the filthy rich fetishise useless but rare objects, and need to show them off - even to people they loathe. _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
