General Discussion

limpyhobbler

(8,244 posts)

22. I tend to think the problems described in the top post are not

Sun Feb 3, 2013, 07:07 PM

Feb 2013

really a product of human nature, but rather the product of a particular economic system, political system, power arrangements, power imbalances, control of resources, and stuff like that.

If it's a product of human nature, that kind of implies that it can't get much better, and there isn't much room for improvement or progress.

Also not really sure that 'gimmee more, me, me, me' is really a fair representation of human nature. Greed is one aspect of human nature, but so are compassion, generosity, solidarity, loyalty, etc.

Maybe our society is arranged in a way that encourages the worst greedy aspects of human nature. In that case let's change the arrangement so it encourages the better aspects.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

43 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Reading about the late 1800s-labor unions, robber barons, etc... [View all] YoungDemCA Feb 2013 OP

Partly because Americans have a knack nadinbrzezinski Feb 2013 #1

Why do you suppose that is, though? YoungDemCA Feb 2013 #2

A combo nadinbrzezinski Feb 2013 #6

The wealthy count on kids being bored in sanitized high school history Warpy Feb 2013 #8

^ ^ ^ ... +1. . . . n/t annabanana Feb 2013 #9

Exactly!!! bvar22 Feb 2013 #25

In School, my School stop History at the Civil War, to avoid Labor issues happyslug Feb 2013 #32

Well said, Warpy! surrealAmerican Feb 2013 #35

Thats a knack many cultures share. nt cstanleytech Feb 2013 #34

What is this "struggle to organize the laboring classes" you speak of? limpyhobbler Feb 2013 #3

I mean that it was a struggle and is a struggle YoungDemCA Feb 2013 #7

I was just wondering how today's struggle to organize the laboring classes limpyhobbler Feb 2013 #10

Who owns the media? valerief Feb 2013 #24

I certainly is a struggle still! Worse now than the 60s and 70s. Coyotl Feb 2013 #17

Absolutely. elleng Feb 2013 #4

more to do with corporate control and monopoly economic power, i suspect. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #13

all of which derive from human nature, elleng Feb 2013 #14

no more than any other human phenomenon does. not all human societies have run on the HiPointDem Feb 2013 #16

Thank you. woo me with science Feb 2013 #18

I tend to think the problems described in the top post are not limpyhobbler Feb 2013 #22

A combination of self-imposed ignorance and fear in large segments of the population... AdHocSolver Feb 2013 #39

and has been for Sherman A1 Feb 2013 #5

Here's an article from a few months ago about how similar things are. pampango Feb 2013 #11

kr HiPointDem Feb 2013 #12

How all that led to the Great Depression! It seems to be cyclical, forgetting lessons learned. Coyotl Feb 2013 #15

And we're at the worst... ReRe Feb 2013 #21

In 1903 Congressman J.C. Cooper from Ohio wrote: AnotherDreamWeaver Feb 2013 #19

Yep.....anyone see the next Teddy Roosevelt walking around? yourout Feb 2013 #20

We are struggling with the new robber barons today. They are known as the too big to fail Cleita Feb 2013 #23

with everyone being required to piss in a cup onethatcares Feb 2013 #26

Another history lesson about labor......... WcoastO Feb 2013 #27

The system hasn't changed. Starry Messenger Feb 2013 #28

This message was self-deleted by its author ProfessionalLeftist Feb 2013 #29

Americans don't like history. It's one thing that other countries have lots more of. tclambert Feb 2013 #30

Here are Some Other Books, if You Want Some mckara Feb 2013 #31

Interesting parallels between the robber barons... malthaussen Feb 2013 #33

"The Jungle" not only tells what was happening, but HOW (cont) Demo_Chris Feb 2013 #36

That's what happens when labor history is not taught in schools and it is banned senseandsensibility Feb 2013 #37

K&R... love_katz Feb 2013 #38

Howard Zinn makes the point that during that period politics developed as a distraction from class patrice Feb 2013 #40

The difference is in the power conferred by technology. AdHocSolver Feb 2013 #41

1877 Year of Violence by Robert V. Bruce aquart Feb 2013 #42

"All of them were caught in something larger than themselves. theKed Feb 2013 #43