Tuesday, July 12, 2005

A book dare I write?

The idea of putting what I observe into a book seems to get more appealing every day. Thinking about the logistics, possible topics for inclusion, target audience, methods of exposure, etc, etc.

Last night I had a thought that might lead to both a title and a theme for the book. While reading about how the Meat Packer Assoc. of America dealt with the first public outcry's about Upton Sinclair's expose on the conditions of the meat industry, it occured to me that these big corporations behave like a master race or at least above humanity. They lie directly to your face without batting an eye lid and when that doesn't cool the heat, they obfuscate, deal false truths, undermine, etc with brazen impunity. Anyone who shows the gall to actually get them into a court room is drowned paper work till the prosecution can no longer function with the realms of the court system. Governments are either no good or actually side with the corporations since they see themselves beholden to these companies for their election campaign contributions, or won't do anything because it's "breach of free trade" or some other bollocks and inevitable concludes with caveat emptor or similar platitudes.

So, are we, the consumer, a slave race?

We dutifully do our duty of spending according to who generates the most eye-catching and overt advertising. Regardless of where we spend, the fact is that many of us feel compelled to spend, even to our own detriment. We place ourselves in debt to spend. Society, is built around that tenet that "thou must spend". Advertising campaigns are the commands sent down from on high and we listen carefully.

In the documentary "McLibel", a TV shot of George W Bush speaking about the effects of terrorism illustrated the stance of current policy makers nicely. George, in his transparently arrogant way, wasn't worried about how this would affect education or healthcare. No, with incredulity, he stated that terrorism wouldn't stop us from conducting business ... wouldn't stop us from shopping! There's a man who is genuinely concerned for humanity. Not.

A slave race? I think that maybe there's some truth to that.