ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL JUSTICE
Original Sin... ...continued from page 31
ZRUOG¶VGHPRFUDFLHVZLOOGRPLQDWHJOREDOSROLWLFVHFRQRPLFVWKHDUPV race, and technological competition during the remaining decades of WKH VW FHQWXU\ )RU $PHULFD DQG LWV DOOLHV WKLV FKDOOHQJH UHTXLUHV a multi-dimensional response. Economic sanctions, technological in- novation, cyber security, military expenditure, and skillful diplomatic PDQHXYHULQJDUHDOOHVVHQWLDOFRPSRQHQWVRIWKHVWUDWHJ\+RZHYHU the ideological distinction between freedom and totalitarianism, be- tween private enterprise and command economy will be an important DVSHFWRIWKHFRQWHVW,W¶VLQWKLVFRQWH[WWKDWVRFLRHFRQRPLFLQHTXDOLW\ DVVXPHVJHRSROLWLFDODVZHOODV³PHUH´PRUDOLPSRUWDQFH0LVJLYLQJV about our increasing rich-poor gap undercut the argument that life in GHPRFUDFLHVLVSUHIHUDEOHWRWKDWLQDXWRFUDFLHV+HQFHVWHSVWRVLJ - QL¿FDQWO\GLPLQLVKLQHTXDOLW\DUHFULWLFDOERWKJHRSROLWLFDOO\DQGDVDQ Ḋ UPDWLRQRIMXVWLFH Ten thousand years ago our ancestors abandoned the multi-millen- nial lifeways that selected human nature. The aftermath of this dis- ruption — unprecedented in prior evolutionary experience — has been materially positive for the few, but psycho-spiritually negative for the many. Aristotle named happiness as the ultimate purpose of human existence while Plato felt that man was a being in search of meaning. These psychic virtues — happiness and meaning — are arguably those ZKRVHDEVHQFHLVPRVWGHHSO\IHOWLQWRGD\¶VZRUOG In contemporary society we cannot recreate our ancestral Eden, nor would we want to. Still, the world needs renewal — a remake more im- pactful than any since Adam and Eve shared the forbidden fruit. This DSSHDO¶VVHYHQSURSRVDOVVKRXOGDOOHYLDWHWKH)DOO¶VSRUWLRQRIWKHPRVW HJUHJLRXVVRFLRHFRQRPLFFRQVHTXHQFHVDQGDGGUHVVWKHSKLORVRSKHUV¶ ideals as well. The restructured society they envision should, in part, assuage our original sin. 6%R\G(DWRQZDVERUQRQ0DUFK LQ2OG7RZQ0DLQH +H DWWHQGHG 'XNH 8QLYHUVLW\ JUDGXDWLQJ FXP ODXGH LQ DQG FXPODXGH$ƻ$IURP+DUYDUG0HGLFDO6FKRROLQ +LVUHVL - GHQF\DQGIHOORZVKLSWUDLQLQJWRRNSODFHDWWKH0DVVDFKXVHWWV*HQ - HUDO+RVSLWDO ± +LVQRQPHGLFDOZRUNKDVFHQWHUHGRQWKH /DWH 3DOHROLWKLF SHULRG ZKHQ HYROXWLRQDU\ SV\FKRORJLVWV VXJJHVW our species’ core traits were shaped, and on the modern disparities that arise when contemporary conditions clash with our genetic in- KHULWDQFH+HKDVDXWKRUHGRUFRDXWKRUHGRYHU¿IW\SHHUUHYLHZHG DUWLFOHVWHQWH[WERRNFKDSWHUVDQG7KH3DOHROLWKLF3UHVFULSWLRQDOO H[SORULQJYDULRXVDVSHFWVRIWKLVPLVPDWFK
policy that would put society closer to the Edenic model. The goals of the following policy proposals would be maintaining individual ambi- WLRQLQGXVWU\DQGLQLWLDWLYHZKLOHUHGXFLQJWKH¿QDQFLDOHGXFDWLRQDO JDSEHWZHHQVRFLHW\¶VXSSHUDQGORZHUVWUDWD ł Wage Subsidization ²$OOFLWL]HQVDERYHDJHUHFHLYHD PRQHWDU\EHQH¿W7RWKRVHZLWKLQFRPHDWRUEHORZWKHOHYHO VẊ FLHQWIRUDSHUVRQWROLYHRQDFDVKVXSSOHPHQWZRXOGEH provided, enough to reach the target level. All others would receive a tax break equal to the target amount. For the poor- est, income above the subsidy would be taxed at a variable, EXWLQLWLDOO\QHJOLJLEOHUDWH+DYLQJORZZDJHHDUQHUVFDSDEOH of making substantially more than non-workers would incen- WLYL]HZRUNH̆ RUWDQGDYRLGWKH³ZHOIDUHWUDS´ ł Salary Limitation ² $Q RUJDQL]DWLRQ¶V KLJKHVW SDLG LQGL - vidual should receive salary and perquisites totaling no more than a multiple of that sum earned by the lowest ranking em- SOR\HHV)RUH[DPSOHLIWKHPXOWLSOHZHUH[DQGWKHPLQL - PXPZDJHZHUHWKHWRSH[HFXWLYH¶VWRWDOUHLPEXUVH - PHQWFRXOGEHQRKLJKHUWKDQ ł Wealth Taxation — Institute a progressive tax scale ap- plicable to individuals whose net worth equals or exceeds 7KLVZRXOGQHHGWREHDZRUOGZLGHPHDVXUHLQ RUGHUWRIRUHVWDOO³FDSLWDOÀLJKW´7KHDJJUHJDWHDPRXQWUDLVHG VKRXOG EH DERXW RI WKH FROOHFWLYH ZHDOWK FRQWUROOHG E\ these parties. Visual Capitalist estimates WKDWLQZRUOG - ZLGHWKHUHZHUHPLOOLRQVXFKSHUVRQVZKRVH FROOHFWLYH QHW ZRUWK ZDV MXVW RYHU WULOOLRQ $ ZHDOWK WD[ IRU WKDW \HDUZRXOGKDYHJURVVHGWULOOLRQ 7KHVH¿VFDOPHDVXUHVVWULNHPDQ\DVUDGLFDOO\H[WUHPH6RPHHFRQ - omists, legislators and tax experts assert that implementing such FKDQJHVZRXOGEHQHDULPSRVVLEOHDQGLIWKH\ZHUHWRJRLQWRH̆ HFW WKH\ZRXOGEHWRRFRVWO\LQQRYDWLRQDQGZRUNH̆ RUWZRXOGGHFOLQH and a levy on wealth would be double taxation. Other knowledgeable authorities disagree. Economist Thomas Piketty maintains that cur- rent levels of inequality are unjust and warrant major policy interven- WLRQVLQFOXGLQJDJOREDOZHDOWKWD[DQLQWHUQDWLRQDO¿QDQFLDOUHJLVWU\ DQG UHVWUXFWXULQJ RI KLJKHU HGXFDWLRQ ¿QDQFH +H DQG RWKHUV DUJXH such measures are just what we need — not puny tweaks, but a forceful kick in our societal pants. Their aim is to impact global consciousness and to incite not religious, but socioeconomic reformation. From an evolutionary perspective, reducing poverty, lessening socioeconomic inequality and providing more funds for needed culturally redressive SURJUDPVDOOSDUWLDOO\UHVWRUHWKHFRQGLWLRQVWKDWVHOHFWHGRXUPLQGV¶ genetic makeup. They match our inherent human nature; they seem “good” and “right.” All seven initiatives would tend to lessen the wave of populism that is spreading over the globe. This populist trend underlies the increas- ing ascendancy of authoritarianism. Current and would-be dictators are forming alliances and relationships that include economic, mil- itary and diplomatic partnering. China, Russia, Iran and North Ko- UHDSUHGRPLQDWHEXWRWKHUVIURP$]HUEDLMDQWR=LPEDEZHDUHLQWKLV growing authoritarian bloc. As columnist Anne Applebaum observes, “These states are bound ... by a ruthless, single-minded determination WRSUHVHUYHWKHLUOHDGHUV¶ZHDOWKDQGSRZHU7KHLUFRPPRQHQHPLHV DUHWKH:HVW1$72WKH(XURSHDQ8QLRQDQGWKHOLEHUDOLGHDVWKDW VXVWDLQ:HVWHUQFLYLOL]DWLRQ´ Confrontation between this new alliance of autocracies and the
TAROT Intuitive Readings by Tim Boyd Certified Tarot Consultant Internationally Renowned Call 703-521-1115 For Appointment Readings in: Falls Church,VA Telephone Readings (Call for info) E-mail: timstarot@aol.com Website: www.timstarot.com
Member: American Tarot Association
World Tarot Network Capital Tarot Society
32—PATHWAYS—Summer 25
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