A few years ago, if you asked someone to play a little word association game and mentioned the word Pluto, I'm sure the smallest planet or the Walt Disney cartoon dog would come up. Now, I wouldn't be so sure.
Pluto lost its status as a full-fledged planet a while back (though I doubt people will honor that) and Mickey Mouse's dog is seen far less than he used to be. Not sure why this is the case, but the word Pluto is gaining a new respect with increased use of the term Plutocrat and the concept of Plutocracy.
Defined as rule by the wealthy class, it's slowly becoming the reality here in North America. Increasingly, we are in daily dispute about the loss of democracy in basic institutions like our schools. If we follow the money (operative word here is money) we find plutocrats behind the ill-informed school reform movement in large numbers. The Koch brothers and Bill and Melinda Gates let their money inform their ideas about what ought to happen inside a classroom. Neither has taught a day in their lives.
When we look at a Congress that has the worst legislative record in 40 years and puts new life into the label "do nothing" we find plutocracy lurking in the hallways.
Yet, Plutocracy isn't really defined as a political term. Nobody elects the wealthy. They don't advocate a carefully written platform with positions on important issues. They spend money. Lots of it. They buy and sell who and what they desire. And when that won't work, they keep trying.
And now we have to deal with the latest conundrum: whistle blower or traitor. Our National Security Agency has taken great leaps forward while wiping it's feet on the 4th Amendment. We lose twice here. First our own people ad then our international allies worry about the trust that seems to be evaporating daily.
And what is the oil that lubricates this efficient machine that enables the wealthy to position themselves and ultimately call the plays: something they own as well, the media.
Here's a fantasy. What if the dazed masses suddenly had an epiphany and realized that what they cared about the most, what they devoted most of their time and treasure to was vapid. Oh, it's not going to happen, but just say it did. Then what?
Pluto lost its status as a full-fledged planet a while back (though I doubt people will honor that) and Mickey Mouse's dog is seen far less than he used to be. Not sure why this is the case, but the word Pluto is gaining a new respect with increased use of the term Plutocrat and the concept of Plutocracy.
Defined as rule by the wealthy class, it's slowly becoming the reality here in North America. Increasingly, we are in daily dispute about the loss of democracy in basic institutions like our schools. If we follow the money (operative word here is money) we find plutocrats behind the ill-informed school reform movement in large numbers. The Koch brothers and Bill and Melinda Gates let their money inform their ideas about what ought to happen inside a classroom. Neither has taught a day in their lives.
When we look at a Congress that has the worst legislative record in 40 years and puts new life into the label "do nothing" we find plutocracy lurking in the hallways.
Yet, Plutocracy isn't really defined as a political term. Nobody elects the wealthy. They don't advocate a carefully written platform with positions on important issues. They spend money. Lots of it. They buy and sell who and what they desire. And when that won't work, they keep trying.
And now we have to deal with the latest conundrum: whistle blower or traitor. Our National Security Agency has taken great leaps forward while wiping it's feet on the 4th Amendment. We lose twice here. First our own people ad then our international allies worry about the trust that seems to be evaporating daily.
And what is the oil that lubricates this efficient machine that enables the wealthy to position themselves and ultimately call the plays: something they own as well, the media.
Here's a fantasy. What if the dazed masses suddenly had an epiphany and realized that what they cared about the most, what they devoted most of their time and treasure to was vapid. Oh, it's not going to happen, but just say it did. Then what?
Comments