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Cornel West: How Intellectuals Betrayed the Poor | Big Think
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- Опубликовано: 14 авг 2024
- Cornel West: How Intellectuals Betrayed the Poor
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There is a spiritual war happening in the United States, and to be silent is to be complicit, says Dr. Cornel West. He takes his starting point at the elimination of arts programs under Reagan in the 1980s, and traces how that lack of spiritual nourishment has created a society of solitary nomads where once there was community. It has created consumers where once there were citizens. What must fill that emptiness is hope, West suggests-and hope not as a wistful wish for a better future, but as an enactment of a better future through action. Quoting from some of philosophy and music's greatest thinkers and doers, West presents a lyrical lecture on the role of hope in the battle over the soul of Americans, and American democracy.
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CORNEL WEST:
Cornel West is a prominent and provocative democratic intellectual. He is a Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary and Professor Emeritus at Princeton University. He has also taught at Yale, Harvard, and the University of Paris. Cornel West graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard in three years and obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy at Princeton. He has written over 20 books and has edited 13. Though he is best known for his classics, Race Matters and Democracy Matters, and for his memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud, his most recent releases, Black Prophetic Fire and Radical King, were received with critical acclaim.
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TRANSCRIPT:
Cornel West: What does it mean to learn how to die in order to learn how to live? That's platonic isn't it? Philosophy itself is a meditation in preparation for death. Montaigne says the philosophizers learn how to die. Seneca says he or she who learns how to die unlearns slavery because art, paideia-deep education, not cheap schooling-deep education is about a critical self-examination of that which is inside of us that needs to die. The fears. The cowardice. The complacency. The conformity. The assumptions and pre-supposition, the prejudices and pre-judgments that we have that need to go. James Brown called it 'give it up, turn it loose'. It needs to go. Just like falling in love. You fall in love with somebody, something has died in you.Anne Carson understands this well in her classic; something's died in you. The egoism, the fear, the narcissism-I know a lot of people don't undergo full-fledged death, but it's an effort because you're now entangled with a new self and that new self means you have been transformed and lo' and behold you walk around with a smile on your face feeling good before Sappho's bittersweet hits you.
That's part of love too, isn't it? If bittersweet hasn't hit you it's just sentimental. We're not going to go into that though.
But the connection of learning how to die and the saddest feature of our moment, in regards to Du Bois's first question, is that so many young brothers and sisters of the younger generation find themselves so far removed from the best of their past, far removed from the best that has gone into the shaping and molding them, that all they have relation is market forces, market forces, market forces. Stimulation, titillation. They're hungry for care and nurture, hungry for something deeper. That's what the spiritual and moral awaking young people in the last five or ten years is all about. The hunger for what Ashford and Simpson called The Real Thing. And what is the real thing? Well, it's something that is dynamic, you never get your hands on it, it's intangible but it has everything to do with the ways in which love, the ways in which justice in motion generate hope, generate encouragement, generate a certain sense of enthusiasm for what is to come. Anticipation of the not-yet rooted in the ugly what-is. And Ernst Bloch and others talked about it in the classical philosophy of hope. The volumes on philosophy of hope.
That's what Du Bois has in mind with integrity. And our young people these days more and more-I've spent a lot of time, in fact I've shifted most of my lectures now to both prisons and high schools and junior highs. They're so hungry for something that pierces through the spectacle and the image. They want something that they can hold onto existentially. And that's why the music is a fundamental battlefield. That's one of the crucial sites of the spiritual warfare. It's no accident they eliminated arts programs in the 1980s under Reagan. ...
For the full transcript, check out bigthink.com/v...
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Want to get smarter, faster? Don’t listen to a socialist talk about how the plan to help the poor, by taking from the rich. While also spinning it into racism and other issues of the bullshit critical race theory
@@ejc112847 Funny, I found his advice pretty agreeable. Instead I'd suggest people get off the internet.
@@mr.pavone9719 pretty agreeable?? He’s a pseudo-intellectual who sounds smart to someone dumb. The crux of his argument was that the intellectuals betrayed the poor, but then proceeded to bring up the ol’ systemic issues base for his reasoning. The issue being is that he further causes division and strife by claiming that the world’s problems, or rather the poor’s problem is caused by discrimination and thus he and other “intellectuals” have to speak out for the downtrodden when in reality he gets acclaim, success and recognition for doing NOTHING while claiming to be for the impoverished
ejc112847 he also mentioned corruption but I guess we wont talk about that.
Favorite phrase: “wiretapping ain’t a crime against humanity, I’ve had my phone tapped but, they ought to quit doing it” lmaooooo! Truth teller can’t be silenced...
He ain't nothing but a fool
@@elsikpychSays who?
Reading the comments on some of these videos is proving my theory of we are so brainwashed and distracted in this society that if someone were to rise up and try to unite the people, the people will destroy them with little to no help from the government to do so.
+nikobelic85 i agree with you 100%... whenever I see someone who is speaking out with the truth I often think that if they rose to be a leader that an assassination attempt or attempts would definitely happen. We're all so mentally broke in regards to clearly thinking that it would never happen.. everyone suffers from nationalism/ego based tendencies and bipolar based thinking instead of looking at reality through a spectrum which would lead to real understanding and not quantized black and white thinking which is mostly anything but the whole truth - the real truths - the multiplicites of reality...
Look at how many ppl are voting for Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders is telling them flat out they're being robbed
Agreed.
It's easy to destroy and overthrow. Happened millions of times in history. Much harder and rarer to build something like what we have - a historically unprecedented level of prosperity, peace, safety and longevity.
@@enlist6450 for 23 % of the population
For me this man has always been the personification of sincerity.
I love this man! Not saying he's right about everything but he is a humanitarian that refers to all people as brothers and sisters! He doesn't seem to be dividing, but uniting ALL!
I can't help but trust his opinions.
No, no, he is right... about everything. Everything!
@@roblion1696 lol
Cornel is a great person to listen to in our age of darkness.
matthewcong the dark ages were when?
@@allanevans5018 the dark ages have returned, check today's date and time
More and more, this man is showing himself to be one of the sharpest minds on the planet!
and you're the cutest girl on the planet! besides me ;) oh wait i'm a guy
And now eight years later (just seeing this now [2019]), the statements seem so true.
Wars by enlisting many to benefit the few and perpetuate the system of class.
When I hear brilliant men like this talk, I can almost believe in the future of mankind. That is, I can almost believe mankind has a future.
Now if only I heard these types of things coming out of the newer generation's. As much as I cherish Dr.West I wonder, if not fear for the future...
Poor people all over the world pay for the sins of the rich
Not in America. We determine our own destiny and do not think of ourselves as victims because we have individual freedom. Please do not equate America with the globalist Doctrine.
@@bambubi1 I guess you mean USA (because America is NOT a country) If so, then you must be making a personal statement while living in an alternative universe Everyone with internet access can learn about the social disparities and economic inequities in the USA. What is happening is plan for all to see.
@@bambubi1 It is obvious that the "destiny" of rich people has an impact on the "destiny" of poor people, even in the USA
@@bambubi1 in the USA we have the freedom to make money for the rich while they tell us poverty is our fault.
@@allanaringo sorry I don't have time for professional victims.
Unfettered markets leads to globalisation, leads to outsourcing and decay in America's largest cities. The same people who would have worked on the line in Detroit 40 years ago with a good wage got lured into loans they could never repay. So when the banking crisis hit, it was Wall Street that got bailed out,while people on Main Street got foreclosed.
The billionaires who own the factories don't care whether they build their cars in Mexico, or move the cotton mill to Bangladesh. The bottom line is everything. Corporations will always seek to squeeze every penny out of their workers and they donate billions to lobby groups so that government doesn't stand in their way.
Cornel West isn't an economist, but he is right about the social impact of the direction of travel of western capitalism, especially in the U.S. There is no coincidence in the rise of China and other Asian economies while the USA and Europe have lost ground. The race to the bottom by multinationals means the lowest paid jobs will always cross borders and people on minimum wage are the ones being demonised if they speak out.
Which is why intellectuals need to speak for people at the lowest end of the scale. But they are usually funded by the public and many are afraid to challenge the political establishment.
William Crighton The housing market collapse was in no small part due to giving loans to low income people for houses they couldn't afford. If we used a 20% down rule this shit wouldn't have been possible (since it forces everyone to be realistic with what people can afford). However, liberals would never go for it since it would be making it almost impossible for many low income blacks to buy a house. Then fucktards like West would be complaining about depriving blacks of the American Dream. As far as globalization goes although I'm not thrilled for the United States job market it is improving the economy of a lot of other parts of the worlds. India, China, Mexico are all going up in the world. Africa is next. If the USA wants to stop it put a heavy tax on imports like most other countries do to encourage them to use local labor. Donald Trump is the only guy actually looking out for the long term health of the USA.
William Crighton I completely agree with the opening sentence. Unfettered markets 'certainly do' lead to globalization. I believe that when corporatism paints over capitalism, the free market system is no longer free. Under a monopolistic rule, the corporatists becomes a Platonic ideal for the U.S. where rule of law becomes oppressive to its citizens.
Well said!!
Short term gains stupid when you outsource your manufacturing no decent wage who buys the goods
@@geneanthony3421 lol do you think banks were giving out those loans out of the goodness of their hearts and to help poor people buy homes? Banks made huge amounts of money selling mortgage backed securities.
"I'm sure I've had my phone tapped for years, I don't think they're committing a crime against humanity, I just think they aught to stop doing it, goddamn"
Love this guy.
Gawd I wish we had more politicians that think like Professor West.
The country would be in ruins.
Truth Warrior it already is, you need to wake up son and stop being a conservative sheep
credit2team You need to stop seeing things in this left vs right dichotomy, brainwashed doesn't even cover it anymore, it's also willfully ignorant. You are being played, they all work together, it's all for show.
Which is why Pro. West is needed.
TajimaMunenori The fact he's a professor at a decent University, is a mockery of the educational standard in the United States.
Cornel West is a brilliant intellectual but he assumes that people have the power to change things simply by virtue of their intelligence. Unfortunately, in a plutocracy, intellectuals are not necessarily free to espouse their beliefs. If the elite control the means to dessiminate information, they can control the message and the messenger. #PathDependencyofThought
The big fallacy of conservative/libertarian domestic policy is the assumption that more gov't regulation always leads to less competition in the market. And that's just not true, because not all markets are perfectly competitive. In many industries, you need regulation to preserve competition, because without it, established firms will use their vast wealth to suppress it. Look at the ISP industry. Think your small, home-grown internet service provider is gonna compete with Verizon? Get real.
Also, sometimes, there are things that are more important than preserving competition, like protecting human rights.
The kind of competition that libertarian intellectuals praise, is competition via the value of goods and services offered to the public in the market. Using gov't regulation to "preserve competition" means that there will be companies that won't need to offer better-valued goods and services in order to remain economically competitive, and that goes in detriment to the public at large. Clients will be either forced to pay more for the same goods/services, or will be forced to settle for less valuable goods/services at the same price. Or even worse, not only clients, but all tax payers, will be forced to contribute tax-money to compensate for that gap.
If anything, such kinds of regulations should be regarded as promoting "employment" and not "competition". But that leads to another issue: why should a government actively encourage employment in a particular business that won't benefit the public at large? If the government is to promote employment, shouldn't it choose to promote the kinds of jobs that would benefit the whole of the society, and not only those few individuals that get the jobs, in detriment to the rest? When someone is allowed to choose whatever business they might want to participate in, is there a reason why they should get government's help if they find themselves unable to offer better goods/services than the competitors, just so that they can remain in that business without doing better?
If you think that companies like Verizon are evil and keep their clients hostages, then maybe you'd value more a small, home-grown internet service provider in spite of its lower quality/bigger price service offered, and put your money where your mouth is. And if enough people do, that would keep the small company alive without need for government intervention. Otherwise, why would you be interested in keeping that inefficient company in business?
Finally, any well born libertarian will agree with you that human rights are more important than competition. In fact, "freedom" as a human right seems to be their major (but not the only) concern, whereas "free competition" is just a means to achieve and maintain it.
***** There are plenty. Off the top of my head, I would say the health care industry is another example, for slightly different reasons. In competitive markets, the consumer always has a powerful weapon when bargaining prices: the ability to just say, "nope" and walk away without buying anything. However, when you are in need of health services, you can't walk away. It's your health.
Another example? The diamond market. DeBeers has had the global diamond industry under its thumb for decades.
There's lots more. Any market with big up-front entry costs is susceptible to monopolies and oligopolies.
Remember: individual firms (especially corporations) don't want to have to compete if they can help it. Less competition means bigger profit margins for them.
***** Unfortunately, reading, dissecting, and properly responding to a comment the size of the one you just wrote is a task on par with writing a college paper, and I am not at all interested in devoting that much of my short life's time to a debate in youtube comments, even if said debate has been unusually calm, to your credit.
***** I don't know, because I didn't read it. I saw the size of it and said, "that looks like a nice tall glass of nope."
I know you were hoping for something more helpful, but I just have absolutely zero desire to approach that massive thing.
The republican and libertarian parties have been white washed. For a set of parties who's members love freedom and hate (Cough cough secretly idolize) Hitler so much, they have sure slurped down the soaring propaganda of the right wing elite.They have are now feeding from wall streets hands like the average German citizen fed from Hitlers before WW2. If they had ever given a chance to the writings of Marx (whom most conservatives think was Russian LOL) they would realize that capitalism has a definite life cycle and the only thing that extends that life cycle is regulatory correction. I am talking about anti-monopoly practices and workers rights.Capitalism calls for more to be done by less workers and as technology eliminates jobs, world populations grow exponentially. The combination of less workers being gainfully employed and higher income inequality, is the formula for a major market collapse. When you take away more and more spending power, citizens cannot buy the products you sell and credit is a putrid stave to buy a little more time for the charade of prosperity.
4:30 made me laugh hysterically.
why
@@robertputneydrake my guess is OP misread it as "Dems" as in democrats. I fault the producer and West for using lingo without explaining it.
Demos-the people, the public Kratos-strength/power/rule
Democracy is literally mob rule, a fundamental irony in the United States. Dr West is talking about the common American citizen, the demos of America.
That tea sip tho 😭 I'm dead
Are y'all watching a different video? What does the etymology of "democracy" have to do with CW's hilarious remark about being wiretapped?
Edit: I get it now, you just weren't precise with following the timestamp and you got confused, then made weird comments trying to intrepret why a title card that comes up 6 seconds later is apparently funny
Exactly. The poor pay for the rich.
He is so intelligent that I had to pause it several times because as my mind was digesting one comment he was on to the next
I love everything Mr. Cornell West stands for.
Brother West, that fro needs to grow out further. Do us proud!
+PhiloAmericana you seen him lately?
I learn at least 15 new words with every West video I watch.
Thank you for uploading this! I found it to be super informative and it was a really good watch! Until next time!
legend
'' I've had my phone wiretaped for years'' damm.
This man's unfettered love for ALL human kind is an inspiration and a model for personal attitude towards the polarized whole, in a divisive time and body politic.
Cornel! I love listening to you speak; your tone, your cadence, your rhythm...your vocabulary! (Not to mention your subject matter:)
Ditto!
Interesting and elaborate thoughts spoken in a direct manner . . .
Two. Brain cell hook up for a while of thought
I can’t believe I just recently found you and your words of so much wisdom. Wow I will listen and watch everything you say and keep learning.
He says some terrible stuff but everyone writing off everything he says just because of a few views he has is missing out. He speaks so much truth and has honest (IMO) well thought out reasoning behind everything he says. And he is incredible to listen to.
"The test of your rule of law is going to be how are the most vulnerable being treated?"
I don't always agree with him but definitely respect brother West
I want to start referring to people as "my dear brother"
Yeah I like it.
Just out of interest, in your opinion, what is the 'terrible stuff' he says? I've not heard that much of him but what I have heard I've liked.
Terrible was the wrong word because it makes it soudn like he is saying something revolting or evil. I just think he is very wrong with his opinions a lot but they always come from a good caring place. To go into specifics is to open up a political shitstorm though. Especially doing so in youtube comments.
I love these big think videos because the like / dislike bar is usually accurate and it saves a lot of time for those of us who like to learn, but don't have much free time.
This man loves his country. It's worth taking 6 minutes with an open mind and you will be amazed at the honesty free of propaganda.
If you agree with him or not. You can tell he’s a good human being. I’m going to talk to my kids about him.
what a gifted mind, the man is right on point
extremely interesting, I will looking into some of things you've stated this week. Thanks so much
Brilliantly speaking truth to power, Dr. Cornell West.
I don't always agree with Dr.West,but I admire him as a man that,I believe,really cares about human kind.Much respect Dr.West.👏👏👏
I can truly listen to this man for hours. His Aura and intellect is phenomenal.
Dr. West you're right on the money ....thank you .
One of my hero's Big Cornel!!
Surely enjoy his talks...thanks!
"I've had my phone tapped for years" Bahahahahaah! I love you, man! Always have always will!!!
I rather enjoyed the video. I'm sure he is probably someone I don't agree with on some subjects but is that such a shock? He is at least capable of giving a subject intelligent thought and putting his opinion intelligently enough out there for me to understand and enjoy him speaking on the subjects at hand.
I love hearing this man talk.
I'd love to see a debate between Cornell West (Robespierre) and Thomas Sowell (Hayek).
"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and consciencious stupidity."
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
I think this quote sums you up pretty well.
I love to hear this from an American, it reminds me that there is hope on the horizon
Dr. Cornel West is so brilliant, articulate, and empathetic. I love him so much. Tell it, my brother! Much love! ❤️💕
Cornel is absolutely right when he says we were sold a bill of goods and we fell for it.
I wish they had cropped this with a wider frame. It's too tight and we can't fully see his hands which undermines the power of his gestures. Besides this, Cornel is well spoken.
🤓🤓🤓🤓Knowledge can free and enslave, it just depends on where it's housed.😮😮😮😮
Most of what he says in very reasonable, imbued with a slightly seditious sentiment but true nonetheless. The truth bleeds polemic.
He's right on at least one topic--Dialogue IS the lifeblood of a democracy . . . Don't speak out against injustices and you deserve nothing in return . .
Demonization of the poor may be partly that folks able to mine the system can't conceive of others not being able to, so call them lazy.
But really, given their druthers, who would rather be financially dependent under increased govt scrutiny than independant, resourceful, resilient and relatively free from such scrutiny?
When the hell did he become an economist
Love the intonation coming through on the wiretapping. Haha!
"...just ought to quit doin' the God damn!"
But seriously, he raises fundamental questions about structural flaws in political redress.
Lack of access and institutional antagonism upon the poor, and working classes.
It's great to finally meet you Quezlove!
"Wiretapping is illegal, you see. Now, it's not a crime against humanity, because I mean, I'm sure I've had my phone tapped for years. I don't think they committed a crime against humanity; they just ought to quit doing it God dang it." -Cornel West
great subject. needless to say, I feel like I talk just like him when I am really high and I am ranting.
Great hair. Great speech
I would like to add that, as Jesse points out, "When black people win, women and children win. When black people win, wo0rking people win. When black people win, students win etc". So, even though I am only an old and poor and white person, those gentlemen you mentioned speak for me too.
What up Cornel! My brother! Love you man. Your in my big thinker list no matter how damn crazy you get. I take with me what I need, thanks kind sir. Peace Brother
*drops the mike* !!!!!!
4:30 brilliant!
why can i not find anything online about Peter Lukasch
There is something profoundly wrong with the fact that there was a Goldman Sachs commercial before this video.
I would like to inster two books by Thomas Sowell, "intellectuals and society" and "The housing boom and Bust"
Both are also videos of him being interviewed.
4:30 hahaha watta guy. love him. a lot to learn from Dr. West
Dr. West was 100% correct at 4:37 to 5:40!!!!
Well, he sounds like he knows what he is talking about, but I’d really just like to see him debate Thomas Sowell on economics.
Milton Friedman was wrong about so much, I can’t believe anyone still take his economics seriously.
Name one thing he was wrong?
@@hayowboobe3358 Wrong on his shareholder value argument. Wrong on China. Which also leads into his mischaracterization of soverign fiat currency creation and therefore monetary policy. You can find enough legitimate scholarship that you don’t need me to write a book. Although, he’s not the only “highly respected” economist to believe outdated dogma and drift into political/philosophical musings (not to name names COUGH Cough
A better philosopher than an economist.
@@BadgerBJJ be more specific, I have studied friedman. Point out actually things he said about shareholder valuation and China that are false. Don't say broad stuff to blurr ur nonsense.
@@hayowboobe3358 none of those things fit into 1 sentence, but Milton’s entire view of inflation and its relation to the money supply is wrong. (Inflation is a supply problem). His fixed monetary rule, bad idea. Milton Friedman still exists in certain circles for political and ideological reasons more than solid economic once’s.
I love this man, too. Brilliant and enlightening.
...One of my Heros.
Im no economic theorist, but I recall from GRADE SCHOOL learning that the country is not set up to operate at 100 percent employment and that such high employment would actually work AGAINST the current social structure instead of in its favor.
And even in terms of unemployment, we lose sight of the importance of WEALTH vs INCOME. Everyone being employed in underpaying jobs would not be any better than some not being employed at all.
He is a Bernie supporter, which I have been. Still am. But I'm eyeballing Andrew Yang as well. The US might not be ready for what he proposes, but I'm in his, and Sanders corners.
Theresa Champagne i love both them two. Both have great ideas and both are wise.
UBI will come but as of now it's too easily attacked as "buying votes". Trump will attack from the right on that and his followers will follow. at the same time the sheep are ok with socialism for the rich. We aren't dealing with rational people.
Youd ever taken an introduction to sociology course. I understand it...
That’s class was my turning point.
Those with the ability have the responsibility. That's not socialism, that's humanism.
Everything else Dr. West discusses is clearly, concise, and easy to understand. Even if you do not agree with his point of view, there is no question as to what he believes or what he says, and is worthy of discussion.
The most important question brought up by Brother West is the following:
What's up with the scarf?
I used to idolize unfettered markets. Now I hold my nose from the stink of them. But I don't know of any alternative that is not worse.
I do ... it is called distribution of profit. Cannot have POOR that way.
Jack Ski or how about everyone is poor?
Jack Ski
I forgive you for making such a ridiculous statement. I make ridiculous statements on the internet sometimes myself, I poke sticks into bee-hives, to watch the bees come out.
But what I was implying, is that every system is eventually taken over by assholes. I'm sure there were very many idealistic, good people involved with the Russian Revolution. The Revolution was taken over by assholes, who killed the good people. Capitalism has also been taken over by assholes. But it took them longer to take over capitalism than it took them to take over socialism, and they have a more shaky ownership of the press, so the kill fewer people. That's all. I hate them both.
*****
Valid point Handy. I used to think I knew. Now I don't. Idealogically, I'm up for grabs.
#fullcommunismnow
"intellectuals" can cover a huge range of people, this talk is dribble
+Samuel Brown In what way is it dribble.
+Samuel Brown or drivel.
+Samuel Brown Intellectuals covers those who know about the problem and the betrayers are the those know and yet still do nothing. You and I would be a betrayer if we knew but did not act. Accountability is a mirror we hate to look into.
Looking this during the current chaos, this man alongside Zizek, just saw it coming
I would love to see him and Thomas Sowell have a discussion.
This man is an awesome man.
God bless you sir
Academia has been overwhelmingly anti-market for a century and sure there was a liberalisation that happened in the 1980s and early 90's but that only slowed the trend towards higher regulation, higher government control in the economy and more central bank interference. No-one can claim seriously that Friedman or Hayek, especially, have been listened to.
Thank you for being respectful in your reply. And of course I agree with your final statement. However, I also believe that the "big banks" were in fact regulated and the crash is due more to the involvement of the government in the banking industry than to anything else.
Every dimes I have, I earned from working for something or somebody. No one can claim I got something for free.
you didn't earn that money, it was Obama who woke up every morning and went to work on government built pothole ridden roads.
and then what did you do?
Bemoaning Wall Street being in bed with the government then saying the government's intervention in structuring the market is a solution... what? I think this was supposed to be on the Small Think channel.
or rather Big Govt Think channel :-)
Andrewlikesguns Government should regulate Wall Street not be financed by Wall Street.
"I sure wish this large corporation would leave this country so that a local economy in which I'm payed fairly for my work could be developed after said corporation releases its grip on our corrupt government" said most every person in every nation on the planet nearly every day.
What is the demos that he's talking about. Does it have another name because it's very hard to look google.
The U.S is the most unequal country in the developed world. The top 1% owns half its wealth, and class divisions have never been more crystallized since the country's founding. The golden years were the 50's 60's 70's, where workers had real political power. All of that has been lost. A working man's purchasing power adjusted to inflation has DECLINED compared to half a century ago. Not to mention the psychological implications of living in constant struggle: The U.S ranks number 1 in depression, anxiety, obesity and ADD. And yet americans are still in denial. You guys should stop glorifying the "free market", open your minds a bit and look at the facts. Start with Norway, Denmark, Sweden.
Lilian S It's morre like 1% own 30% of the wealth but whatever. They also pay 30% of the tax. The median income has gone up, even when accounting for inflation. Our median income is actually higher than more of the rest of the world comared to our GDP per capita.(The US has the 10th Highest GDP per capita, and 4th or 6th highest median income, depending on who's counting.) So even with all this inequality the average american is still better off the average Britain (or wht have you)
I undersand the concern for Americas health problems. Usually when people cite these concerns, they are calling for actions that, in my mind, reduce people's liberties. So, what is your plan?
Lili S we don't have free markets in the USA. You can't have true capitalism without small government because the politicians inevitably will be paid off by lobbyists who will push them to make policies to cripple potential competition. We have crony capitalism or corporatism. For example, a few years back drugs were very expensive in the USA so people were talking about bringing in drugs from Canada. In a free market, somebody (maybe a smaller company) would have got the drugs and sold them making a nice profit for themselves and the consumer would have benefited. Bush nixed it because the drug companies have a lot of power here. They shouldn't have any power here. By the way I wouldn't want to live in Sweden. I hear about their "progressive" programs with Islam and how violent it's become. Their PC bullshit will probably destroy them.
+Gene Anthony Having lived in the us and Sweden - and being a national of neither - I can tell you - the us will never achieve on a comparable level - the us invests in weaponry - Sweden has civic pride and rightfully so and invests in its people and culture - travelling around the us - there are cities, towns and districts - where extreme poverty is in evidence at such a degree that to witness it is to make one question if he's still in the post-industrial world - The only other area I've seen such poverty and suffering is Sub Saharan Africa - I really don't think most americans get to leave their own country - so the never learn how alongside the wealth that some enjoy - there is the huge anomaly of widespread poverty.
cahillgreg the USA protects Europe so it doesn't bother investing in its weaponry. Since I haven't lived in Sweden I can't testify to how it is (since what I see is stuff people put online). Of course maybe Sweden isn't what it was for you anymore anyway with the changes due to mass immigration. Hell the top part is the Swedish Democrats currently (which are labeled as right wing extremists).
+Gene Anthony
You are right about the immigration crisis. Sweden is struggling with large scale immigration - basically because other European countries won’t take in their fair share and so Sweden gets overburdened with a
huge quota. There has been a subsequent rise in support for the far right Swedish Democratic party. They have 25 percent of the seats in parliament but thankfully the remaining 75 percent, the mainstream parties, are refusing to work with them so they’re effectively stymied in their attempts to achieve any of their goals - let’s hope it stays that way.
However, as with The Netherlands in 2002, politics can shift to the right following inter-ethnic social and cultural developments - but it doesn’t change the lived experience on the ground in these countries.
The UK and Ireland are the only European countries where I’ve witnessed ethnic tension and outright racism perpetrated against minority ethnic groups over the years. On the whole (there are big city exceptions),
mainland Europe is tolerant and moderate - that’s my appraisal based on what I’ve seen.
Re European offence/defence - well, Russia (I know there are a number of ways of designating Russia as part European/part Asian etc), UK and France have more combined warheads than the US to make sure that if any
nation gets frisky that we and them will all get nuked. And there’s a key lesson from history that stops Europeans from thinking in terms of pan-national dependency - Churchill couldn’t get Roosevelt to assist against Germany for a long time. Joe Kennedy, as US ambassador to the UK, aimed at keeping the US out
of the war and dealing with Hitler, who he assumed would be the leader of the new European order. It wasn’t until Winant (a great man) took over and Pearl Harbor ect that the USA came on board so allies are never a resource to be dependent upon.
Having said all that, I’ve been to Normandy, spent four days there, and walked along Omaha beach and seen where the carnage took place - so don’t construe the above as dismissive of the memory of the young GIs that faced that hell and fought and fell there.
Sorry Cornel West, it is hard to take you seriously. I don't even know why they feature his videos on this channel.
Diversity, they always pick simp pseudo-intellectuals, there are plenty of actual non race baiting intelligent black people they could've gotten.
Who thought this was Questlove at first?
Put on the transcribed audio for this it hillarious! 4:32 "trumpet buffalo catherine you don't think they commit a crime against humanity" lol.
Would like to know how much this guy makes in a year and how he justifies it
why
Because he makes it his business to know and comment on what others make
so you can only be poor if you want to defend the poor?
Defend the poor by giving them other people's money,why not defend them by lobbying for jobs and industry....he should also reveal how much of his own money he has used to "defend" the poor since most of the money comes from the middle class and those who struggle to keep from being poor.
Don't worry about how much he makes, just be happy to get the information he is giving out. That's the problem with people, they want to dig into people's personal life, instead of showing appreciation for what those persons are trying to do.
He lost me at "fair distribution of wealth"
1. The idea of fair is subjective
2. Wealth is not distributed as Thomas Sowell would say "Income is not distributed, news papers are distributed, income is not. People earn it directly from those who they provide some good or service.There is no income to divide up until they first reconcile their conflicting interest and decide on what terms they are going to produce that income." - Author of "Intellectuals and society" and "Basic/Applied economics".
Youre not understanding the wider context, government policies can dictate what happens to wealth, whether its the minimum wage, financial deregulation, bank bail outs etc.
Hugh Mannity Since government does not create wealth why should those who do produce it continue to do so if it is going be taken from them ? I for one will not produce anything if my lifestyle is no different than those who do not produce.
George Dancy By all means tell me how government produces wealth,your example is simply government sticking its nose in the marketplace to extract by force the wealth they have, you pass a law that people have to give you money or go to jail and that is what you call "creating" wealth.LOL
George Dancy Go get a brain government Mule,the purpose of government is to provide basic infrastructure,emergency services such as the Police and Fire Dept and to secure the borders from foreign invasion...not to meddle in the affairs of business and pick winners and losers based on what amount to social experiments and some idiots idea of "fairness"...your thoughts are far from original as well,they are repeated daily by the President,Congess,Senate and state local government all over America.
George Dancy Explain your statement that government creates wealth.
Just because he presents a non-white view, does not make him "racist". He is merely saying whites don't have all the answers.
The more I hear about the USA the less I want to live there and that's saying much.
Hahaha oh my god do people actually take any of this seriously? How do keynesian ideas even hold an ounce of water after being proven so wrong time after time?
But yes, free markets are the reason Gay people are oppressed, I've been duped!
yea im so insecure that im using the word "prick"
im sorry... you guys are right... central baking and inflation are the keys to escaping poverty!! who needs savings
wow a real deep cut! yes, thats exactly the libertarian political view. you really are an educated one aka a very smart woman aka 2squrrrelly! i definitely support taxpayer money being used as foreign aid and to drone bomb weddings
Wait, what? "I support the bombing of weddings."
No, that is just weird. A marriage being bombed. I just... wow.
You are very stupid. If I type any further than this, it'll muddle up this conversation, and then you'll start talking about how 9/11 was caused by aliens.
Man, you are some sort of magnet for dopes. I agree. The housing bubble was caused by the government getting their dumb asses involved and forcing banks to make loans they could not really rely on getting back. I'm sure a risk analyst or two lost their jobs along the way LOL but yeah... give the "poor" a chance to borrow hundreds of thousands of dollars and what do you think is going to happen?
how the hell is this guy even listened to? He knows nothing of capitalism and somehow doesnt realize that communism doesnt work.
I believe capitalists FUCKING LOVE socialism.
You speak on these absolutes. Who says the answer can't be somewhere in between. I think capitalism as a whole works, but to have a strong economy we need a strong middle class. To believe that capitalism as we practice it is perfect and doesn't need improvement is the wrong way to go. The income gap is getting worse and most people at the top are doing everything they can to get more money (which I don't blame bc that's just human nature).
Whatever points of his he makes that I agree with, or disagree with, I gotta admit...
His voice is soothing. I wish he'd read stories and put them on the internet.
BIG UP RESPECT !!!!
Cornell West is one the very few truth tellers talking about American politics!
He got more integrity than most of them!
Just keep on keep in on brother!