These two words have been used as cover for so many sociopaths that their number seems nearly infinite. All manner of injustices can be covered with these two words. Many are most familiar with these two words from mafia movies. Right before the hit man caps his quarry, he tries to make clear that he feels no animosity. It is "just business". When the rivers of the world are contaminated with runoff or toxic compounds from agriculture or industry, municipal sewage facilities or emissions from power stations, that is "just business" as well.The banks say it when they foreclose, the local grocer says it when he gouges you for your food and those who collect the interest on student loans say it to struggling graduates who took out the loans in the hopes of bettering their station in life. It is hard to look into the world of commerce without seeing hordes of these exploiters chanting the mantra that their terrible behavior is "just business".
The paradigm that allows for this exploitation, this oppression and this dehumanizing aspect of commerce is what most of the peaceful loving people have been struggling with for decades, perhaps centuries. Those who have looked closely find that there are plenty of problems with the current system. Fining a way to a better place requires exploring territory that is both unfamiliar and a bit scary. If we are to get out from under the thumb of oligarchs, we must find a way to stop the flow of money to their hands. I have many friends who are "homesteaders". These folks believe in independence and work to produce as much of what they need as possible. I also have another cadre of friends who are "survivalists" or "preppers", who spend inordinate amounts of money and time planning for Armageddon. They are sure that the crash is near and they want to be able to live in isolation, but preparing for that they are willing to spend the lion's share of their income on well-established corporate entities that are laughing all the way to the bank. To them it is just business and truth be damned, they defend shutting the rest of the world out from their stockpiles with whatever resources they can muster.
First of all, we need to realize that there is no "away", we cannot escape the results of our actions, nor can we defend hurting others or the environment in the name of procurement, commerce or disposal of our wastes. The so-called green revolution that took place nearly three generations ago was "just business". The moral claim that Africa and Asia wanted to be just like us was perhaps fabricated by wealthy white men much better connected than most of us will ever be. What they were driven by was the smell of money, not compassion, not realistic ideas about feeding the world. There was certainly no consideration of what would be best for anyone but themselves. The more we exploit the world around us, the less time we have to look closely at the effects that occur in our wake. The two words that have given so many a free pass to foist harm on others are the opposite of what they imply. The green revolution, if it is to be of any value at all, can teach us that the driving force behind most business is unjust. The giant agribusiness corporations like Cargill, Monsanto, Du Pont, Allis Chalmers, etc. made billions of dollars as we (the USA) foisted "modern" agricultural practices across the globe. The "scientific" approach to food production continues to have grave costs that are borne by farmers and consumers worldwide because it is "just business".
Large areas of Minnesota and Wisconsin (two states that I know for sure have been proven to have this problem) have polluted groundwater as a result of mechanized agriculture, application of hazardous chemicals and reliance on industrialized methods, corporate welfare and deceptive advertizing for dangerous and unwise products. This perfect storm of abuse has all been defended as "just business". This problem exists in many other areas but research and detection is often "too costly" so it isn't that the government isn't interested, but ignoring the problem is, you guessed it, "just business". The "science" behind our technological approach to food production is partial at best. I have written extensively about the fallacy that led to the N, P &K revolution. Around about the time that we "discovered" Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium, we had a cold war to win and our leaders thought that by feeding the world, we could win the war for minds. What the science of the time didn't tell us is that this was only a tiny sliver of reality. Healthy looking plants that are starved for nutrition became the rule worldwide by the application of synthetic fertilizer that shifted wealth from across the planet into the few corporations willing to line up for the corporate welfare being offered by well-meaning governmental and non-governmental agencies. Today, the other shoe is still dropping, but we justify the terrible outcomes as "just business". As more and more people learn the truth, some are beginning to see that it is a terrible shame.
The current "green revolution" is hard to see in context. Again the chemical companies and giant industrial, corporate welfare inspired agents sell Roundup-ready corn, a single strain of wheat across the entire globe and are working to patent nearly every potentially profitable seed imaginable. Soy has been deftly manipulated by Monsanto for instance, but rest assured they don't want to put organic and open pollinated seed producers out of their livelihoods, their suits and restraining orders are "just business". For those readers who may not know, pollen from Monsanto's genetically altered soy travels in clouds across the fields of folks who do not want it. If the seed is collected for food or next years crop, it can contain genetic information that is patented by Monsanto. To put this in perspective I like to remind people that if my mutt dog runs off and impregnates a prize-winning poodle down the block , I become responsible for the resulting pregnancy. There is no recourse for the farmers whose seeds have been tainted, in fact, there is a penalty and they can become liable for massive court costs, as well charges for "stealing" the patented genetic material that contaminated their fields. On the one hand there is a sea change taking place amongst the people. We realize that the planet has been raped, strafed, contaminated, and poisoned long enough, but the wealthiest among us are still claiming that they are exempt from having to change because it is just business.
Pristine wilderness has to go, "It's just business..."
The paradigm that allows for this exploitation, this oppression and this dehumanizing aspect of commerce is what most of the peaceful loving people have been struggling with for decades, perhaps centuries. Those who have looked closely find that there are plenty of problems with the current system. Fining a way to a better place requires exploring territory that is both unfamiliar and a bit scary. If we are to get out from under the thumb of oligarchs, we must find a way to stop the flow of money to their hands. I have many friends who are "homesteaders". These folks believe in independence and work to produce as much of what they need as possible. I also have another cadre of friends who are "survivalists" or "preppers", who spend inordinate amounts of money and time planning for Armageddon. They are sure that the crash is near and they want to be able to live in isolation, but preparing for that they are willing to spend the lion's share of their income on well-established corporate entities that are laughing all the way to the bank. To them it is just business and truth be damned, they defend shutting the rest of the world out from their stockpiles with whatever resources they can muster.
First of all, we need to realize that there is no "away", we cannot escape the results of our actions, nor can we defend hurting others or the environment in the name of procurement, commerce or disposal of our wastes. The so-called green revolution that took place nearly three generations ago was "just business". The moral claim that Africa and Asia wanted to be just like us was perhaps fabricated by wealthy white men much better connected than most of us will ever be. What they were driven by was the smell of money, not compassion, not realistic ideas about feeding the world. There was certainly no consideration of what would be best for anyone but themselves. The more we exploit the world around us, the less time we have to look closely at the effects that occur in our wake. The two words that have given so many a free pass to foist harm on others are the opposite of what they imply. The green revolution, if it is to be of any value at all, can teach us that the driving force behind most business is unjust. The giant agribusiness corporations like Cargill, Monsanto, Du Pont, Allis Chalmers, etc. made billions of dollars as we (the USA) foisted "modern" agricultural practices across the globe. The "scientific" approach to food production continues to have grave costs that are borne by farmers and consumers worldwide because it is "just business".
Large areas of Minnesota and Wisconsin (two states that I know for sure have been proven to have this problem) have polluted groundwater as a result of mechanized agriculture, application of hazardous chemicals and reliance on industrialized methods, corporate welfare and deceptive advertizing for dangerous and unwise products. This perfect storm of abuse has all been defended as "just business". This problem exists in many other areas but research and detection is often "too costly" so it isn't that the government isn't interested, but ignoring the problem is, you guessed it, "just business". The "science" behind our technological approach to food production is partial at best. I have written extensively about the fallacy that led to the N, P &K revolution. Around about the time that we "discovered" Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium, we had a cold war to win and our leaders thought that by feeding the world, we could win the war for minds. What the science of the time didn't tell us is that this was only a tiny sliver of reality. Healthy looking plants that are starved for nutrition became the rule worldwide by the application of synthetic fertilizer that shifted wealth from across the planet into the few corporations willing to line up for the corporate welfare being offered by well-meaning governmental and non-governmental agencies. Today, the other shoe is still dropping, but we justify the terrible outcomes as "just business". As more and more people learn the truth, some are beginning to see that it is a terrible shame.
The current "green revolution" is hard to see in context. Again the chemical companies and giant industrial, corporate welfare inspired agents sell Roundup-ready corn, a single strain of wheat across the entire globe and are working to patent nearly every potentially profitable seed imaginable. Soy has been deftly manipulated by Monsanto for instance, but rest assured they don't want to put organic and open pollinated seed producers out of their livelihoods, their suits and restraining orders are "just business". For those readers who may not know, pollen from Monsanto's genetically altered soy travels in clouds across the fields of folks who do not want it. If the seed is collected for food or next years crop, it can contain genetic information that is patented by Monsanto. To put this in perspective I like to remind people that if my mutt dog runs off and impregnates a prize-winning poodle down the block , I become responsible for the resulting pregnancy. There is no recourse for the farmers whose seeds have been tainted, in fact, there is a penalty and they can become liable for massive court costs, as well charges for "stealing" the patented genetic material that contaminated their fields. On the one hand there is a sea change taking place amongst the people. We realize that the planet has been raped, strafed, contaminated, and poisoned long enough, but the wealthiest among us are still claiming that they are exempt from having to change because it is just business.
Pristine wilderness has to go, "It's just business..."
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