A desire for social connection is fundamentally hardwired into our psychology, and so being deprived of it has devastating mental and physical consequences. Yet we live in a society which has become ever more fragmented and atomised.
Neoliberalism has left Britain's boss classes drunk on triumphalism, paying themselves record salaries and bonuses while their workers are imprisoned by poverty and insecurity. It was never going to last.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote critiques the excesses of the wealthy in a neoliberal system, highlighting the resulting inequality and its unsustainability.
Owen Jonesβ quote analyzes the consequences of neoliberalism, suggesting that the greed and triumphalism exhibited by the upper classes in Britain, symbolized by exorbitant salaries and bonuses, stands in stark contrast to the struggles faced by workers who endure poverty and insecurity. It underscores the notion that while this system may seem profitable for a select few, such extreme inequalities and imbalances in wealth distribution are ultimately untenable and destined to collapse.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about economic reform, one could use this quote to illustrate the pitfalls of unregulated capitalism.
More from Owen Jones
All quotes βHere in Britain, black people are disproportionately targeted, arrested and imprisoned for drug offences, while organised and violent crime are granted a massive source of revenue.
Socialism is the democratisation of every level of society, or it is nothing. It is based on an understanding that the concentration of wealth and power leaves democracy hollowed out, and that simply trooping to a polling station every few years is an insufficient counterweight to the behemoths of global capital.
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Words form the thread on which we string our experiences.
And it's a human need to be told stories. The more we're governed by idiots and have no control over our destinies, the more we need to tell stories to each other about who we are, why we are, where we come from, and what might be possible.
Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear.
No one that encounters prosperity does not also encounter danger.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who will watch the watchers?
In the maxims of the law, God is seen as the rewarder of perfect righteousness and the avenger of sin. But in Christ, His face shines out, full of grace and gentleness to poor, unworthy sinners.