Measuring Sacred Things In The Units of Capital

It is now impossible to exist, for any significant amount of time, in any geographical location on this planet without having to pay someone, because the whole planet has been converted into capital. Capitalism is a philosophy, a conviction by the power of which everything that is otherwise sacred gets converted into capital.

Mahat is the editor of "16ROUNDS to Samadhi." Born in 1975 on the Adriatic coast of Croatia. Monk since the age of 20. Moved to Los Angeles in 1999. Moved to San Diego in 2004. Living in Berkeley since October of 2013.

4 Comments

  • Reply January 5, 2012

    Valerie

    I totally understand why you don’t like capitalism, but are there any better alternatives that don’t reject religion, don’t sponsor abortions, don’t encourage promiscuity? I always thought that capitalism creates a system in our society similar to cast system in India. Another question-Are all people equal? My understanding is that at every given time, all people are at different levels of progress based on their karma, but they all equally deserve compassion, as well as all living creatures do. Just want to know your opinion….
    Hare Krishna.

    • Reply January 11, 2012

      Mahat Tattva Dasa

      Valerie, Vedas recommend the agrarian means of production and a form of socialism.

      Capitalism creates a system where one’s social status is determined by the amount of capital one owns. The cast system, pristine, has a cultural requirement. Perverted cast system is hereditary, just like it was everywhere in Europe and everywhere else in the world. The only reason the hereditary system collapsed in Europe was because Europe got industrialized.

      No, no two people are same at any given time. No one is same physically or by spiritual progress. Equality exist only on the pure spiritual platform. Krishna speaks about that in the Bhagavad-gita. He says that fundamentally (spiritually) we are all equal, while peripherally (materially) we are all not equal.

      What are you referring to when you say “deserving compassion”?

  • Reply January 11, 2012

    Valerie

    Thank you for your response.
    I believe that agricultural communities and a type of socialism would work only for devotees, whereas regular people wouldn’t be able to stick to pure ideas of socialism, they are too materialistic and would work on old patterns again and again.
    Equally deserve compassion-I mean that all people and animals should be treated equally because they have souls, I believe it’s written in the Vedas.

    • Reply January 11, 2012

      Mahat Tattva Dasa

      However, that is like saying “To quit drinking poison will work only for devotees…” The point is that there are objective truths about the world, whether people like it or not. Gravitational force doesn’t care who likes it and who doesn’t. Everyone needs to learn to take responsibility for their actions. Certain actions lead to the good while other actions lead to the bad.

      “Treating equally” – Does that mean that Hitler, Mother Teresa, a serial killer, Lord Buddha, Srila Prabhupada, etc. all deserve equal treatment? To me that doesn’t sound like a good definition of compassion or equality. It sounds like non-existence of justice and futility of pedagogy and education.

      Sorry it took me a while for the initial response.

      Hope you don’t mind me challenging your definitions. I am truly a democrat when it comes to philosophical discussion.

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