Nice column. Perfect for the holiday and for what's coming. Diane Hainsworth recommended The Serviceberry for the book table last Sunday. Great minds read alike.
Agree 100 % on bottled water. It's use is a prime example of the ostentations look at me posturing culture. AND by the way bottled water is LESS regulated and less healthy than everyday tap water.
Disagree 100 % with your perhaps well meaning but uniformed put down of capitalism.
Capitalism inherently is neither more or less 'GIVING" than socialism, which merely distributes the wealth of society. Capitalism certainly needs restrictions, guidelines, guardrails and regulations to offset its flaws. But, it is capitalism that creates wealth; without it there would be little or no wealth for socialism to distribute. I do support a more socialistic government and I do support socialism itself with the important and necessary stricture that is can easily be invaded by communism. Marxism is the LEAST giving of all the economies. It denies the value of the individual and TAKES from the individual and gives it to the state and its oligarchs and leaders. Time to rethink the undeveloped economic analyses and theories and to appreciate regulated, democratic capitalism as an important tenet of democracies.
Bill, I certainly agree with your take on Marxism (which I neither mentioned nor advocated for in my post). And while there are societies in which capitalism functions well because it is well regulated, we in the US unfortunately do not live in such a society.
There are without a doubt societies throughout history that have thrived on a structure of sharing and community, with little-to-no focus on individual wealth, greed, and the hoarding of resources. Indigenous cultures both on this continent and elsewhere in the world are prime examples. Could we return to that? I doubt it, but I think there are plenty of opportunities (as I addressed in my point about micro gift economies) to cultivate more reciprocal communities.
My position is different from yours (we are all entitled to our views!) but I do not consider it uninformed. Like many others, I spend a great deal of time studying and considering these issues.
Thanks for chiming in! It's an interesting discussion.
I love the book swap idea!
It was so much fun. I highly recommend it!
I want to create a LFL in my tiny community. What a great thing! Enjoy your time with your family this holiday. These days fly by so fast!!
Thank you! Happy holidays, Kat.
Love this post!
Thanks, Martha!
What a beautiful post, Cynthia, with so many terrific reminders about how kindness makes the world go around. Thank you!
Thanks, my friend!
Nice column. Perfect for the holiday and for what's coming. Diane Hainsworth recommended The Serviceberry for the book table last Sunday. Great minds read alike.
It would be perfect for the book table at church. Thanks, Nan!
Agree 100 % on bottled water. It's use is a prime example of the ostentations look at me posturing culture. AND by the way bottled water is LESS regulated and less healthy than everyday tap water.
Disagree 100 % with your perhaps well meaning but uniformed put down of capitalism.
Capitalism inherently is neither more or less 'GIVING" than socialism, which merely distributes the wealth of society. Capitalism certainly needs restrictions, guidelines, guardrails and regulations to offset its flaws. But, it is capitalism that creates wealth; without it there would be little or no wealth for socialism to distribute. I do support a more socialistic government and I do support socialism itself with the important and necessary stricture that is can easily be invaded by communism. Marxism is the LEAST giving of all the economies. It denies the value of the individual and TAKES from the individual and gives it to the state and its oligarchs and leaders. Time to rethink the undeveloped economic analyses and theories and to appreciate regulated, democratic capitalism as an important tenet of democracies.
Bill, I certainly agree with your take on Marxism (which I neither mentioned nor advocated for in my post). And while there are societies in which capitalism functions well because it is well regulated, we in the US unfortunately do not live in such a society.
There are without a doubt societies throughout history that have thrived on a structure of sharing and community, with little-to-no focus on individual wealth, greed, and the hoarding of resources. Indigenous cultures both on this continent and elsewhere in the world are prime examples. Could we return to that? I doubt it, but I think there are plenty of opportunities (as I addressed in my point about micro gift economies) to cultivate more reciprocal communities.
My position is different from yours (we are all entitled to our views!) but I do not consider it uninformed. Like many others, I spend a great deal of time studying and considering these issues.
Thanks for chiming in! It's an interesting discussion.