Not specifically about capitalism, although it's definitely part of the story, Graeber's 'Debt: the First 5000 Years" is an amazing work about the origin of money and debt. The "why do we have to work" question ultimately comes down to violence, which Graeber explains well.
He later turned it into a book-length work, and his other books are compulsively readable for laypeople with only a slight knowledge of economics. He died in 2020, and we lost a great anti-capitalist voice.
Have you read Robin Wall Kimmerer's "Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World"? It is a short book/long essay, that might have the description of "what is an economy?" you're looking for! (And even if not, it is a great read.)
So far for us, this has mostly come up with our oldest kid, who is 6, in the context of advertising, and usually while we're traveling (eg, commercials on the TVs playing during hotel breakfast, giant subway ads when getting off a metro).
"Why is there a big picture of a shoe?" she asked me getting off the metro the other day.
"That's an ad. It's trying to get you to buy those shoes. Companies want you to buy things so they get your money. They try to get you to want things."
"But why?"
"That's capitalism, babe."
My mom heard me say that last sentence, laughed, and said something about wondering what she'd missed. So far I haven't done any deep dives like deconstructing the whole thing, but I also think it's important to think critically about wants and needs and the messaging in advertising and financial literacy, so that's where I'm starting when it organically comes up, at least in this context.
Beautiful story. Also so interesting to hear you reflect your own spiral when trying to explain it, and immediately blaming the individual (yourself). I came to anticapitalism super young, and have never found a satisfactory explanation, so i try in all conversations (because speaking to the propaganda is like speaking to a child) to bring it back to values and feelings. those are the most real things for people. capitalism is against my values because x. my values are Y. capitalism creates these feelings for these people and those for those. we can all feel and hold values. it is a place to start. A crux of the propaganda is that there is no alternative, so bringing the facts of our sufficient resources, that is useful. we have enough, and we all deserve to have enough. xoxo hope this helps
Going to values is such a huge part of where I end up having the best conversations with my kiddo. However, sometimes takes awhile for me to get there, lol. Thanks for this!
Hi Elizabeth, boy does this essay hit home for me! In the decades since I was in high school and learned (according to the prevailing attitudes at the time) what Capitalism was, along with socialism, Marxism, etc, so much has changed. I feel like the past 8 years have been a gigantic Civics class for the American people, andost of them have been asleep at their desks. Now, due to the crises created by the current administration, more of us are slowly waking up and realizing that capitalism has run amok and has names and faces we cannot get away from. Time to get back to basics. This is why Senator Bernie Sanders and AOC are such valuable teachers for those Americans who are willing to actually listen to them.
Bernie Sanders stood before the huge crowd of young revelers at Coachella last weekend and told them point blank; what happens next in this country is up to YOU. I sincerely hope and pray that some of them will stop partying long enough to stand up and take action to save what's left of our shattered democracy. Thank you for your service for us all.
So glad you find it relatable! I do hope that the silver lining is that we are all finally realizing how important civic engagement is and also what civics is generally. Hope it doesn't take a full-on fall into fascism to make it happen, but I'm so heartened by the crowds AOC and Bernie are pulling in!
Why don't people flee to countries like Russia, Venezuela, Cuba, China, etc.? Why do they flee to capitalist countries like the US, if capitalism is so bad?
Not specifically about capitalism, although it's definitely part of the story, Graeber's 'Debt: the First 5000 Years" is an amazing work about the origin of money and debt. The "why do we have to work" question ultimately comes down to violence, which Graeber explains well.
I have always wanted to read Graeber, but haven't yet picked up his work. Will definitely take this suggestion!
I highly recommend On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs: A Work Rant first published online: https://strikemag.org/bullshit-jobs/
He later turned it into a book-length work, and his other books are compulsively readable for laypeople with only a slight knowledge of economics. He died in 2020, and we lost a great anti-capitalist voice.
He's a lot of fun to read. Often humorous too.
Have you read Robin Wall Kimmerer's "Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World"? It is a short book/long essay, that might have the description of "what is an economy?" you're looking for! (And even if not, it is a great read.)
Oooh will definitely check that out! I quote Kimmerer so often esp. related to describing the gift economy.
So far for us, this has mostly come up with our oldest kid, who is 6, in the context of advertising, and usually while we're traveling (eg, commercials on the TVs playing during hotel breakfast, giant subway ads when getting off a metro).
"Why is there a big picture of a shoe?" she asked me getting off the metro the other day.
"That's an ad. It's trying to get you to buy those shoes. Companies want you to buy things so they get your money. They try to get you to want things."
"But why?"
"That's capitalism, babe."
My mom heard me say that last sentence, laughed, and said something about wondering what she'd missed. So far I haven't done any deep dives like deconstructing the whole thing, but I also think it's important to think critically about wants and needs and the messaging in advertising and financial literacy, so that's where I'm starting when it organically comes up, at least in this context.
Beautiful story. Also so interesting to hear you reflect your own spiral when trying to explain it, and immediately blaming the individual (yourself). I came to anticapitalism super young, and have never found a satisfactory explanation, so i try in all conversations (because speaking to the propaganda is like speaking to a child) to bring it back to values and feelings. those are the most real things for people. capitalism is against my values because x. my values are Y. capitalism creates these feelings for these people and those for those. we can all feel and hold values. it is a place to start. A crux of the propaganda is that there is no alternative, so bringing the facts of our sufficient resources, that is useful. we have enough, and we all deserve to have enough. xoxo hope this helps
Going to values is such a huge part of where I end up having the best conversations with my kiddo. However, sometimes takes awhile for me to get there, lol. Thanks for this!
Hi Elizabeth, boy does this essay hit home for me! In the decades since I was in high school and learned (according to the prevailing attitudes at the time) what Capitalism was, along with socialism, Marxism, etc, so much has changed. I feel like the past 8 years have been a gigantic Civics class for the American people, andost of them have been asleep at their desks. Now, due to the crises created by the current administration, more of us are slowly waking up and realizing that capitalism has run amok and has names and faces we cannot get away from. Time to get back to basics. This is why Senator Bernie Sanders and AOC are such valuable teachers for those Americans who are willing to actually listen to them.
Bernie Sanders stood before the huge crowd of young revelers at Coachella last weekend and told them point blank; what happens next in this country is up to YOU. I sincerely hope and pray that some of them will stop partying long enough to stand up and take action to save what's left of our shattered democracy. Thank you for your service for us all.
So glad you find it relatable! I do hope that the silver lining is that we are all finally realizing how important civic engagement is and also what civics is generally. Hope it doesn't take a full-on fall into fascism to make it happen, but I'm so heartened by the crowds AOC and Bernie are pulling in!
Why don't people flee to countries like Russia, Venezuela, Cuba, China, etc.? Why do they flee to capitalist countries like the US, if capitalism is so bad?