Dear Friends

Have set up a site for ideas from thinkers, philosophers and activists on a post-capitalist world.

It is at: Philosophers for change

Peace be with you

Dear All

Yet again, another letter to the press and this time to highlight the need to go beyond the economically unsustainable and socially damaging system that is usually sealed by the manufactured consent between the mainstream media and corporate interests.

The idea of profit sharing has been explored in previous posts here but it needs repeating as an idea that works (just do a search on the Net to find out more), and there is the constant need to remind ourselves to treat one another with common human decency.

“…There are two root issues that need to be looked at if any reasonable solution is to be found to the perpetual problem of low wages and hiring foreign workers instead of locals for such jobs like those of a cleaner.

The first is the mindset change needed in moving away from the pyramid structure of many businesses, especially of large corporations.

As long as what may be perceived as low-level work is placed at the bottom of the rung in a business, wages will follow suit.

But as…[pointed] out, what will happen indeed when we run out of people to clean up after us?

Instead of a pyramid, a web of interconnection should be envisioned for businesses in which everyone - management or non-managerial staff - has a role to play.

A cooperative approach can be taken, moving away from that of accumulating profits above all else.

Have a fair wage where all in a firm share in the profits made, with ratios of sharing in earnings established depending on the contribution an employee makes to the firm.

This beats relying on "market forces", which are a means for companies to offer staff as little as possible while squeezing the maximum from them.

The other issue is ensuring that all in a firm are treated equally, with due respect. There is excessive focus on the salaries of CEOs, instead of what are economically sustainable and ethical workplace scenarios.

Talk to the people who sweep our roads and those who clear our garbage daily and you'll realize they are human beings with dreams of their own.

Giving proper societal and economic recognition to all may help realign our viewpoint on what workplace dignity is about.

It is not always about the money.”

It is time for discernment, thinking and starting to see the interconnectedness of all life. It is time for us to wake up, get real and finally start to grow up.