Summary of Why It's So Hard To Imagine Life After Capitalism

00:00:00 - 00:15:00

The video discusses how capitalism is seen as being "neutral" in its existence, and how this perception allows for fascism to take hold. The video also provides an example of how this perception functions in regards to the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, where the idea that Trump would run the government like a business was seen as a positive outcome instead of a sign of Crisis.

• 00:00:00 In this video, various speakers discuss the idea of "capitalist realism," which is the idea that capitalism is the only viable system and that it is now impossible to imagine an alternative. The speakers discuss how this idea is embedded in society and how it serves political purposes. They also discuss ways in which we can try to overcome capitalist realism.
• 00:05:00 The video discusses how people tend to adopt a "capitalist realism" view of the world, where everything is seen in terms of capitalism vs. other alternatives. The video points out that this view is based on two false assumptions: that human nature is unchanged by capitalism, and that competition and greed are unique to capitalism. The video then goes on to argue that both these assumptions are wrong, and that there are many examples of cooperation and selflessness in nature. Finally, the video argues that these same principles of cooperation and selflessness should be the basis for any future economic system, as they are more efficient than competition and greed.
• 00:10:00 The video discusses how capitalism is seen as being "neutral" in its existence, and how this perception allows for fascism to take hold. The video also provides an example of how this perception functions in regards to the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, where the idea that Trump would run the government like a business was seen as a positive outcome instead of a sign of Crisis.
• 00:15:00 According to the author, capitalism is the root of many problems, and it's hard to imagine life after capitalism. One way to combat capitalist realism is to demystify concepts like the economy, and to soberly and pragmatically assess the resources that are available to us. Another way is to build an alternative, communist realism.