The Problem with Capitalism

A presentation given by Jeremy Lent to the Sustainable Brands Kuala Lumpur conference 2022 (21-22 June).
Monikers such as “green growth”, “sustainable development”, and “conscious capitalism” imply that a flourishing future is achievable within the current system of global capitalism. This talk examines the “elephant in the room” and argues that capitalism itself is an underlying cause of our ecological crisis.
More info: www.jeremylent.com/
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[@eroceanos]

You are a good man, Jeremy, speaking truth to power. Instead of whitewashing structural exploitation, as so many do...

[@marrs1013]

The problem is, that everybody wants to be rich. Everybody understands, that it can't and won't last forever, but we all think ok, if only just I can became rich, we can start changing the economic system to a more sustaniable one. Right after I get filthy rich.

[@Flux_40]

most people only want to be rich BECAUSE of the system , it forces us to follow suit .

[@marrs1013]

@@Flux_40 You can blame the system for a lot of things, but not for human nature. It is certainly good at exploiting it, but not creating it.

[@Flux_40]

@@marrs1013 great strawman .

[@marrs1013]

@@Flux_40 Which part?

[@thinklikeatree]

@@marrs1013 I would recommend Humankind a Hopeful History by Rutgar Bregman for an alternative view of human nature. The 'all humans are selfish' narrative feeds the capitalism machine, and those who want to have the the capitalist system continue, do their utmost to ensure that we all believe this. The reality is somewhat different, and if we changed our systems (as Jeremy suggests) we would replace them with systems that don't reward selfish behaviour, but instead reward co-operative behaviour.

[@kaisunra9676]

Ruining other peoples property by dumping garbage and pollution has nothing to do with capitalism and actually denies the foundational principle of nonaggression

[@Liliquan]

Bull. The non-aggression principle is never applied like that. The commons are always considered from a capitalist perspective as free game. Nobody owns the sea, the sky and the vast majority of land. Therefore it’s exploitable as a business opportunity. When you’re breathing in toxic fumes, can you claim that your property is being ruined? No, because it ain’t yours and you have no claim over it. What a tragedy indeed.