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scientism

@mr_scientism

4 Dec

When it comes to ‘money in politics’, there’s a lot of research activity around campaign finance but little around the sprawling network of foundations, think tanks, NGOs, activist orgs, etc, that make up the more permanent structures of plutocratic control of government.

This is because the plutocracy itself is interested in certain ways in which money can enter politics, or rather they’re interested in the ways in which NEW money can enter politics and displace their incumbent political networks. Campaign finance is one such entry point.

Setting up an alternative network of think tanks, NGOs, etc, would be extremely difficult, and the process of gaining influence would tend to lead it to endorsing the status quo anyway. Backing ’anti-establishment’ politicians is a more likely avenue of attack for new money.

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scientism

@mr_scientism

5 Oct

People love to say 'science is the new religion', 'scientists are the new priests', etc, but this betrays the fact that, according to our culture, science is NOT supposed to be like religion and scientists are not supposed to be priests. But why not?

What could have been more mundane than that the new cosmology would have simply been incorporated into our culture, replacing Medieval cosmology? Why, instead, did we concoct the idea of a 'scientific method' that opposes itself to 'religious dogma' and applies to all things?

The 'scientific method' and the supposed opposition between science and religion are a political invention that subordinates the scientific revolution and incorporates it into the dominant ideology of the modern world: liberalism.

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scientism

@mr_scientism

20 Jul

"Beijing was not happy last year when some big internet companies invested heavily in apps that sell vegetables to local residents. That’s because the apps could replace the mom-and-pop vegetable stands where many lower-income people make a living." Those... monsters...

https://twitter.com/LiYuan6/status/1416986500202258438

The article portrays regulation as corporations having their 'rights' violated by an 'authoritarians'.

https://twitter.com/LiYuan6/status/1416986500202258438

"For the companies, it’s helpful to know Beijing’s priorities. Domestically, that is to reduce inequality and promote what the party calls 'collective prosperity.'"

Horrifying. Why isn't the UN condemning this?

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scientism

@mr_scientism

17 Jul

Basically, liberal democracy is wholly inadequate for running an industrialized society, so in the early 20th century the American ruling elite built a new government out of a network privately-owned non-profits and that has been running things ever since.

There's no 'getting money out of politics' because you could never have a modern industrialized society that used America's formal institutions. They keep the lie going because it conceals where real power lies in America and it's incredibly useful for imperialist expansion.

If you wanted to move beyond the current system you'd have to nationalize the entire policy and opinion forming apparatus that's now privately owned, along with the commanding heights of the economy. This would create a system that looks just like... *drumroll* modern China.

Read 4 tweets

scientism

@mr_scientism

17 Jun

To understand the world, you just have to understand that capitalism is redundant. Industry would function just fine if there weren't any owners. Modern politics consists almost entirely of capitalists trying to maintain their position in the face of their own redundancy.

What capitalists fear is a world that runs without them, so they sabotage anything that might contribute to the formation of a pure technocracy - an industrialized society without private ownership - and promote anything that generates fear of such an eventuality.

Under the condition of the permanent war of capital against the formation of technocracy it's impossible to solve many problems, since one of the things they have to ensure is that the 'social sciences', particularly economics, remain impoverished, as does government itself.

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scientism

@mr_scientism

13 Jun

To understand liberal ideology, just look at it from the perspective of a developing country. You want modern technology, the source of the West's wealth and power, but the West wants you to control you. Liberal ideology aims to blur the boundaries between these two goals.

In order to develop technologically, you need compatible political and economic organization. The West's goal is to convince you that the only political and economic organization that can produce development is one that involves opening to Western trade, investment, media, etc.

Every component of liberal ideology, from free markets and free trade to free speech, free assembly, academic freedom, multiparty elections, and human rights is aimed eroding your sovereignty, so Western institutions can move in, gain control, and extract your wealth.

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