A Narcotized World

I was having a conversation with my son Aidan, a history major, about Marx and his critique of capitalism. I made the point that Marx got a lot of things right. For example, capitalism is an engine of inequality, and democratic nations chronically struggle to address and redress these wealth and income imbalances as they accumulate over time. 

But where Marx was wrong, I shared with Aidan, was his prediction that wealth inequalities would seed and foment revolutionary fervor among the poor and working classes. You just don't see much class-driven rage in capitalist societies. Unions in the US, to take one example, are hard to create and sustain. 

For capitalists, the reason for this lack of collective anger is obvious: capitalism works. Yes, capitalism might produce large wealth and income disparities, but the wealth and income capitalism creates for all far exceeds the economic alternatives. Capitalism might not be perfect, but it's the best option we have. 

Socialists might disagree with that assessment. Regardless, that's not the observation I made to Aidan. The point I shared with Aidan is that I think Marx underestimated capitalism's ability to create narcotizing products. Capitalism swamps us with pain-numbing (or pain-distracting) and pleasure-giving products. Capitalism has a vast capacity to anesthetize the world. Capitalism creates pain, sure, but it also numbs it. Your limb is being amputated and you don't feel a thing.

Phrased differently, capitalism specializes in addiction, in targeting the pleasure, pain, and reward pathways of the brain. Consider all the ways capitalism affects the dopaminergic and pleasure pathways of the brain:

• Sugar, fat, and salt (fast food, snack foods, sugary drinks)

• Video games (smart phone apps, Playstation, Xbox)

• Sporting events (attending, watching, fantasy leagues)

• Gambling (online, casinos, lottery tickets)

• Caffeine

• Nicotine

• Alcohol

• Marijuana

• Illegal drugs (opioids, meth, cocaine) 

• TV and Streaming services

• Movies

• Social media

• Widescreen TVs

• Headphones

• Shopping (online and in-person)

I'm sure you can add to the list. 

Everyone has their fix. My poorer friends might live in squalor, but they have a smartphone, a widescreen TV, an Xbox, Netflix, cigarettes, junk food, sugary drinks, lottery tickets and cheap beer. They are also more likely to be using illegal drugs. Stepping back and looking all that, the point should be clear: That is a whole, whole lot of pleasure.

My richer friends also have their smartphones on which they play games and surf social media. Their widescreen TVs are a part of an entertainment center. They drink bottles of wine, good whisky and craft beer. Beyond Netflix, they also have Hulu, Disney+, AppleTV, Amazon Prime, and Paramount+. They wear AirPods, Bose, or some other brandname headphone. Amazon Prime drops gifts on the porch. They also crave fat, salt and sugar. They also can afford concerts, vacations, live sporting events, and taking the family to Disney.

Again, everyone has their fix. We live in a narcotized world. No matter your socioeconomic status, you can surround yourself with pleasures. A glass of wine or a cigarette. Stock trading or a lottery ticket. A football game or a Netflix binge. Instagram or chocolate. A video game or eBay. 

As I shared with Aidan, it is no wonder people don't agitate for a better world. The fix is in, to shift that metaphor. We've buzzed, soothed, stimulated, and numbed our brains. We're rats in a cage, pushing the bar to get our next reward, fix, and hit.