Re: psychological impact of capitalism

[fat cat <chillout@xxxxxxxx>]

Maybe this could be of some interest:


http://www.altruists.org/ideas/economics/post-autistic/Default.asp

"Maslow's hierarchy of needs predicts that if securely fed and housed,
people's well-being depends less on material goods, more on factors such
as good relationships with and love of others. However, most people are
in the thrall of an economic system that ignores this fact, and
punishing generosity but rewarding unnatural selfishness. This results
in cognitive dissonance, because people feel forced to do things of
which they disapprove, leaving them feeling guilty, disempowered and
depressed. This would seem to explain why depression is booming even
amidst materially prospering populations. Although a human tragedy, this
epidemic of depression is a boon for the economy, since consumer culture
feeds off people's low self-esteem by encouraging self-indulgence and
escapism, resulting in a viscious circle of increasing consumption and
decreasing well-being."

http://www.altruists.org/ideas/psychology/depression/Default.asp

A mathematical model for behavioral economics as a social norm:
http://www.altruists.org/ideas/economics/behavioral/Default.asp

Lee, Frederic wrote:

> Colleagues,
>
> I am forwarding you an e-mail from Steve Cohn who wants some information
> on the psychological impact of capitalism.  You can e-mail him at
> scohn@xxxxxxxxx  Steve would also like to subscribe to PEN-L but cannot
> seem to do so.  Could Michael help him out on this?
>
> Fred Lee
>
> Professor Frederic S. Lee
> Department of Economics
> University of Missouri-Kansas City
> 5100 Rockhill Road
> Kansas City, Missouri  64110
> USA
> E-mail:  leefs@xxxxxxxx
> Book Series Editor of "Advances in Heterodox Economics"
>
> For Heterodox Economics on the Web see
> http://www.orgs.bucknell.edu/afee/hetecon.htm
> For Archive of E-mails of Interest to Heterodox Economists, see the web
> site of the Association for Heterodox Economics:
> http://www.hetecon.com.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Cohn [mailto:scohn@xxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 12:39 AM
> To: Lee, Frederic
> Subject: PEN-L subscription info
>
> Fred,
>
>        I've been asked by a colleague in the psyhe department to help
> him write a paper on the psychological impact of capitalism.  His work
> on the limits to materialism as a means ot happiness has been getting
> surprising
> attention in the media and I'd like to help him out.  So what i am
> loking for are bibliographic suggestions on the psychological impact of
> capitalsim- some obvious categories are
>
>    -on consumption, (Sut Jhally type of stuff on advertising,
> marketing, etc.), fetishism of commodities,  creation of homo
> economicus, the bourgeoisie subject, etc.
>    -on alienation
>    -the whole literature on whether studying economics makes you
> selfish etc- (which I think we should probably stay away from)
>    ETC.
>
>    What I'd like would be some survey volumes- though this may be
> unrealistic. Any ideas?
>
>   Steve
>
> ---
> [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus]


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