Living in fear of government... while the private sector humiliates, poisons, and kills us

Above: "Civilians," a crayon lithograph by Chet La More (1908-1980), created while he was in the WPA's Federal Art Project, ca. 1937-1938. Sometimes danger and malicious behavior comes from another country; but sometimes it comes from another class. Image courtesy of the General Services Administration and the Baltimore Museum of Art.

When the private sector is the problem

A large portion of the American electorate believes that "big government," regulations, and socialism (even socialism in modest quantities) are things to be feared, while the private sector is borderline holy. "If the government would just get out of the way!" they say in an exasperated tone that pleads, "Don't you get it?!?" But theirs is a perplexing belief, when one considers all the ways the private sector has humiliated, poisoned, and killed us.

Humiliation: The private sector--and the wealthy who largely control it--humiliate us by paying us pathetic wages; pricing us out of the housing market; denying us medicine and healthcare; inflating prices to whatever the market will bear; blocking dignified retirement; and using their wealth and connections to suppress democracy and prop-up plutocracy (thereby making a mockery of our votes).

Yet, when government tries to change these things, huge segments of the American electorate have been trained to recoil and scream in fear, "Nooooo, that would be socialism!!"

Poisoning and killing us: The private sector has poisoned, injured, and killed us--by the tens of millions--with coal dust, asbestos, lead water pipes, cigarettes, fossil fuel emissions, microplastics in our bodies, and more. In many instances (as some of the links will show you), the private sector deliberately withheld information that showed the danger of their products.

But when government tries to keep these things from happening again, large segments of the American electorate object with a defiant and well-rehearsed, "Freedom!!"

Give credit where credit is due. The super-wealthy in America--through their media, think tanks, and bought politicians--have been extraordinarily successful in convincing tens of millions of Americans that government regulations and solutions are bad for them; that every public policy attempt to alleviate their humiliation, poisoning, or death is "godless communism," "evil socialism," and "un-American." The proof of their success lies in our chronic illness, reduced happiness, dropping life expectancy, rising levels of suicide, and plastic-filled bodies.

Thank you private sector! Thank you super-wealthy Americans! Thank you for humiliating, poisoning, injuring, and killing us... while assuring us (comforting us) that there are no alternative routes to freedom and liberty. We understand. It is necessary to destroy us to save us.