When a child develops fever, coughs up phlegm, and is brought before the Children’s Clinic, a physician carefully elicits the chief complaint, obtains a complete past and present history, auscultates (listens to) the chest, palpates the abdomen. completes a thorough physical examination, considers the full range of possible root causes, conducts further testing, discusses the most likely cause, and offers treatment that best balances concerns about benefit and risk.
When society becomes inflamed and coughs up anger and confusion, who auscultates it? Who are the Physicians for Society? Where are the Social Clinicians? Where is the Social Clinic? What problem-solving approach could be practiced in a Social Clinic, and what diagnosis and remedy could emerge from it?
Or, fearful of what the diagnosis or treatment recommendations might be, have we been afraid to bring illnesses of society before the Social Clinic? Have we been too busy, or too stressed, or become too pessimistic, or felt too hopeless to want to serve as Social Clinicians? Have we, instead, allowed those illnesses to fester—undiagnosed, untreated, and only half-examined, half-understood?
World civilization is obviously seriously ill and in urgent need of thorough evaluation. There is inflammation everywhere—wars, terrorism, racism, simplistic and intolerant polarization, and both violent and unspoken anger. There is obscene income inequality and global economic instability, as individual corporations and individual countries have pursued their self-interests, often ruthlessly. The majority of the world’s people live in miserable poverty, with little access to health care and little hope for a better life. Even in one of the world’s wealthiest countries (USA) health care is largely unaffordable, most people are hopelessly in debt, and many are suffering from sickened souls. Gross mis-education, including failure to obtain and learn from an accurate past and present history, has led to excessive fears and confusion, which have amplified global illness.
And, the earth itself is suffering mightily, from pollution and exploitation—soon to be irreversibly damaged, if not already. Mother Earth, including its insects and animals, is crying!
Never has it been more important to bring these problems before the Social Clinic. Never has it been more important for all people to participate in the Social Clinic, to help determine, democratically, the root cause of and best remedy for current global illness.
What is the root cause of the illness that so threatens Humanity and the earth itself? What would be revealed if illness of the world were carefully brought before the Social Clinic for rigorous, disciplined, objective examination, using the time-honored problem-solving approach of good physicians? What would Social Clinicians conclude, if they were to take a complete past and present history, listen to the world’s breath sounds, auscultate the heart of the world’s people, palpate global society’s underbelly, consider the full range of possible explanations, and conduct further investigations? What remedy would they recommend?
Would careful examination in the Social Clinic conclude that the root cause of the world’s illness is the economic model that has been dominating global civilization—the Capitalist Economic Model1? This economic model, after all, is based upon and justified by an excessively negative view of Human Nature—a view that erroneously claims that human beings, by nature, are predominantly and hopelessly selfish, and that it is unrealistic and foolish to base an economic model on the human capacity for altruism and kindness. The fact is, Human Nature is comprised of capacities for both selfishness and altruism, each of which can be either up-regulated or down-regulated, encouraged or discouraged, given great or little practice, rewarded or not rewarded (see NFSC 7a, 7b, 7d). Unfortunately, the Capitalist Economic Model gives excessive practice to the human capacity for selfishness and discourages confidence in the human capacity for altruism. It encourages (even requires) and rewards behaviors (self-interest seeking, profiteering, exploitation, cut-throat competition, and domination) that have adverse side effects—on individuals, cultures, and the environment—while marginalizing and even punishing altruism.
Is the above characterization of the Capitalist Economic Model accurate and fair? How do we assess the hypothesis that the Capitalist Economic Model is as characterized above and is the root cause of the world’s illness? And, if this hypothesis is correct, what might the remedy be? Or, are there other hypotheses that also need to be considered?
Just as hypotheses can be tested in the Medical Clinic, hypotheses can be tested in the Social Clinic. Just as activity in the Medical Clinic is driven by the pursuit of medical truth and the pursuit of optimal health, activity in the Social Clinic is driven by the pursuit of Social Truth, Social Health, and Social Beauty. The same rigorous, objective, disciplined problem-solving approach that is kindly used in the Medical Clinic can be kindly used in the Social Clinic.
This Social Clinician recommends careful, extensive, and inclusive public examination and public discussion of the Capitalist Economic Model and comparison of its strengths and weaknesses, its fundamental tenets and motivations, to those of alternative economic models—such as the Academic Pediatrician Economy Model (Economic Altruism/Public Economy Model), which has been successfully practiced by pediatricians (and many others) for decades, internationally and collaboratively, to the great benefit of the world’s children, at a bargain price for societies. If such comparison suggests that the benefits and risks associated with the Academic Pediatrician Economic Model are more attractive and acceptable than those associated with the Capitalist Economic Model, then the Public might want to recommend an informed and gentle democratic transition from the Capitalist Economic Model to the Academic Pediatrician Economic Model (Public Economy Model)—nationally, internationally, and collaboratively.
In the Medical Clinic physicians dutifully write notes to document their analysis of the problems brought before them. When studied, these notes (including the themes and details within)—of individual physicians, as well as the collective notes of many physicians—lead to new knowledge and new insights. Similarly, when problems are brought before the Social Clinic, Social Clinicians can write notes, regarding their impressions, conclusions, and recommendations. Shared “Notes from the Social Clinic (NFSC)” can then serve to advance knowledge, insight, and remedy.
What follows are a series of “Notes From the Social Clinic (NFSC)” offered by one Social Clinician (RMR). These notes are shared in hopes that they might help a sick world to better understand “what is wrong?” and what can be done. The Notes are about Social Truth, Social Awareness, Social Justice, Social Health, and Social Beauty. They are about Enlightenment, Education, Empathy, Equality, Equity, Conscience, Compassion, Courage, and Imagination. They are about Human Nature, Human Capacities, Human Rights, History, the individual and collective Human Spirit, and a healthier and more accurate understanding of Competition. They are about illness; but, more importantly, they are about diagnosis, treatment, and reason for optimism.
At the most practical level, the “Notes” contend that a quickening of the current wrenchingly slow pace of social progress requires rigorous re-examination and extensive public discussion of the Capitalist Economic Model—a model that desperately needs to be challenged and has largely escaped effective challenge. The Notes suggest that the theory, thoughtfulness, motivations, and side effects associated with the Capitalist Economic Model be compared to those associated with alternative economic models—particularly the Academic Pediatrician Economic Model (Economic Altruism/Public Economy). Indeed, the primary purpose of these Notes is to facilitate such analysis, comparison, and dialogue.
Is it really possible, though, to develop a world civilization based, economically, on a model other than the Capitalist Economic Model? Is it “too idealistic,” “too utopian,” to think that the Academic Pediatrician Economic Model could serve as an economic model for the general economies of nations? How much Human Progress and Social Beauty is possible, realistically?
This Social Clinician believes it is possible to develop civilizations, globally, that are based on Social Truth and radiate with Social Beauty. The ideals of a just global economy and world civilizations that radiate with Social Beauty are “no more in danger than stars in the jaws of a cloud2”—unless we remain silent, mis-educated, or demoralized and refuse change and involvement. The contention of these “Notes from the Social Clinic” is that it is totally unrealistic, even Pollyannish, to think that the present illness of the world’s people and the earth itself can be successfully treated without abandoning the current economic model (even a kinder, gentler version of it). The “Notes” suggest that the most realistic way to successfully treat our global illness is to replace the current economic model with a Public Economy Model (Academic Pediatrician Economic Model/Economic Altruism)—nationally, internationally, and collaboratively—i.e. a Collaborative International Network of Unique, Democratically Determined, Self-Reliant National Public Economies. With wise massive public education (including correction of mis-education), public discussion, and public pressure, Social Progress can occur, democratically and peacefully. The pace of that progress is a matter of collective insight, conscience, choice, imagination, education, discipline, hard work, confidence, and courage—all of which are under our control.
All are welcome to the Social Clinic. Please come in. All are encouraged to contribute to the rigorous analysis and thoughtful dialogue and discussions occurring therein. All are urged to become Social Clinicians and contribute to the creation of greater Social Beauty.
Rob Rennebohm (RMR)
1In this essay, and in all other “Notes From the Social Clinic,” the term “capitalism” is intended to primarily refer to large corporate capitalism (e.g. giant transnational corporations), as opposed to small “Mom and Pop” capitalism (small businesses). This point is made because there are many examples of small businesses whose owners have operated in a kind, altruistic manner. The criticisms advanced in this essay are primarily directed at big businesses and apply much less to many small businesses.
However, just because some small business owners have operated admirably, does not mean that capitalism is okay. In fact, it is the opinion of this social clinician that the truly kind and altruistic small business owners could be even happier and more fulfilled if their businesses were a component of a Public Economy. They could still lead their business (as a public activity, rather than a private business), but they would do so with the financial support, admiration, and gratitude of the Public.
2This is a quote from Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel Les Miserables. Victor Hugo was one of Humanity’s greatest Social Clinicians.
RMR
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