Surviving Capitalism (Not) : Barbara Ehrenreich on the perils of positive thinking (14:00m video)

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Barbara Ehrenreich on the perils of positive thinking (14:00m video)

An interview on Le Monde Diplomatique. She discusses positive thinking based on her recently published book, "Bright-sided". She sees it as tool of corporate culture that protects the ruling class from doubts about their power and privileges, and functions to keep working people believing and participating in the capitalist system.