Hi Nigel, I understand what makes the world look like this. I’m no apologist for the PMC but I do think you’ve confused some apples with some pears in this post. I’ll try to take some time later to discuss it properly but may I humbly recommend my own book on this topic? It’s utterly unaffordable but the ebook is pretty widely available in libraries.
Yeah it’s really annoying and embarrassing (you know that $ doesn’t come to me right?) let me know if you have trouble finding an ebook. Sorry haven’t got back to this I’ve caught yet another thing going around.
Trust me, Hannah, nobody knows better than I how especially exploited we content creators are under capitalism! And no rush - my kids have had the flu all week and gave it to me a couple of days ago
Excellent comeback article! I shall have to digest over several days. I grew up around the same time as you (I think), so I do remember how un-socially liberal Australia used to be and the toll that exacted on individuals such as your brother. That said, I continue to believe the Left has repeatedly punched itself in the face (as it seems historically compelled to do) in recent decades by expecting beleagured working and middle class individuals to share the PMC, or more accurately the feminised P, obsession with identity politics cause celebres while the plutocrats have been busy redistributing wealth and life opportunities upwards.
> In the mid-1970s, Ehrenreich and others noticed a new class (initially it was even referred to as the ‘New Class’) was emerging.
I'm reminded of
> If one examines the people who, having some idea of what the Russian regime is like, are strongly russophile, one finds that, on the whole, they belong to the 'managerial' class of which Burnham writes. That is, they are not managers in the narrow sense, but scientists, technicians, teachers, journalists, broadcasters, bureaucrats, professional politicians: in general, middling people who feel themselves cramped by a system that is still partly aristocratic, and are hungry for more power and more prestige. -- George Orwell, "Second Thoughts on James Burnham" 1946
Even if migration is slowed - unless inequality is solved - there will remain many people with out enough to provide a base line existence.
Im still yet to see any argument for more than 10m wealth needed by any person. On top of the fact that much wealth is built on top of Gov (our) funding. eg Power/wifi / governance etc etc
So why do we the PMCs allow it and are not screaming for -
A marginal tax rate of 90% (the US had pre Reagan)
A wealth/inheritance tax
taxing the second home - proposed by a Melbourne council this week....
The UK greens seem to be moving this way this week.
Hi Nigel, I understand what makes the world look like this. I’m no apologist for the PMC but I do think you’ve confused some apples with some pears in this post. I’ll try to take some time later to discuss it properly but may I humbly recommend my own book on this topic? It’s utterly unaffordable but the ebook is pretty widely available in libraries.
Virtue Capitalists: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/virtue-capitalists/E5DEC7049458F3FAE69C77AF6317CB51#
AUD$160.95!!! I'm in the wrong line of work.
Yeah it’s really annoying and embarrassing (you know that $ doesn’t come to me right?) let me know if you have trouble finding an ebook. Sorry haven’t got back to this I’ve caught yet another thing going around.
Trust me, Hannah, nobody knows better than I how especially exploited we content creators are under capitalism! And no rush - my kids have had the flu all week and gave it to me a couple of days ago
Thanks, Hannah - I await your feedback with interest and will try to get a hold of your book!
Excellent comeback article! I shall have to digest over several days. I grew up around the same time as you (I think), so I do remember how un-socially liberal Australia used to be and the toll that exacted on individuals such as your brother. That said, I continue to believe the Left has repeatedly punched itself in the face (as it seems historically compelled to do) in recent decades by expecting beleagured working and middle class individuals to share the PMC, or more accurately the feminised P, obsession with identity politics cause celebres while the plutocrats have been busy redistributing wealth and life opportunities upwards.
Thanks for that link, Worley - I'd never come across Fussell's work before but it looks fascinating!
> In the mid-1970s, Ehrenreich and others noticed a new class (initially it was even referred to as the ‘New Class’) was emerging.
I'm reminded of
> If one examines the people who, having some idea of what the Russian regime is like, are strongly russophile, one finds that, on the whole, they belong to the 'managerial' class of which Burnham writes. That is, they are not managers in the narrow sense, but scientists, technicians, teachers, journalists, broadcasters, bureaucrats, professional politicians: in general, middling people who feel themselves cramped by a system that is still partly aristocratic, and are hungry for more power and more prestige. -- George Orwell, "Second Thoughts on James Burnham" 1946
and also the final chapter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class:_A_Guide_Through_the_American_Status_System#Category_X of Fussell's analysis of the US class system 1983, postulating a group that was outside of the class hierarchy, but really, a group whose high status was determined by cultural signifiers and education rather than income.
> Which side of history do you want to be on now?
Obviously, whichever one comes out ahead in the coming battle for status and social control!
what are some of the answers Nigel ?
Even if migration is slowed - unless inequality is solved - there will remain many people with out enough to provide a base line existence.
Im still yet to see any argument for more than 10m wealth needed by any person. On top of the fact that much wealth is built on top of Gov (our) funding. eg Power/wifi / governance etc etc
So why do we the PMCs allow it and are not screaming for -
A marginal tax rate of 90% (the US had pre Reagan)
A wealth/inheritance tax
taxing the second home - proposed by a Melbourne council this week....
The UK greens seem to be moving this way this week.
I think it's because we're often the ones who'd paying all that tax, Scott!