Stump Lane

THE CONVENTIONAL wisdom is this:

We have to do what’s necessary to restore growth and to pursue the reforms that can stabilize our financial system well into the future. We have to reject protectionism and accelerate our efforts to support emerging markets.

What is this devotion to almighty “growth?” Aside from our financier priests’ obvious fetish for profit taking through exploitation, the Mammon of easy, oftentimes supernatural, wealth accumulation I mean.

We are a human race run amok, facing overpopulation and scarcity around every corner, creating an environment for ourselves everyday less and less suitable for our own habitation. At the same time we put on our soberest airs and express reverence and continued faith in things that are Too Big To Fail. We love us some BIG.

“Too big” is the problem. Restoring growth is not the solution. Establish shrinkage instead! Take Too Big To Fail and make it Small Enough To Devour.

Is it possible to topple the mythology of currency as governor of the universe? Money is but a hollow placeholder, a conduit for financial power. Yet the devout worship at its feet with cultlike spirituality.

Acknowledge the wealth of your own human labor, for goodness! (There’s a valuable commodity for you.) It’s past time to embrace a sort of protectionism that recognizes the value of the potential, of ourselves and neighbors, to do productive work growing, making and creating things that are, you know, useful.

Essentially the opposite of the conventional wisdom quoted above.

PS: Blog Against Theocracy (the other kind) is coming up in a couple of weeks and should be remembered.