Friday, March 13th, 2020
Editor’s Note – The Story Behind the Story
Author: Stephan A. Schwartz
Source: Schwartzreport
Publication Date: 13 March 2020
Link: Editor’s Note – The Story Behind the Story
Source: Schwartzreport
Publication Date: 13 March 2020
Link: Editor’s Note – The Story Behind the Story
Stephan: Today's SR is a bit longer than usual because in the midst of this terrible pandemic the story behind the story of the Trump administration's activities in addressing this crisis needs to be told so it is not lost. I find this entire event almost beyond belief. I don't think that in the history of the United States we have ever had an administration and a Senate of such criminality and incompetence. At a time when the wellbeing of Americans should be the first priority instead all manner of grifting and criminal maneuvering is going on. These reports speak for themselves.
Stephan,
I am a little surprised by your surprise about Trump, and the Republicans’, behaviors. For me it’s actually completely consistent with an element in our society that has been present, and core, from its beginnings with the original Columbus expedition’s behaviors and attitude.
In some ways one can see it’s being so blatantly demonstrated as a potentially healthy event, despite the immediate negative effects, because it is displaying a foundational weakness in the philosophical foundations of our society, particularly in our economic models, and other basic values, that that need to change if our civilization is going to survive.
Though I admit to growing skeptical that it will, and am becoming also becoming interested in efforts to moderate the collapse as well as to build the infrastructure for the next civilization.
I think you, and many or your readers, would agree that the materialist nature of our mainstream cultural philosophy seems to me to be a core problem. With our competitive hierarchical genetic hardwiring it makes sense for alpha’s to seek “he/she with the most toys wins” achievements as a way to compete for, and display, dominance in our society.
The challenge is how to change our culture’s philosophy. Your work, the research on near death experiences, as well as the current “idealists” and panpsychic philosophers, all are pointing at the a more valid world view. But I think these all need to be better integrated, as well be laid as a foundation for concrete economic and political models.
Certainly the above are consistent with Karl Polanyi’s economic model, the counter to Friedrich Hayek’s materialistic neoliberalism (aka Milton Friedman and the Chicago School). I particularly like Polanyi’s insistence that the economy is “embedded” in, (I.e., a subsystem of) society and nature. And that both humans and natural world have a “sacred” nature.
But we don’t have a non-materialistic political philosophy to balance that which parallels neoliberalism.
The only counter in the mainstream is democratic socialism, which philosophical is still based in materialism.
The best answer I have found is Ken Wilber’s Four Quadrant Model. But he seems to have moved in the direction of just trying to monetize his ideas rather than show how it might applicable to a broader social movement. Or at least his close followers are. He seems to be trying the best he can, considering his chronic illness.
Anyway, I kind of went on here. I don’t know of many venues where these perspective can be brought together in this way, so I took advantage to do so. In my professional and volunteer work I have been much more concrete, helping individuals and community groups with trauma and abuse issues. But after a life time of pushing that rock up the mountain, I have become more interested in working on more foundational social patterns.
Vince Foster
I cannot link to the article ‘The Story Behind the Story’. Could you please send it to me? janemilligantt@gmail.com
There are no links to Editor Notes. It is all in that one bloc.
— Stephan