The below article is based off my video
Remember the good old days? When the UK built affordable homes, created good jobs, and fostered a sense of community? Then the 80s hit, and things took a sharp turn. Britain embraced neoliberalism, and it’s been downhill for most of us ever since. But hey, at least the rich got richer!
Ever feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up? Student debt piling up, rent through the roof, and finding a decent job feels impossible. We’re bombarded with messages about hustling. We hear about side gigs constantly. Even with all that, making ends meet feels like a constant struggle. So, how did we get here? How did the UK go from building a solid future for everyone to…well, this?
In this article, we’ll unpack how ditching Keynesian economics back in the 1980s set us up for failure. We’ll examine the creation of manufactured moral panics. These include the ones aimed at trans people. Such distractions keep us from focusing on the issues that truly matter. Finally, we’ll look at how we can build a better future for all, not just the wealthy few.
From Boom to Bust: The Neoliberal Experiment
Many people in the UK are struggling. Wages have stagnated and haven’t kept up with the soaring cost of living. The price of everything, from groceries to energy bills, has skyrocketed, leaving many families struggling to make ends meet. Owning a home feels like a distant dream for many, as house prices continue to rise while wages remain stagnant. Our public services are facing immense pressure. They include healthcare and education. This is due to years of underfunding and cuts.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. In the decades following World War II, the UK embraced Keynesian economics. This meant the government invested in public services, created jobs, and supported working families. It was a time of growth and opportunity for many. This approach helped create a society where everyone had a chance to thrive, not just the wealthy.
Divide and Conquer: The Distraction of Culture Wars
Fast forward to today, and we’re bombarded with fearmongering about trans people, especially trans kids. This overblown debate is a distraction tactic, plain and simple. We should focus on the real problems facing society, like poverty and inequality. Instead, we’re told to worry about who uses which bathroom. (Because apparently, that’s more important than ensuring everyone has a roof over their heads and food on the table. 🙄)
“Cloud capital” has risen, concentrating vast wealth and power in Big Tech. This rise has created a new class of modern overlords. These entities control platforms that dominate our daily lives, leveraging this control to influence behavior and extract wealth. Much like feudal lords of the past, they focus on consolidating power. They aim to enrich themselves, with little regard for the broader well-being of society. To maintain their dominance, they stoke and exploit social divisions, fueling moral panics and diverting attention from their unchecked influence.
Think about it: every time we use the internet, we’re generating data that’s collected and monetized by Big Tech. They track our every click, our every like, our every search. They know more about us than we know about ourselves! And they use this information to target us with ads, to shape our opinions, and to influence our behavior. This isn’t just about making money from advertising. It’s about controlling the flow of information. It’s about shaping the narrative that defines our society.
Big Tech has the power to amplify certain voices and suppress others. They can create echo chambers where we’re only exposed to information that confirms our existing biases. And they can use their platforms to manipulate public opinion and influence elections.
We are often bombarded with manufactured moral panics about trans people, immigrants, or any other marginalized group. In these moments, we need to ask ourselves: who benefits from this distraction? Who’s using this divisive rhetoric to consolidate their power and wealth? The answer is clear. Those at the top want to keep us divided and distracted. They continue to line their pockets.
Building a Better Future: Keynesian Economics and Social Justice
The UK wasn’t always like this. We have a history of fighting for fairness and looking out for each other. We built the NHS, created a decent social security safety net, and we know how to build a better society. But it’s going to take all of us pushing for real change.
Keynesian economics focuses on using government investment to boost the economy and create jobs. This means investing in infrastructure, education, and social programs that support working families. It means using government spending to stimulate demand during economic downturns. This approach can help address the issues that directly affect people in the UK. These include unemployment and a lack of opportunity.
By investing in people and communities, we can create a more just and equitable society. This is the kind of nurturing growth that will benefit everyone, not just the wealthy few.
Conclusion
We’ve journeyed from the post-war boom to the neoliberal bust. We’ve seen the rise of Big Tech. We’ve also observed the distraction of culture wars. We’ve seen how the UK went from building a better future for all to prioritizing the wealth of the few. But we’ve also seen how we can build a better future, one based on Keynesian economics and social justice.
We must reject the divisive rhetoric of the right. Let’s focus on the issues that truly matter: poverty, inequality, and the climate crisis. It’s time to invest in people and communities, not just profits. It’s time to build a UK where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Share this article with your friends and family. Let’s start a conversation about how we can build a better future for all.
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