GUEST: Rob Larson, Professor of Economics at TCC and author of Bleakonomics and Capitalism vs. Freedom, talks about libertarian contradictions, the evils of neoliberalism, and the need for a new, socialist world order.
Capitalism vs. Freedom, The Toll Road to Serfdom
The basis of our current obsession with profit and corporate control of government is called neoliberalism. Rob traces the roots of this back to the 1980's with corporate bankrolled academics who painted the dominance of capitalism as true freedom. It is now our state religion. All our needs must now be measured by their costs and its profits.
Colleges are in the same business. They teach courses to maximize contributions from rich alums and corporate elite. They even suppress freedom of speech on campus to please donors. Education at our nation's "non-profit" colleges is intimately involved in maximizing profit.
The Ivy League schools train the elite and teach them how to internalize their privilege. It is a system of mind control without the beatings and killings one might find in less sophisticated tyrannies. Late stage capitalism demands the death of the intellect. The brighter the student, the more repugnant the monster that emerges.
