Is Corporate America a Cabal?

[coberst]

Is Corporate America a Cabal?

 

Webster says ‘Cabal—artifices and intrigues of a group of persons secretly united to bring about an overturn or usurpation in public affairs—plot’.

 

Quickie from wiki:

“The banking cabal refers to a conspiracy theory regarding collusion between bankers, financiers, and other associated individuals of extreme wealth to manipulate the strings of commerce, politics, and media in order to serve their common interests. The primary source of their money and power is described as the use of fractional reserve banking and fiat money to surreptitiously steal wealth from the rest of society via inflation of the money supply and by levying interest on sovereign debt.”

 

I claim that many of the leaders of CA (Corporate America) have been involved as a cabal in America for at least two decades. This cabal has been and is presently plotting and accomplishing to create a public policy in America that best suites their self-interest. The present financial melt down has resulted from this plot and has resulted principally as a result of that segment of this cabal that control the American and worldwide financial aspects of the world economy.

 

When I set out to understand some particular matter I start with some model of what I think is the answer I am after. From this point I modify my papier-mâché like intellectual model until I reach some kind of understanding for the question I posed to myself in the beginning.

 

The question I started with many years ago was ‘How does my world operate’? My metaphor is bullfight. I would call this my world view but more appropriately it is my nation view because I only know my nation, the United States.

 

The Matador waving a red cape to manipulate a giant muscular bull is my understanding of how my world functions. The bull is the people; the Matador is the oligarchy that controls the people through various ideologies.

 

I recently watched the DVD copy of the movie “The Insider”. This depicts the story of Jeffrey Wiegand, former executive of Brown & Williamson Tobacco, who decided to make known to the world the facts of Big Tobacco.

 

The movie clearly demonstrates the power of the big corporations and the pain they can inflict on any person who attempts to reveal their secrets. Comparing the DVD movie to the TV show the “Sopranos” I decided that there is little difference between the two modes of operation except for the fact that the actions of the Sopranos are often illegal whereas the actions of the corporations are most often legal.

 

I think that both shows are valuable viewing for the public because both shows peel back the surface layer of reality to expose the layer that is not obvious to the common sense realism we perceive life to be.

 

In the last few days we have seen, read, and heard various members of the business media explaining how they personally and their particular operation are not responsible for the “sneak” attack by AIG upon or way of life. They use such excuses as not having subpoena power with which to ferret out secret information.

 

For decades the business media has been acting as cheerleaders for Corporate America instead of being the watchdogs that bark thus alerting the residents whenever something suspicious approaches our house.

 

It should have been evident to any Critical Thinking individual who is responsible enough to keep up with current events that the leaders of Corporate America had acquired great power with little accountability. The great power is discernable when we recognize that there were obviously few if any checks upon their behavior when we see that they were able to constantly increase their income to levels that are obscene by any reasonable measure.

 

The corporate CEOs were free to take what they will in monetary reward. They thereby made it plain to even the casual observer that they could do pretty much whatever suited their personal interests. If we place a normal individual into a position of great power uninhibited by oversight is it any wonder that these individuals will continue to push the envelope of self-interest?

 

CA (Corporate America) has developed a well-honed expertise in motivating the population to behave in a desired manner. Citizens as consumers are ample manifestation of that expertise. CA has accomplished this ability by careful study and implementation of the knowledge of the ways of human behavior. I suspect this same structure applies to most Western democracies.

 

A democratic form of government is one wherein the citizens have some voice in some policy decisions. The greater the voice of the citizens the better the democracy.

 

In America we have policy makers, decision makers, and citizens. The decision makers are our elected representatives and are, thus, under some control by the voting citizen. The policy makers are the leaders of CA; less than ten thousand individuals, according to those who study such matters. Policy makers exercise significant control of decision makers by controlling the financing of elections.

 

Policy makers customize and maintain the dominant ideology in order to control the political behavior of the citizens. This dominant ideology exercises the political control of the citizens in the same fashion as the consuming citizen is controlled by the same dominant ideology.

 

An enlightened citizen is the only means to gain more voice in more policy decisions. An enlightened citizen is much more than an informed citizen. Critical thinking is the only practical means to develop a more enlightened citizen. If, however, we wait until our CT trained grade-schoolers become adults I suspect all will be lost. This is why I think a massive effort must be made to convince today’s adults that they must train themselves in CT.

 

 

“Thomas R. Dye, Professor of Political Science at Florida State University, has published a series of books examining who and what institutions actually control and run America. to understand who is making the decisions that affect our lives, we also have to understand how societies structure themselves in general. Why the few always tend to share more power than the many and what this means in terms of both a society's evolution and our daily lives. they examined the other 11 institutions that exert just as powerful a shaping influence, although somewhat more subtle: The Industrial, Corporations, Utilities and Communications, Banking, Insurance Investment, Mass Media, Law, Education Foundation, Civic and Cultural Organizations, Government, and the Military.”

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[Buffy]

It's easy to see a conspiracy if you've never met any of these people.

 

Given my own personal experiences with these "Captains of Industry," I'd say a "Confederacy of Dunces" is a much more appropriate description....

 

Then you must begin a reading program immediately so that you may understand the crises of our age. Begin with the late Romans, including Boethius, of course. Then you should dip rather extensively into early Medieval. You may skip the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. That is mostly dangerous propaganda. Now that I think of it, you had better skip the Romantics and the Victorians. For the contemporary period, you should study some selected comic books, :phones:

Buffy

[Zythryn]

Please define 'Corporate America'.

Does this include the deli down the street?

How about the grocery chain?

Perhaps the cable companies?

 

All businesses work for the advancement and health of themselves. Most often including financial health.

The fact that our government gave businesses the rights of a person to lobby congress led to corruption (in my mind) but not conspiracy.

And if anyone is controlling the media for the benifit of some business centered conspiracy, well, they aren't doing a very good job at it;)

[coberst]

It's easy to see a conspiracy if you've never met any of these people.

 

Given my own personal experiences with these "Captains of Industry," I'd say a "Confederacy of Dunces" is a much more appropriate description....

 

Then you must begin a reading program immediately so that you may understand the crises of our age. Begin with the late Romans, including Boethius, of course. Then you should dip rather extensively into early Medieval. You may skip the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. That is mostly dangerous propaganda. Now that I think of it, you had better skip the Romantics and the Victorians. For the contemporary period, you should study some selected comic books, :eek_big:

Buffy

 

Let us speculate here.

 

Like the Matador the corporate leaders are smart enough to distract the bull sufficiently such that s/he sees only the cape. Since the American citizens have never been taught Critical Thinking they are often easily deceived by such things as conspiracy strawmen.

 

Our corporate and institutional leaders (banks, insurance, think tanks, universities etc.) manage most of our national organized wealth. As is evident by their income these individuals have few overseers, they pretty well set their own financial rewards with little oversight. They have organizations such as chambers of commerce and the Roundtable; they live together in gated communities and country clubs. They exercise control over politicians by financing their campaigns and they exercise control over an uncritical citizenry through media propaganda.

 

Is it conceivable that such a group would not organize their ambitions and self-interest in secrecy?

[coberst]

Please define 'Corporate America'.

Does this include the deli down the street?

How about the grocery chain?

Perhaps the cable companies?

 

All businesses work for the advancement and health of themselves. Most often including financial health.

The fact that our government gave businesses the rights of a person to lobby congress led to corruption (in my mind) but not conspiracy.

And if anyone is controlling the media for the benifit of some business centered conspiracy, well, they aren't doing a very good job at it;)

 

I would say that Corporate America consists of the top 500 corporations in America.

[Zythryn]

I would say that Corporate America consists of the top 500 corporations in America.

 

The idea of a Cabal or conspiracy starts getting really messy in that case then.

What happens when a company not in the top 500, gains that position? And what happens to those that loose that ranking?

 

No disgruntled AIG execs blabbing to the press about this lately, why not?

 

While I don't agree that there is any sort of organized conspiracy, I do feel that most businesses take advantage of marketing to the public. Both for their policies and products.

 

And I would agree that this marketing is far more effective than it would be if more of the public were educated in the realm of critical thinking.

 

Again, I don't think there is a high level conspiracy or even communication between the 'leaders of industry'. Simple greed and doing what works to that end.

[coberst]

The idea of a Cabal or conspiracy starts getting really messy in that case then.

What happens when a company not in the top 500, gains that position? And what happens to those that loose that ranking?

 

No disgruntled AIG execs blabbing to the press about this lately, why not?

 

While I don't agree that there is any sort of organized conspiracy, I do feel that most businesses take advantage of marketing to the public. Both for their policies and products.

 

And I would agree that this marketing is far more effective than it would be if more of the public were educated in the realm of critical thinking.

 

Again, I don't think there is a high level conspiracy or even communication between the 'leaders of industry'. Simple greed and doing what works to that end.

 

 

You might be correct but if you are then I might have to develop a completely different concept of human nature.

[Zythryn]

You might be correct but if you are then I might have to develop a completely different concept of human nature.

 

I would be curious to hear what change you would need to your concept of human nature.

[coberst]

I would be curious to hear what change you would need to your concept of human nature.

 

It is, in my judgment, human nature to act selfishly when the opportunity exists.

 

Our corporate leaders together control most of the wealth of the nation (USA). They have few checks upon their selfish actions in regarding their compensation. They give themselves obscene monetary compensation and perks. They can, should it suit their interest, control much of congress, and thus much of public policy.

 

In such circumstances I find it unlikely that they would not band together to aid in their mutual interest.

[Buffy]

Is it conceivable that such a group would not organize their ambitions and self-interest in secrecy?

...only if they were smart enough to do so. Listen to someone like Kenny-Boy Lay or our recently past president for more than 5 minutes and you begin to wonder how they tie their shoes in the morning.

 

In fact, one thing that I have noticed...is that all of these conspiracy theories depend on the perpetrators being endlessly clever. I think you'll find the facts also work if you assume everyone is endlessly stupid, :lol:

Buffy

[coberst]

...only if they were smart enough to do so. Listen to someone like Kenny-Boy Lay or our recently past president for more than 5 minutes and you begin to wonder how they tie their shoes in the morning.

 

In fact, one thing that I have noticed...is that all of these conspiracy theories depend on the perpetrators being endlessly clever. I think you'll find the facts also work if you assume everyone is endlessly stupid, :lol:

Buffy

 

 

 

I shall have to display my original and basic premise. The American population, as a group, is unsophisticated to the extent that they are easily bamboozled by the red cape of the Matador. I think that the Matador does not have to be very clever to manipulate the American population as is evident by the consumerism mode of behavior displayed in our credit-card mentality.

 

The Matador, i.e. CA, easily manipulates the population because they control policy, especially our education system, that teaches youngsters what to think rather than how to think.

[Zythryn]

What Buffy said:)

In addition, many people in business are not interested in cooperation with other businesses. It is a competition.

Do you see much organization and cooperation between playground bullies? After all, as a group, it would benifit them to organize and cooperate with each other.

[Zythryn]

I shall have to display my original and basic premise. The American population, as a group, is unsophisticated to the extent that they are easily bamboozled by the red cape of the Matador. I think that the Matador does not have to be very clever to manipulate the American population as is evident by the consumerism mode of behavior displayed in our credit-card mentality.

 

The Matador, i.e. CA, easily manipulates the population because they control policy, especially our education system, that teaches youngsters what to think rather than how to think.

 

Bold added by me.

I agree with that until your last sentance. CA doesn't NEED to control our education system. We have done that to ourselves.

And again, CA is not a single entity. Big Oil competes with Big Pharma which competes with Big Hotels for money from the government.

Yes, each corporation will use illogical marketing. But they didn't consiously create the atmosphere in which the marketing would work. They use the marketing BECAUSE it works.

And the marketing changes bases on what does, and what does not work.

 

I whole heartedly agree that CA is taking advantage of the situation.

They would also be taking advantage of the situation if people reacted more logically by tailoring their message to the aspects that appeal to the logic people use.