Nature Vs. Survival

“Half a century of economic experimentation proved beyond doubt that tyranny cannot yield prosperity. … Socialism collapsed because it is a policy of unrestrained intervention. It tries to fix what is ‘wrong’ with the spontaneous, self-organizing phenomenon called capitalism. But, of course, a natural process cannot be ‘fixed.’ … Socialism is an ideology. Capitalism is a natural phenomenon.“ — Michael Rothschild in BIONOMICS: Economy as Ecosystem

I have to agree with this passage, especially the bolded statement at the end. Capitalism is undoubtably natural. Examples are found everywhere in the animal kingdom: Creatures that eat their own kind; Creatures that eat their own young; Creatures that defend their territory to the death; Creatures that have a harem of mates; Creatures that feed on their food sources until they are left with nothing and starve. Animals are without forethought or compassion. They further their interests, increasing their profit heartlessly at the expense of other individuals.

And what are humans but glorifyed animals; beasts who think they’re gods? We grub and steal and cheat, but who can blame us? Thoughtless greed is human nature. Animal nature. Capitalism is a natural phenomenon.

But that’s a bit demeaning, isn’t it?

I think that we have the capacity to change that vicious competition of nature into magnanamous cooperation. I think we have the capacity to carve out a system whereby most, if not all, members of humankind have at least their most basic needs met. I believe we can learn to manage our resources wisely without thinking about maximum profit, but maximum benefit. I believe we can go beyond the survival of the individual and begin to work toward the survival of the species, and the planet.

Optimistic? Naive? Well, it IS an ideology, an aspirational view of society. And when thet became a negative thing, something to be mocked and scorned, I am not quite certain. What I AM certain of, however, is that rather than limiting freedom, as Rothschild would suggest, socialism frees people from the oppression of others, and frees them from the grasping and scraping of an animal nature.

Vintage Anger: Norbit Rant

(This is a repost from my personal journal)

Isn’t it funny how whenever there’s a fat man in a movie, he is sweet, genuine, a ‘nice guy’, and always gets the girl in the end because “what matters is what’s on the inside!!!!!”?Even if he is used as comic relief (the steotype of the jolly fat man) at least he is still seen as a good person.

But whenever there’s a fat woman, she’s a raging bitch, completely immoral, and the male characters do all they can to get away from her. NEVERMIND the fact that a fat male character can be played by a fat male actor, but a fat woman–well GOSH! They couldn’t put a real fat actress on screen, that’s just GROSS. It’s much more acceptable to just shove Eddie Murphy into a fucking fat suit.

There are so many levels on which this shit is offensive, I have to deal with it in list form.

1. It reduces black women to predictable characters that may fall into 2 categories, and 2 only: evil, domineering, jealous bitches OR submissive, sweet, ’seen-but-not-heard’ sex kittens, ready to do anything for your man. Better pick one now.

2. Apparently it’s the funniest thing EVER when a man wears women’s clothing. How ridiculous! How novel! HAHAHA am I right?!?! Instead of having to write witty dialogue or snappy jokes, just put a man in a dress and you have a comedy.

3. Women are shown as 2D cardboard cutouts with static personalities.

4. Fat women are ridiculed for having dominant or commanding personalities, are not allowed to be sexual, are not allowed to wear bathing suits or anything revealing; Fat women are supposed to be invisible.

And in my opinion, fat issues are ALL women’s issues. If we weren’t so afraid of OMG!TEHFAT, maybe we could be happy with ourselves, stop torturing our bodies with starvation, dangerous, herat-stopping pills and unpleasant, compulsory excercise. Maybe if we stopped trying to meet a completely STUPID beauty standard, one that so few women may ever fit into, and were just ourselves, men wouldn’t have so much power over us. We’d have time to get on with our lives.

Maybe if we got out from under the oppressive blanket of body shame society puts over us we could finally fucking breathe. And eat another cupcake.