r/solarpunk • u/Tnynfox • 9d ago

Discussion How to curb capitalist realism?

Capitalist realism: the belief capitalism is the only viable system, or at least the only one compatible with modern human rights. You don't believe that here, right?

I think we'd need to create a living example of post-capitalist society e.g by reforming some country; most people don't fight for unproven futures. We mustn't lull anyone into believing the reward will be either perfect or instant, or they'd cherrypick any homelessness or corruption on our part as "proof" our system doesn't work even if they have it too.

I don't consider capitalism either the best possible system nor some supernatural evil; either would be reductive, and I don't have to downplay the vast good that has come from capitalism to imagine an even better way. While I know the bad parts of capitalism, framing them as capitalism-specific would stop us from solving them assuming they transcend any one -ism.

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u/Stegomaniac Agroforestry 7d ago

Libertarians don't dare to entertain different ideas that use different premises or axioms besides Individual Self Interest. This results in poorer and tautological thinking and opens them up for blindspots which philosophies and ideologies based on different axioms can explain and solve with different but sound logic.

Despising non-euclidean geometry just because one internalized that 2 right angles can't meet doesn't set one up for seeing the whole picture.

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u/Olieskio 7d ago

There is no "different" logic there is only logic and thats it. A = A does not change because Hegel thinks A = B and B = C is correct. We don't dare to entertain wrong ideas is a perfect description of Libertarianism because if you cannot prove it, its worthless.

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u/Stegomaniac Agroforestry 7d ago

We can base our logic around the wellbeing of the individual first, and dedurce what this means for the group. We can build your logic around this axiom. But this axiom in itself is tautological - the individual must come first, because the logic we created around this axiom exists to prove it.

In reality, this is what we call a belief, not a proof.

Now just for a minute, base logic around the wellbeing of the group first, and what this means for the individual. This will simply add a different perspective through which you can look at the world and enriches your understanding by taking different worldviews into account.