Capitalist Mentality

From Gift Economy Wiki

The capitalist 'exchange mentality' is easily summed up in the maxim that "there ain't no such thing as a free lunch". i.e. That scarcity is a natural state, that no one does anything for free, that any gifts which appear free must inevitably have a sting in the tail. If this cynical maxim seems appropriate, it shows how far we have come from out hunter gatherer roots, and how effectively teaching of "economic literacy" and incessant scarcity of the money-based exchange have come to dominate our world view.

Research

Research has shown that primates and young infants both exhibit altruistic tendencies and have a marked preference for fairness. Little systematic research has been done into the effect of socialisation into a highly monetised culture, though anecdotal evidence exists to suggest it is associated with poor mental and physical health, high anxiety, materialism, social disconnection and accompanying deskilling as compared to more traditional societies in which more goods and services are provided without financial reward. In short, the more people apply monetary values, the more relationships suffer.

Media

• Murray Bookchin speaking about how our economic system defines our conception of nature, and how we need to escape from the notion of 'domination'.
• Money as Debt about the innate unfairness of the economic system