Patrick Mooney's blog

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Posts tagged poverty

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In any case, most people are too preoccupied with keeping themselves afloat to bother with visions of the future. Social disruption, understandably enough, is not something most men and women are eager to embrace. They will certainly not embrace it just because socialism sounds like a good idea. It is when the deprivations of the status quo begin to outweigh the drawbacks of radical change that a leap into the future begins to seem a reasonable proposition. Revolutions tend to break out when almost any alternative seems preferable to the present. In that situation, not to rebel would be irrational. Capitalism cannot complain when, having appealed for centuries to the supremacy of self-interest, its hirelings recognize that their collective self-interest lies in trying something different for a change.
Terry Eagleton, Why Marx Was Right, ch. 8 (p. 194 in ISBN 978-0-300-18153-1)

Filed under 21st century British writers Marxism Terry Eagleton capitalism critique desperation economics ethics fears frustration inequality labor money oppression ownership philosophy philosophy of history politics poverty privilege profit quotes socialism wealth Communism

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b-l-i-s-s: fluffywhite: fluffywhite: I volunteered at the Salvation Army center around here a couple years ago, helping families pick out toys. It was really fun and I thought I was doing a good thing until two men came in. They were in poor shape, they wore a lot of layers and their jackets and pants had dirt and dust on them. I think they had been sleeping outside. They were coming in to get food from the kitchen, and one of the staff members took them to another room that wasn’t the kitchen. After a while, they were both escorted out of the building. I learned later that day they were kicked out because the staff speculated they were a gay couple and didn’t want to cater to those kind of people. I can’t even look at the bellringers without being ashamed of them. They help a lot of people, but I don’t want to contribute to a group that still considers homosexuality to be condemnatory.  

b-l-i-s-s:

fluffywhite:

fluffywhite:

I volunteered at the Salvation Army center around here a couple years ago, helping families pick out toys. It was really fun and I thought I was doing a good thing until two men came in. They were in poor shape, they wore a lot of layers and their jackets and pants had dirt and dust on them. I think they had been sleeping outside. They were coming in to get food from the kitchen, and one of the staff members took them to another room that wasn’t the kitchen. After a while, they were both escorted out of the building. I learned later that day they were kicked out because the staff speculated they were a gay couple and didn’t want to cater to those kind of people.

I can’t even look at the bellringers without being ashamed of them. They help a lot of people, but I don’t want to contribute to a group that still considers homosexuality to be condemnatory.  

(via yoko-ono-in-wonderland-deactiva)

Filed under Christianity Jesus New Testament Salvation Army charity corruption gay rights homosexuality hypocrisy oppression piety poverty religion hysterical screaming jeebus agenda

77 notes &

… “words of ‘wisdom’” from beneficiaries of the world’s largest welfare program. cagedbirdsing: sweeterthantea: Amen! I’d like to talk about how misguided and ignorant of reality this is, but I don’t have the words. I’ll take a stab at it: These people are themselves not “working.” They don’t produce anything and don’t contribute to the economy. Their jobs suck money out of the pockets of people who are engaged in honest production. The United States accounts for 43% of all world military spending. It costs more than $750,000 a year to keep one of you worthless fucks employed. Let’s be honest here: most of the people in this picture graduated near the bottom of their high school classes and are functionally retarded. If there were no war, they wouldn’t have jobs, either. “Bitching” is a fundamental right recognized in the Constitution. What the fuck are you retards supposed to be fighting for, exactly? What’s the point of “bringing democracy to the Middle East” if you’re opposed to the exercise of democratic freedoms at home? Why the fuck are we spending more on air conditioning for you than we are on NASA? The vast majority of OWS protesters have jobs, you ignorant morons. They’re contributing to the economy. You’re draining it. These people are public employees. Why are they talking to their employer this way? If I did that in any job I’ve ever had, I’d be fired. If “bitching” is something you’re opposed to because it keeps you from working, how ‘bout you put down your sign and get back to work? The single best thing about democracy: Even these worthless, uninformed, ignorant fucks can express their opinion. Even if their job is to undermine the rights that they’re taking advantage of.

… “words of ‘wisdom’” from beneficiaries of the world’s largest welfare program.

cagedbirdsing:

sweeterthantea:

Amen!

I’d like to talk about how misguided and ignorant of reality this is, but I don’t have the words.

I’ll take a stab at it:

  1. These people are themselves not “working.” They don’t produce anything and don’t contribute to the economy. Their jobs suck money out of the pockets of people who are engaged in honest production. The United States accounts for 43% of all world military spending. It costs more than $750,000 a year to keep one of you worthless fucks employed. Let’s be honest here: most of the people in this picture graduated near the bottom of their high school classes and are functionally retarded. If there were no war, they wouldn’t have jobs, either.
  2. “Bitching” is a fundamental right recognized in the Constitution. What the fuck are you retards supposed to be fighting for, exactly? What’s the point of “bringing democracy to the Middle East” if you’re opposed to the exercise of democratic freedoms at home? Why the fuck are we spending more on air conditioning for you than we are on NASA?
  3. The vast majority of OWS protesters have jobs, you ignorant morons. They’re contributing to the economy. You’re draining it.
  4. These people are public employees. Why are they talking to their employer this way? If I did that in any job I’ve ever had, I’d be fired.
  5. If “bitching” is something you’re opposed to because it keeps you from working, how ‘bout you put down your sign and get back to work?

The single best thing about democracy: Even these worthless, uninformed, ignorant fucks can express their opinion. Even if their job is to undermine the rights that they’re taking advantage of.

(Source: allyugadawg)

Filed under corporatism corruption capitalism politics protest occupywallst oppression critique crisis privilege poverty democracy America hypocrisy false explanation militarism piety self-expression self-indulgence