A Better Way

[catherine]

Coincidentally, today I was made aware of two awesome things:

#1 Dan Price, the CEO of Gravity Payments who gave everyone in his company a minimum wage of $70k.

https://buff.ly/32lfKnA?fbclid=IwAR0...1W2X22X80czI4o

He felt it was ridiculous for a CEO to earn 300x what the lowest-paid worker gets, so he evened out that ratio quite a bit. Watch the video in this link where the employees are so grateful to him they give him a Tesla.

#2 Yesterday, my DS35 and I were looking for a particular miniature horse farm, because he wants to provide one to his sister for her wedding. We were a little lost, but we saw someone working on his tractor next to his farm stand. We asked where the miniature horse farm was, and he pointed us in the right direction. I told my son that I felt bad that I didn't buy anything from his farm stand. Well, coincidentally, on FB, someone shared a post: it was the SAME farm that guided us to the miniature horse farm. AND as it turns out, they have a Charles Eisenstein philosophy of a giving economy/paying what you can. Now I feel REALLY bad I didn't buy from them. But they are not far away, and I will definitely go back.

I can't link to that post, but I can copy/paste the text:

Welcome to Diamond Hill Farm! We are so excited to finally have some produce available for the community. This year we are starting out small but next year you can expect to see our production start to ramp up! Farmers market appearances and CSA shares will be available next season but for now please come check out our little farm stand at xxx in Milton! We have a limited selection right now but dozens of other produce will be ready soon. We’re talking heirloom tomatoes, tomatillos, eggplants, sweet corn, ground cherries and many many more.
•TAKE WHAT YOU NEED AND PAY ONLY WHAT YOU ARE ABLE •
even if that maybe means nothing, seriously! We are here for the community and can’t wait to meet y’all!

We think that self-interest and capitalism is the only way. We think that "socialism" will doom us. I would love for more looking beyond this to what the possibilities are for a more cooperative future. Whether it's through the inspiration of a founder of a successful financial enterprise, or a simple Vermont farmer, we can find a better way, if we open our eyes.

[JaneV2.0]

It's becoming obvious to many of us that capitalism isn't the way.

[happystuff]

Very awesome!!

[Rogar]

I like hearing stories like that.

Our local news featured a larger sized coffee shop who has opted to pay all of their employees a living wage. In this case 50K a year. They said one reason was because the typical coffee shop wage was less than unemployment benefits and they was having trouble keeping help. But also, it just was the right way to run a business. One of the employees that interviewed was just delighted. He said his life was more stable than it had been for years. The going price for a latte was $6.75 compared to the same at Starbucks for $3.75. Tipping is discouraged. They gave reports of a bustling business.

[happystuff]

We think that self-interest and capitalism is the only way. We think that "socialism" will doom us. I would love for more looking beyond this to what the possibilities are for a more cooperative future. Whether it's through the inspiration of a founder of a successful financial enterprise, or a simple Vermont farmer, we can find a better way, if we open our eyes.

This is so well put and has stuck in my mind ever since you posted it. "A more cooperative future" - seems like an impossibility in today's world where people don't seem to be able to simply "be nice".

But, as Mahatma Gandhi said, I'll just have to be the change I wish to see in the world. If a CEO and some Vermont farmers can do it, I can try to do better, too. Even if it is on a smaller scale - one person at a time.

[ApatheticNoMore]

This is so well put and has stuck in my mind ever since you posted it. "A more cooperative future" - seems like an impossibility in today's world where people don't seem to be able to simply "be nice".

much of the jadedness probably comes from living in a society as dysfunctional as the current U.S. - collapse of empires is ugly I guess. And if one lived somewhere more functional they probably wouldn't think so so much. This is not to assume that humans are saints anywhere or anywhere is utopia, but rather that living in SO MUCH dysfunction leads to an extreme level of jadedness, but it might not be universal everywhere.

[happystuff]

much of the jadedness probably comes from living in a society as dysfunctional as the current U.S. - collapse of empires is ugly I guess. And if one lived somewhere more functional they probably wouldn't think so so much. This is not to assume that humans are saints anywhere or anywhere is utopia, but rather that living in SO MUCH dysfunction leads to an extreme level of jadedness, but it might not be universal everywhere.

Well, we know the jadedness is not universal everywhere simply based on the OP. There are nice people even in a dysfunctional society. I believe it comes down to an individual's choice - be nice or not. It's surprising how many people choose "not", even in simple little things. Again, fortunately, there are a lot of people that do choose "nice" and beyond.

[catherine]

Thanks for your thoughts. And I think its more than "choosing nice" although that is definitely an element--it's also recognizing that just as people believe we are evolutionarily hard-wired for social Darwinism and thus the competitive dog-eat-dog life is "our nature", other scientists have proven that in fact, we are hard-wired for cooperation, compassion and kindness, so a political-economic system can be created to support that belief just as easily as it has been created to support the belief in our self-interest.

[happystuff]

Thanks for your thoughts. And I think its more than "choosing nice" although that is definitely an element--it's also recognizing that just as people believe we are evolutionarily hard-wired for social Darwinism and thus the competitive dog-eat-dog life is "our nature", other scientists have proven that in fact, we are hard-wired for cooperation, compassion and kindness, so a political-economic system can be created to support that belief just as easily as it has been created to support the belief in our self-interest.

Yes, I agree it is more than "choosing nice", but it is such an easy place to start.

I also find it interesting that the idea that humans are "hard-wired for social Darwinism" is actually starting to be widely discredited/questioned. I like the Buddhist way of thinking about self-interest - you take care of yourself so that you are able to take care of others. (my paraphrasing, of course - lol). Even the Bible states Jesus said caring for others is 2nd of the Commandments: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40)."

[razz]

I have been thinking about just this issue for decades so glad this thread made me consider it some more. To me, it still comes down to individualism and the individual's choice that the US values so highly. There are individuals who see others as the enemy or competitor to be compared to or defeated and there are individuals who see partners sharing a lifetime. It comes down to our individual thought each minute of each day.

I like an analogy to swimmers struggling in a tide. There are lifeguards for most but some swimmers focus on the shoulders of the whatever is available to save themselves alone; some extend and grab a lifebuoy sharing a rescue. It is all governed by our individual thought.