An Anonymous Ideology

[Staunton]

'Imagine that the people of the Soviet Union had never heard of Communism. That's more or less where we find ourselves today. The dominant ideology of our times - that affects nearly every aspect of our lives - for most of us has no name. If you mention it, people are likely either to tune out, or to respond with a bewildered shrug: 'What do you mean? What is that?' Even those who have heard the word struggle to define it.

Its anonymity is both a symptom and a cause of its power. It has caused or contributed to most of the crises that now confront us: rising inequality; rampant child poverty; epidemic diseases of despair; off-shoring and erosion of the tax base; the slow degradation of health-care, education and other public services; the crumbling of infrastructure; democratic backsliding; the 2008 financial crash; the rise of modern-day demagogues...; our ecological crises and environmental disasters.

We respond to these predicaments as if they occur in isolation. Crisis after crisis unfolds, yet we fail to understand their common roots. We fail to recognize that all these disasters either arise from or are exacerbated by the same coherent ideology - an ideology that has, or at least had, a name.

Neoliberalism...'

(The Invisible Doctrine, pp. 1-2)

 

 

So write George Monbiot and Peter Hutchison in their new book from Penguin Random House UK, The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism (Allen Lane, 2024)

 

This text is essential reading for us all as we face a future of profound threat.

 

Take a look at George Monbiot discussing the book on YouTube:

 

https://youtu.be/PwHTd7AnZ7c?si=ijbG8eF_QMQKAkK2

[Anna B]

4 hours ago, Staunton said:

'Imagine that the people of the Soviet Union had never heard of Communism. That's more or less where we find ourselves today. The dominant ideology of our times - that affects nearly every aspect of our lives - for most of us has no name. If you mention it, people are likely either to tune out, or to respond with a bewildered shrug: 'What do you mean? What is that?' Even those who have heard the word struggle to define it.

Its anonymity is both a symptom and a cause of its power. It has caused or contributed to most of the crises that now confront us: rising inequality; rampant child poverty; epidemic diseases of despair; off-shoring and erosion of the tax base; the slow degradation of health-care, education and other public services; the crumbling of infrastructure; democratic backsliding; the 2008 financial crash; the rise of modern-day demagogues...; our ecological crises and environmental disasters.

We respond to these predicaments as if they occur in isolation. Crisis after crisis unfolds, yet we fail to understand their common roots. We fail to recognize that all these disasters either arise from or are exacerbated by the same coherent ideology - an ideology that has, or at least had, a name.

Neoliberalism...'

(The Invisible Doctrine, pp. 1-2)

 

 

So write George Monbiot and Peter Hutchison in their new book from Penguin Random House UK, The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism (Allen Lane, 2024)

 

This text is essential reading for us all as we face a future of profound threat.

 

Take a look at George Monbiot discussing the book on YouTube:

 

https://youtu.be/PwHTd7AnZ7c?si=ijbG8eF_QMQKAkK2

 

Thankyou.

 

I have been batting on about Neoliberalism for yonks and been heavily derided for it.

Nobody is listening or interested..... 

If they understood how dangerous it is, both to them and to the country, they might just sit up and take notice. Sadly, if they think about it at all,  they think it somehow won't affect them. They're wrong. 

[trastrick]

2 hours ago, Anna B said:

 

Thankyou.

 

I have been batting on about Neoliberalism for yonks and been heavily derided for it.

Nobody is listening or interested..... 

If they understood how dangerous it is, both to them and to the country, they might just sit up and take notice. Sadly, if they think about it at all,  they think it somehow won't affect them. They're wrong. 

 

Same with me, Anna.

 

Although the actual greatest threat to Democracy is communism. The Marxist theology that pervades Western Academia and education.

 

The historic lineage from Lenin, Stalin, Mao, is still a huge force in the World and it's banner today is carried, by it's current crop of Dictators, Xi, Kim, even South Africa's ANC,  who also embrace one of their own, Putin.

[Ridgewalk]

14 hours ago, Staunton said:

'Imagine that the people of the Soviet Union had never heard of Communism. That's more or less where we find ourselves today. The dominant ideology of our times - that affects nearly every aspect of our lives - for most of us has no name. If you mention it, people are likely either to tune out, or to respond with a bewildered shrug: 'What do you mean? What is that?' Even those who have heard the word struggle to define it.

Its anonymity is both a symptom and a cause of its power. It has caused or contributed to most of the crises that now confront us: rising inequality; rampant child poverty; epidemic diseases of despair; off-shoring and erosion of the tax base; the slow degradation of health-care, education and other public services; the crumbling of infrastructure; democratic backsliding; the 2008 financial crash; the rise of modern-day demagogues...; our ecological crises and environmental disasters.

We respond to these predicaments as if they occur in isolation. Crisis after crisis unfolds, yet we fail to understand their common roots. We fail to recognize that all these disasters either arise from or are exacerbated by the same coherent ideology - an ideology that has, or at least had, a name.

Neoliberalism...'

(The Invisible Doctrine, pp. 1-2)

 

 

So write George Monbiot and Peter Hutchison in their new book from Penguin Random House UK, The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism (Allen Lane, 2024)

 

This text is essential reading for us all as we face a future of profound threat.

 

Take a look at George Monbiot discussing the book on YouTube:

 

https://youtu.be/PwHTd7AnZ7c?si=ijbG8eF_QMQKAkK2

[Ridgewalk]

Read a book a few years ago on how this project first started. Fascinating stuff but very depressing. No one ever questions this ideology, just accept it as “ the way things are”.

Not sure where the concept of the Overton Window  came from but makes a lot of sense.

The Right as such are pretty good at organising the world to suit their purposes.

 

The Alt-Right, are successfully using Gramschian tactics to effect cultural change.

 

 

[Ridgewalk]

9 hours ago, Anna B said:

 

Thankyou.

 

I have been batting on about Neoliberalism for yonks and been heavily derided for it.

Nobody is listening or interested..... 

If they understood how dangerous it is, both to them and to the country, they might just sit up and take notice. Sadly, if they think about it at all,  they think it somehow won't affect them. They're wrong. 

Agree. Yet it took the miners strike of 1984/5 to “wake you up” politically ? 

[Ridgewalk]

6 hours ago, trastrick said:

 

Same with me, Anna.

 

Although the actual greatest threat to Democracy is communism. The Marxist theology that pervades Western Academia and education.

 

The historic lineage from Lenin, Stalin, Mao, is still a huge force in the World and it's banner today is carried, by it's current crop of Dictators, Xi, Kim, even South Africa's ANC,  who also embrace one of their own, Putin.

The biggest threat to western democracy is neo liberalism. The idea that having a vote gives us all an equal say in how our world works is a fantasy. Extreme wealth invested in a small number is a big threat. Bill Gates for example has met three US presidents and the Chinese President.

 

He donates millions to the BBC and donated £10 million to the Guardian. He doesn’t do it out of the kindness of his heart

[trastrick]

26 minutes ago, Ridgewalk said:

The idea that having a vote gives us all an equal say in how our world works is a fantasy.

 

Having a vote allows people to say how their little corner of the world works.

 

That's all, For better or worse!

 

There's only one system that would equalize everybody in the world. But it needs to be run.

 

And that's the kicker! There are no gods to run it.

 

Only flawed self appointed elites, who kill, purge, poison and jail their competition, even their own families in their quest to be Dear Leader!

 

Human nature! Raw, in Tooth and Claw!

 

[Ridgewalk]

37 minutes ago, trastrick said:

 

Having a vote allows people to say how their little corner of the world works.

 

That's all, For better or worse!

 

There's only one system that would equalize everybody in the world. But it needs to be run.

 

And that's the kicker! There are no gods to run it.

 

Only flawed self appointed elites, who kill, purge, poison and jail their competition, even their own families in their quest to be Dear Leader!

 

Human nature! Raw, in Tooth and Claw!

 

Looks like we’re all on the slow boat to hell

[Anna B]

1 hour ago, Ridgewalk said:

Agree. Yet it took the miners strike of 1984/5 to “wake you up” politically ? 

Yep. 

I grew up in the 60s and 70s. Nothing much to compain about. I thought life was sweet and would continue that way.

I was wrong. Thatcher changed everything, and the miners strike was happening in my backyard remember, to people I knew. So yes, it was the miners' strike that got me interested in politics. And the more I found out the more I realised the system was flawed.