The supreme court ruling which came out regarding corporate spending, not limiting the money corporations can spend in the political process, is a fraud and a scandal. It fails to recognize the fundamental fact that the nature of corporate entities to acquire and concentrate capital far accedes the ability of individuals to do so. It in fact limits the free speech of individuals and amplifies whatever message business wants to promote turning the arena of politics into just another marketing platform. Even more so than it was before.
Allowing corporations to spend at will in the political process dilutes the participation of the common citizen to the point of being inconsequential. The groans and cries for relief from the people will be drowned out by the shrill shilling of the business special interest.
America is no longer a democracy. It is a country where the will of the people has been suborned to the will of big business.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Now I Get It: What College Is Now
I finally figured it out. I have been thinking about college in an outdated way and my new approach to understanding higher education now helps me to make sense out of all this. College is no longer the realm of the intellectual elite.
Of course I knew that college was now a mass institution and that the forces of commodification have worked their magic but the obvious implications of that alluded me. I kept assuming that higher education was still the realm of lofty thoughts, seeking after truth, and a meritocracy. I was, of course, wrong.
Now higher education is market driven and the key to market is increased production, and market growth as well as cost containment. The last frontier in the commodification of higher education is cost containment and we have yet to see the Walmart of higher education emerge. Instead, the cost of a college degree has continued to rise beyond all reasonableness fueled by usurious student loans where the government acts as the enforcer. Miss your payment and Bruno will come down and break your knees.
Of course I knew that college was now a mass institution and that the forces of commodification have worked their magic but the obvious implications of that alluded me. I kept assuming that higher education was still the realm of lofty thoughts, seeking after truth, and a meritocracy. I was, of course, wrong.
Now higher education is market driven and the key to market is increased production, and market growth as well as cost containment. The last frontier in the commodification of higher education is cost containment and we have yet to see the Walmart of higher education emerge. Instead, the cost of a college degree has continued to rise beyond all reasonableness fueled by usurious student loans where the government acts as the enforcer. Miss your payment and Bruno will come down and break your knees.
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