Assumptions and worldviews dominate any society, limit how that society’s people think, and force its public policies in certain directions. If we do not like the way our society is headed, let’s question the assumptions and worldviews that dominate our society.
“Neoliberalism” has been dominating American and Western society for several decades. “Neoliberalism” is a worldview that assumes economic markets (capitalism, etc.) are the best way to solve public problems. it rejects the role of strong democracy empowering governments to solve problems. It promotes the kind of anti-government rhetoric and policies that the U.S. saw with Goldwater, Reagan, and all Republicans (and MANY Democrats) since then. “Neoliberalism” has hurt the U.S. and most of the Western World in many ways.
It subordinates freedom and human rights to the power of capitalist markets. it opposes the kind of truly progressive public policies that most people want (human rights, an end to poverty, a clean environment, a sustainable climate, good health care for every person, and so forth).
It limits our thinking about what goals are possible — and it limits our thinking about how to achieve goals. If we are constrained by capitalistic markets, we will not be able to solve society’s big, serious problems.
In order to solve our society’s problems we must recognize how “neoliberalism” has been preventing good solutions. We must reject “neoliberalism” and adopt a better worldview.
The article at this link provides useful insights: https://democracyjournal.org/magazine/53/the-moral-vision-after-neoliberalism/?utm_source=Demos&utm_campaign=3873f08c85-Demos_Email_7_30_2019_Dem_Journal_main&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e07d7f6936-3873f08c85-66872317
I also highly recommend TWO TV programs I produced about the dominant worldview and the alternate worldview we need instead. Each TV program is fleshed out in a thorough essay. Both videos and both essays are posted to my blog. SEE THESE TWO:
SEE THESE LINKS at the “TV Programs” part of my blog, www.parallaxperspectives.org:
One is titled: “TV Program: A blistering critique of U.S. politics! PART 1: “Choose a Better Worldview to Build a Better World.” It focuses mostly on problems. The video and essay are there. Also, I fleshed out the essay much further and I’m attaching it here: 2 Replace this Currently Dominant Worldview with the Next Chapter’s Alternative It will be Chapter 2 of a book I’m writing, and I still need up update and edit it further.
The other is titled: “TV Programs: PART 2 of “Choose a Better Worldview to Build a Better World” It focuses mostly on solutions. I fleshed out this essay too, and I need to update and edit it further, so it will become Chapter 3 of the book I’m writing. Here is a link so you can read it: 3 Substitute this Humane, Sustainable Worldview for the Currently Dominant One
I strongly encourage people to read the substantive essays I’ve linked above. They are thorough and insightful.
