Start Now - Hurry!

In Seth Godin's book, Small is the new big, there is an essay called Start Now - Hurry! (pp.225-230). I found a very interesting definition of Communism. Now, Seth is an extroverted Capitalist. But when I read the conclusion to his essay, I found myself nodding in agreement as he wrote about starting your own business:

The best part of this exercise [starting your own business] comes when you realize you are smart enough, motivated enough, and focused enough to actually do this. Once you decide that you could actually run the place, you'll realize that no other option is satisfying.

...

Here's the crux of the matter: Organizations where the people doing the work are the very same people who are making the decisions are more likely to succeed in the long run. Just about all the sins of American business (from environmental despoilation to accounting fraud can be pinned on the anonymous bureaucracy. Entrepreneurs can't be anonymous - it's your decision, your policy, your work, your business - and so you're fast and honest, or you're out. There's nowhere else to pass the buck.

...

pp.229-230
small is the new big,
by Seth Godin
Penguin Books (2006)

Emphasis Mine

The essential definition of Communism is that the two (2) classes of Capitalism, owners and workers, have merged into one (1) class - worker-owners. That is it.

This also why a Communist society can only emerge out of a Capitalist one. The two (2) classes have to emerge from a lower economic system and develop. Once the development proceeds far enough, these two (2) classes have to make a conscious decision to merge. There is no automatic process.

The real question is how much development of the two (2) classes is enough before the amalgamation can proceed? I don't know but Mr. Godin is probably saying that workers should be considering starting their own businesses. I would say that workers should start planning to take over the businesses instead. The same development of the worker is required.

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Blank Books

I made the following comment about Blank Books at Ted Rall's blog:

Arthur Silber would like to nominate Andrew Meyer as an American hero for he did Break the Goddamned Rules. For that, Andrew Meyer was broken. He may never resist again, but he did resist once.

I think we all should realise that we live in occupied countries (USA, Australia, UK, etc). The occupation forces are the rich elite (aka Capitalists aka International Bankers). The forces of occupation are the police and the right-wing thugs. The collaborators include the MSM, the Democrats, the GOP, and all those who want to play safe.

We must learn to think and live as insurgents. There is no other way to keep one's honour in these times. The ways of resisting will change from day to day, and even hour to hour.

I don't think I will be very proud of what I have to do to survive these times. There will be many acts of cowardice and silence for every act of courage. I will be broken once, or even twice. Can I go on? I don't know.

One advantage of a blank book is that anyone write in it. The smallest mark is noticed.

The problem is that we all know something is wrong but we have been trained to let someone else fix the problems.

We have to learn to be responsible adults. There is no one else.

In the movie "Zulu", the following exchange takes place:

Pte. Thomas Cole:

Why is it us? Why us?

Colour Sergeant Bourne:

Because we're here, lad.

These are our times. We are responsible for this part of history. Our predecessors may have stuffed up. We cannot change how we got here. There is no point wishing otherwise.

We could dodge our responsibility and pass the buck to our successors. Could we live with ourselves if we did so?

As Seth Godin says in Thrill Seekers, Now, of course, safe is risky. Apologies to Seth as this quote is taken of context but is entirely appropriate for my point.

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