Feb 5, 2011

The Shock Doctrine. The Barbarism and Primitivism of Deregulated Capitalism



History is an entangled topic. It also is a multi-layered one. Historic events may seem linear with clear cause-and-effect chains at first glance, but beneath there are other layers that shape and influence them.

For one reason or another, canonic history, that is taught in schools and universities is presented in a very one-sided, shallow way, that is incomplete on the least and plain deceiving on the most. Unfortunately, it is history that has been used as one of the major instruments of propaganda and manipulation, by distorting and editing it, so that it suits the ideology and views of governments and regimes.

American history books have been revised more than a dozen times in the last century. And our history, for the Bulgarian people, is a subject of debates, controversies and much uncertanties, as it has also been distorted by manipulative regimes in the past for centuries in a row. History in the span of centuries and millenias back could be a tricky subject to stitch and unearth, for obvious reasons. However, the extent of distortion of the very recent history just shocks the observer.
I am rendered speachless and stunt at the depths of propaganda and manipulation that is infused in our knowledge of events that have occurred just in the last half a century. Every official version is a load of manipulation, everyone is hypocrite, cynicism is the norm and all complex variations of human behavior stemming from the basic instincts are cultural standards even for the most "advanced".

It is a pitty that the present is never able to see itself as incomplete and backwards from the viewpoint of the future. So that is why "advanced societies" throughout history have always thought that they were at the top of cultural perfection and people continue to think like this today.

I want to share a video and the book, that it is based on. The book is titled The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein. Here is the official website. It explores the barbarism, cynicism and primitive ways of imposing change to societies.

Change that does not benefit "ordinary" people, but corporations. Change, that presents itself as advanced and freedom-bringing, but in reality, it has a degrading effect and reverts societies back into feudal-like models of highly uneaqually distributed super-rich and super-poor. These are the effects of deregulated capitalism. It is barbaric simply because humans are too primitive still and are unable to regulate themselves rationally. That is why a deregulated "free" market of pure capitalism is a highly unhealthy model that has a highly erosive effect on its host society. As we can very well see this in practice all over the world.

The more I live, the more I realize that this world is guided not only by primitivity, but unbelievable doses of irrationality. Not to mention that the very definition of "sanity" gets more and more doubtful all in regards to the extent of irrationality that world leaders implement in their actions. And actions driven purely out of selfishness are also irrational, because you cannot be selfish in a system that is interdependent and where if one element is unstable, all other elements will suffer from it. And so on. It is a crazy world. Not just playfully crazy, but seriously insane. It can be seriously argued against the current standards of "sanity", as well as the current standard approaches in "curing" "sanity" divergences. It is all business. RX generation, manipulated, abused and stupified.

I highly recommend watching the documentary and the book must be at least twice as good, in terms of an "eye opener" for all those other hidden layers behind the official façade of history. The very recent history. The history of Capitalism and in parts experimental psychology. In this line of thought, as complimentary for yet more layers and perspectives, I recommend watching


    Here are two previous articles in this blog, with more videos provoking thought and convention, conventional propaganda that is. Do browse through the "Recent Posts" section on the right side bar for more.


      And here is the Shock Doctrine documentary:




      So, am I the only one who holds the opinion that all these economists, experimental psychologists and dictatorship-training agencies should be declared psychopatic, inhumane and be held accountable for crimes against humanity?

      There is Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy. Those three are all beautiful in theory and highly distorted in practice. It seems that neither alone is the best, maybe the best version would be a syncretic one between them all. A Social Democracy with rationally balanced state regulation and free market policy. Rationality and other higher cultural values are missing from the picture so far.

      In this barbaric world of freaks and sub-human creatures, filled with lies and hypocricy. Nothing is true, everything is permitted.

      Observe. Think. Make your conclusions. Wake up.