John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, once helped create a “death economy.” Now he believes humanity desperately needs a “life economy” to reverse the cycle.
We silly, sex-absorbed, drug-addled hippies in the 1960s tried to demonstrate a "life economy" and tried to tell you that the death economy of the US establishment was killing the planet and was unsustainable.
But who listens to crazy people, right?
As for statistics, Disraeli said, "There are lies, damned lies, and statistics."
Good episode. I'd disagree w/ John though on the point that we are "losing" our democracy. The truth is that we've never been a democracy. We've always been a plutocracy that controlled by the 1%. It's just that it's more out in the open in today's political landscape.
Perkins reminds me of Mearsheimer with his Sinophobia. I suspect that it is linked to his lifetime conditioning within the capitalist system. He projects on China the same malevalent practices that he was accustomed to applying to foreign states. I assumed that he would be more aware that other systems are not as oppressive as the US. I was disappointed that after all these years, John still thinks that way. Steve needs to educate John.😉
Glad to hear Steven's polite pushback on the narrative of "China is trying to replace US as a global hegemon". They operate with totally different mindset. Ben Norton just did a short episode on the subject of multipolarity and the difference between the two narratives. Would love to have him on again to dispel the myth.
This was an amazing and engaging conversation
We silly, sex-absorbed, drug-addled hippies in the 1960s tried to demonstrate a "life economy" and tried to tell you that the death economy of the US establishment was killing the planet and was unsustainable.
But who listens to crazy people, right?
As for statistics, Disraeli said, "There are lies, damned lies, and statistics."
Good episode. I'd disagree w/ John though on the point that we are "losing" our democracy. The truth is that we've never been a democracy. We've always been a plutocracy that controlled by the 1%. It's just that it's more out in the open in today's political landscape.
Agreed
Perkins reminds me of Mearsheimer with his Sinophobia. I suspect that it is linked to his lifetime conditioning within the capitalist system. He projects on China the same malevalent practices that he was accustomed to applying to foreign states. I assumed that he would be more aware that other systems are not as oppressive as the US. I was disappointed that after all these years, John still thinks that way. Steve needs to educate John.😉
Glad to hear Steven's polite pushback on the narrative of "China is trying to replace US as a global hegemon". They operate with totally different mindset. Ben Norton just did a short episode on the subject of multipolarity and the difference between the two narratives. Would love to have him on again to dispel the myth.
We may have to make that happen