Slovenia almost immediately backtracked on its decision to hold a referendum on NATO membership, but a massive ideological taboo has been broken — and may inspire others
I wish you are right……broken tabu….but all those institutions seems to oblivious to any critique. David Graeber article from 2013 might be important to reread….
If, on the other hand, we stop taking world leaders at their word and instead think of neoliberalism as a political project, it suddenly looks spectacularly effective. The politicians, CEOs, trade bureaucrats, and so forth who regularly meet at summits like Davos or the G20 may have done a miserable job in creating a world capitalist economy that meets the needs of a majority of the world’s inhabitants (let alone produces hope, happiness, security, or meaning), but they have succeeded magnificently in convincing the world that capitalism—and not just capitalism, but exactly the financialized, semifeudal capitalism we happen to have right now—is the only viable economic system. If you think about it, this is a remarkable accomplishment.
No, that's the thing. People dont believe anymore. They understand the system is dysfuncitonal and does not work for them.
Dont confuse the media facade for what people believe. The media spread lies, and even lies that no one believes. Read in detail the findings of the world's most comprehensive trust survey, and you find that the so-called western countries, the heart of capitalism, is where people trust the media the least, and trust their own government the least:
You need to realize the average person is a sheep and not interested in thinking or philosophising. They understand the system isnt working, and they no longer trust it - but they are not capable or interested in the philisophy of what it is, or what should replace it.
I agree that the system (whatever that might mean) isn’t working, but I seriously doubt that people (and once again, what does it stand for) are stupid or just followers of something or someone. One thing is clear, we have lost a language of resistance, but it does not mean that it cannot be reinvented. So, I suppose, what I am saying is to oppose the institutional systemic capitalist structures requires someone to oppose it. And that is a challenge.
The nature of human psychology is that we are herd animals, and few do any deep soul searching or philospophy. If for example, you live in decent conditions, like working not more than 8 hours a day, having vacation, sick pay, and your children attending a government paid school instead of working....all that comes on the back of a tiny group of people standing up to the brutality of "leaders" and winning those rights and that way of life. The majority of people didnt win that. But its not like the way of life for a worker in the so called west was nice for the average worker before that - and yet the average person did not philiosophize or resist or force change. A finy few accomplished it.
For another example, if women vote today, its because a tiny few percentage philosophised, got stubborn and changed it. It was not accomplished by a general strike of all women. It's a tiny few women who ideated and forced change by action.
In the same vein, capitalism isnt working for the average person now, and it's blindlingly obvious, no matter what the media says. People are not stupid. they understand when things are more expensive for them, and they dont get wage increases that cover it. But no they are on average not going to ideate or force change. Change is forced by a tiny few people who do philisophize and then act for change. They are also ordinary people often - but they are a tiny percentage of the herd.
So capitlaism isnt going to be changed by mass intellectual awakennings or mass uprisings in the street. Dont expect it.
I wish you are right……broken tabu….but all those institutions seems to oblivious to any critique. David Graeber article from 2013 might be important to reread….
If, on the other hand, we stop taking world leaders at their word and instead think of neoliberalism as a political project, it suddenly looks spectacularly effective. The politicians, CEOs, trade bureaucrats, and so forth who regularly meet at summits like Davos or the G20 may have done a miserable job in creating a world capitalist economy that meets the needs of a majority of the world’s inhabitants (let alone produces hope, happiness, security, or meaning), but they have succeeded magnificently in convincing the world that capitalism—and not just capitalism, but exactly the financialized, semifeudal capitalism we happen to have right now—is the only viable economic system. If you think about it, this is a remarkable accomplishment.
https://thebaffler.com/salvos/a-practical-utopians-guide-to-the-coming-collapse
Uprising? I have not said it. Anyway, I do not subscribe to psychology, so, it might be hard to continue our discussion. Thank you for your reply.
No, that's the thing. People dont believe anymore. They understand the system is dysfuncitonal and does not work for them.
Dont confuse the media facade for what people believe. The media spread lies, and even lies that no one believes. Read in detail the findings of the world's most comprehensive trust survey, and you find that the so-called western countries, the heart of capitalism, is where people trust the media the least, and trust their own government the least:
https://www.edelman.com/trust/2025/trust-barometer
You need to realize the average person is a sheep and not interested in thinking or philosophising. They understand the system isnt working, and they no longer trust it - but they are not capable or interested in the philisophy of what it is, or what should replace it.
I agree that the system (whatever that might mean) isn’t working, but I seriously doubt that people (and once again, what does it stand for) are stupid or just followers of something or someone. One thing is clear, we have lost a language of resistance, but it does not mean that it cannot be reinvented. So, I suppose, what I am saying is to oppose the institutional systemic capitalist structures requires someone to oppose it. And that is a challenge.
Your "doubt" is vague and based on nothing.
The nature of human psychology is that we are herd animals, and few do any deep soul searching or philospophy. If for example, you live in decent conditions, like working not more than 8 hours a day, having vacation, sick pay, and your children attending a government paid school instead of working....all that comes on the back of a tiny group of people standing up to the brutality of "leaders" and winning those rights and that way of life. The majority of people didnt win that. But its not like the way of life for a worker in the so called west was nice for the average worker before that - and yet the average person did not philiosophize or resist or force change. A finy few accomplished it.
For another example, if women vote today, its because a tiny few percentage philosophised, got stubborn and changed it. It was not accomplished by a general strike of all women. It's a tiny few women who ideated and forced change by action.
In the same vein, capitalism isnt working for the average person now, and it's blindlingly obvious, no matter what the media says. People are not stupid. they understand when things are more expensive for them, and they dont get wage increases that cover it. But no they are on average not going to ideate or force change. Change is forced by a tiny few people who do philisophize and then act for change. They are also ordinary people often - but they are a tiny percentage of the herd.
So capitlaism isnt going to be changed by mass intellectual awakennings or mass uprisings in the street. Dont expect it.
The rulers know, never put an honest question to the masses.
Hope NATO cracks like Humpty Dumpty falling off a wall.
NATO is going nowhere, unless and until people of influence and authority decide that it's no longer in their interests.