Forum Post: Protest What? Is Capitalism Really The Problem? Are Corporations To Blame?
Posted 12 years ago on Oct. 17, 2011, 3:45 p.m. EST by Jean
(4)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
I am resigned to the fact that nothing I buy will be repaired; I will buy a new one.
I do not recycle polystyrene, because it would be too expensive to do so.
I laugh at protesters, because they will not change anything.
I avoid any moral responsibility regarding any wrong in the world by donating some money to charities.
I do not budge, knowing that restaurants throw out unsold food, nor that stores burn unsold clothes to maintain prestige and prices.
I believe the world is as good as it can be, because capitalism rewards me every day for my such beliefs.
I accept my government as it is, because I find comfort in stability, even if that brings displeasure.
I vote for whichever party gives me the biggest tax cuts. I choose which party represents me for what this party gives me in exchange for my vote. Moreover, I live in the now and have no will to vote for an elder me, or any future children.
I respect corporations as morally independent entities. I am not responsible for any moral wrong the company may cause, because the company is not me.
I am not occupying Wall Street, or any other street, because I can not be troubled to.
I am why your culture is crumbling down.
Amen.
I am why your culture is crumbling down:)
The irony is that corporations have to get charters from the states before they are allowed to run. The state created these villains, and they can dismantle them. It's all legal.
LOL, good for a laugh.
I educated myself on what can and cannot be repaired myself and stopped buying cheap, low quality crap. My initial cost was higher, but I've saved myself more than twice what I paid for it.
Because I educate myself, I know that incinerating polystyrene creates a LOT of heat and would make an excellent power source for the bright minds of the world to pursuit.
I don't laugh at protestors, because I myself have protested and been laughed at.
I do not avoid my moral responsibilities but I avoid allowing others to pin moral responsibilities upon me to make themselves feel better. I donate a large percent of my income to charity and feel it is my moral responsibility to take care of my own and my neighbors-not the governments.
I eat in restaurants that donate unsold food to the hungry and refuse to purchase any clothing based on prestige or status.
I believe that the world will be as good as it chooses to be, and that people should not be rewarded for what they believe or do not believe. I believe people should work for what they earn, take good care of the things they buy, and help others along the way when they can. Capitalism is not a conscious entity and is not good or bad. It is completely inert unless it's used by people-and people are good, bad and every thing in between.
I do not accept my government as it is, and have been proactive and vocal in demanding that it needs to be cleaned out and repaired.
I vote for candidates (not parties) based on which person's goals, morals, and political stance is the closest to mine as possible-whether they will win or not.
I respect the corporations that I have found to be good, honest, and important, and I refuse to patronize the ones I find to be otherwise. If facts reveal that a company IS guilty of morally wrong behavior-I will take action.
I am not occupying Wall Street, or any other street, because I have a job, and a family to feed, clothe and protect. I also refuse to be just a sheep who follows the screaming accusations of someone else because I like or agree with what they are screaming. I believe in innocent until proven guilty and I know that people do not come into positions of power by themselves. Those who allowed or created the opportunity for the guy-at-the-top is just as guilty and they should all suffer equal investigation and punishment. Fair trials in courts of law. Not trial by consensus from self appointed judges and juries.
I am the only thing keeping this culture from self destructing from it's own arrogance, suspicion, and lies. And I am smart enough to know and wise enough to admit that attempting to categorize people by writing lists of either-or is futile and demonstrates a vast lack of life experience. In the same manner that I do not have the right or information required to speak for someone else, you don't have the right, or the information required to speak for me.
Please stop trying.
Stop trying what?
To speak for me. I am one of the 99%. While anyone can observe someone's behavior, and make assumptions about WHY they do what they do, everyone knows that you can only assume, you cannot actually determine what motivated them to act in that manner. Pretending that you can is insulting and arrogant.
I am not speaking for you, that is the exact point. I am speaking for me, and only me. I am speaking about my responsibility, and how I take it. I am not speaking about anyone but me, yet I do this asking people to take responsibility. This is about me accepting mine, because I can't expect people to take responsibility if I don't. The whole point is that I'm no better than anyone, like most.
Why by george you are right! It never even crossed my mind that your purpose might be to air your own dirty laundry and submit your own faults and motives for public examination. It is such a rare thing. Forgive me for thinking you were speaking of someone else, and bravo for being so honest and brave. :)