|
unhinged
|
'walter benjamin argues that capitalism is not only a formation 'conditioned by religion' but an 'essentially religious phenomenon,' albeit one that no longer seeks to connect humans with the mystery of life. and it is the religion of capitalism, the maniacal quest for wealth at the expense of others, that turns human beings into beasts of prey.
'a religion may be discerned in capitalism,' benjamin writes, 'that is to say, capitalism serves essentially to allay the same anxieties, torments, and disturbances to which the so-called religions offered answers.' capitalism, benjamin notes, has called on human societies to embark on a ceaseless and ultimately futile quest to find fulfillment in the endless amassing of money and power. this quest creates culture that id dominated b guilt, a sense of inadequacy, and self_loathing and that enslaves nearly all its adherents through wages.
benjamin calls capitalism 'a purely cultic religion, perhaps the most extreme that ever existed.' in this system, 'things have a meaning only in their relationship to the cult.' capitalism, he notes, has no specific dogma or theology. rather, ' utilitarianism acquires its religious overtones.' it 'is the celebration of the cult sans reve et sans merci [without dream or mercy]. there are no weekdays. every day is a fest day filled with consumption. with every acquisition the starting point for new desires, capitalism leaves human being with a sense of never being able to achieve equilibrium. 'capitalism is probably the first instance of a cult that creates guilt, not atonement,' benjamin writes. the system, he continues, 'is entirely without precedent, in that it is a religion which offers not the reform of existence but its complete destruction. it is the expansion of despair, until despair becomes a religious state of the world in the hope that this will lead to salvation. god's transcendence is at an end.' ' - chris hedges
|
171207
|
