This meander was stimulated by a recent repudiation by Zizek of the possible role of small communities in any future human flourishing. In this context, I revisit E. F. Schumacher's Small is Beautiful (1973). I discuss some of the core ideas from that seminal work. In particular, I focus on the treatement of raw materials as [inexhaustible] income and the treatement of the environment as a free dump by capitalism and the economic theories that act as its ideological justification. I touch upon intermediate technology, the role of 'spirituality' in the good life, the way in which economic theories and political practice often treat people as numbers on a spreadsheet, the 1984-5 UK Miners' Strike and the persistence of alienation in nationalised industries. I do this by discerning Zizek's 'inner Schumacher' and Schumacher's 'inner Zizek' and recounting instances of their expression. In both cases these inner others are mostly repressed, but vigorous enough to surface now and then in brilliant insight. [Free. 47 minutes.]
LAO TZU 30
POST TRUTH THIS WEEK - INTERESTING TIMES 16
WHAT IS FASCISM? 3 - THE CORPORATE-GOVERNMENTAL ECONOMY
TRUMP'S REFUSAL TO CONCEDE - INTERESTING TIMES 15
US ELECTION AND THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE - INTERESTING TIMES 14
EHRC REPORT & CORBYN SUSPENSION - INTERESTING TIMES 13
REVOLVING DOORS & COSY CABALS - INTERESTING TIMES 12
LAO TZU 29
LAO TZU 28
JOHNSON'S POST-TRUTH SPEECH TO TORY CONFERENCE - INTERESTING TIMES 11
WHAT IS FASCISM? 2 - THE PRESENT DAY UK & USA
WHAT IS FASCISM? 1 - HISTORICAL EXAMPLES
LAO TZU 27
COVIDIOCY: WHO BENEFITS? - INTERESTING TIMES 10
AGAINST FLAG-SHAGGING - INTERESTING TIMES 9
WHY HAS SOCIALISM BECOME A DIRTY WORD?
GRASSROOTS AND ASTROTURFING
STUDENTS WIN! INTERESTING TIMES 8
WHAT CAN WE DO?
LAO TZU 26
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