How to stay human
by Deborah Grayson, May 27, 2016.
Neoliberalism encourages us to treat every aspect of our lives as if it
were on sale in a marketplace: is it an anti-spiritual project?
It’s the economy stupid!” Politicians exhort us to focus our minds on
our material priorities, when really they are stealing our souls.
Neoliberalism is a political project that is designed to separate us
from what makes us fully human.
The way we talk about a problem shapes the solutions we come up
with. Most discussions of neoliberalism talk about it either in
material terms, or as a mind-set which is about imposing a rational
economic calculation on more and more areas of our lives.
Both
of these are important elements of neoliberal ideology – it is of
course tied up with extracting the world’s physical resources at an
ever-increasing rate, and also about encouraging us to treat every
aspect of our lives, from education to romantic relationships, as if it
were on sale in a marketplace.
But this is not whole story, and may take us to some misleading places if that is our starting point for resistance.
Neoliberal
thinkers have always understood that they were engaged in a project to
transform human nature. As Jeremy Gilbert says in his book Common
Ground, early liberal thinkers in the 19th century thought that people
naturally were rational economic agents, and if you liberalised society
enough people would start to act like competitive individuals
automatically.
thinkers have always understood that they were engaged in a project to
transform human nature. As Jeremy Gilbert says in his book Common
Ground, early liberal thinkers in the 19th century thought that people
naturally were rational economic agents, and if you liberalised society
enough people would start to act like competitive individuals
automatically.
The neoliberals developing their
thinking after the Second World War, on the other hand, weren’t
convinced “that the condition of appetitive, entrepreneurial
individualism is in fact a natural one for human beings”. If they wanted
people to act as if they were, these behaviours would have to be
created. This is what Thatcher was alluding to when she said “economics
are the method: the object is to change the heart and soul”.
thinking after the Second World War, on the other hand, weren’t
convinced “that the condition of appetitive, entrepreneurial
individualism is in fact a natural one for human beings”. If they wanted
people to act as if they were, these behaviours would have to be
created. This is what Thatcher was alluding to when she said “economics
are the method: the object is to change the heart and soul”.
What
Thatcher wanted to change about the nation’s “heart and soul” was the
tendency towards collectivism, which she thought stood in the way of
wealth creation. We had to come to believe, as she did, that the best
kind of society was one in which we were always competing with one
another as individuals, rather than one where collective liberation was
possible – or at least to believe that there was no alternative, even if
we didn’t like it.
Thatcher wanted to change about the nation’s “heart and soul” was the
tendency towards collectivism, which she thought stood in the way of
wealth creation. We had to come to believe, as she did, that the best
kind of society was one in which we were always competing with one
another as individuals, rather than one where collective liberation was
possible – or at least to believe that there was no alternative, even if
we didn’t like it.
In one sense, neoliberalism can be
seen as an anti-spiritual project. It encourages, and often forces, us
to shut down our wider consciousness, which knows we only exist in
relation to others, and to doubt our most primary experiences of
connection and meaning.
seen as an anti-spiritual project. It encourages, and often forces, us
to shut down our wider consciousness, which knows we only exist in
relation to others, and to doubt our most primary experiences of
connection and meaning.
But it is important to recognise
that the means of achieving this anti-spiritual project, in which we
come to over-identify with an individualistic, rationalist, calculating
inner monologue, are not themselves primarily rational and explicit.
that the means of achieving this anti-spiritual project, in which we
come to over-identify with an individualistic, rationalist, calculating
inner monologue, are not themselves primarily rational and explicit.
This
is actually obvious if we look at the content of advertising. If we
were just looking for ‘the best deal’ when buying a pair of shoes, why
would we care what the model looked like who was wearing them? If we
were actually atomised individuals, why would images of romantic love or
joyful parents and children be so effective at selling everything from
insurance to deodorant?
is actually obvious if we look at the content of advertising. If we
were just looking for ‘the best deal’ when buying a pair of shoes, why
would we care what the model looked like who was wearing them? If we
were actually atomised individuals, why would images of romantic love or
joyful parents and children be so effective at selling everything from
insurance to deodorant?
The signs are everywhere that
neoliberalism understands we are embodied, emotional, relational beings
who want to experience love and connection. It’s just that we are being
told to find them through buying consumer goods, rather than through
genuine relationships.
We know that when we confront this directly, it
makes no sense.
Money, as the Beatles sang, really can’t buy you love.
But this communication isn’t happening on that direct, explicit level –
it is largely unconscious, speaking to deep-seated hopes and fears. In
this sense it is also spiritual, addressing our wider consciousness in
order to keep us disatisfied and disconnected.
Neoliberalism uses
spiritual means to achieve anti-spiritual ends.
Of
course, consumer goods are ineffective at meeting our needs as a whole
human beings, and the personal impacts of not having these needs
fulfilled on well-being and mental health are well-documented.
course, consumer goods are ineffective at meeting our needs as a whole
human beings, and the personal impacts of not having these needs
fulfilled on well-being and mental health are well-documented.
These
particularly acute when we look across lines of class, race, sexuality,
gender and other markers of identity, as the dog-eat-dog logic of
neoliberalism is brutal when applied to people from marginalised
communities. When your race, class, sexuality, physical abilities or
other aspects of your identity are used as weapons to oppress and
marginalise you, you are systematically disadvantaged in the “race to
the top”, while simultaneously being told that these failings are
entirely individual.
particularly acute when we look across lines of class, race, sexuality,
gender and other markers of identity, as the dog-eat-dog logic of
neoliberalism is brutal when applied to people from marginalised
communities. When your race, class, sexuality, physical abilities or
other aspects of your identity are used as weapons to oppress and
marginalise you, you are systematically disadvantaged in the “race to
the top”, while simultaneously being told that these failings are
entirely individual.
This is often internalised as a sense of shame, and
projected on to others as fear, leaving many people feeling intense
isolation. So how do we escape from this neoliberal lock
in?
projected on to others as fear, leaving many people feeling intense
isolation. So how do we escape from this neoliberal lock
in?
The answer is deceptively simple – isolation and shame can be
fought through experiences of connection with ourselves and others.
fought through experiences of connection with ourselves and others.
At
a personal level, we need to develop practices of self-care which
enable us to tune out the “noise” of neoliberalism and attend to what is
really going on inside of us.
a personal level, we need to develop practices of self-care which
enable us to tune out the “noise” of neoliberalism and attend to what is
really going on inside of us.
The kind of practices which can work are
no secret – we have personally been helped by meditation, disconnecting
from social media and taking regular walks in unbranded spaces, among
other things. There are no shortcuts though; the difference between a
powerful counter-neoliberal act and total bullshit is hard to draw, not
because these techniques are ineffective but because they are difficult
to do well.
no secret – we have personally been helped by meditation, disconnecting
from social media and taking regular walks in unbranded spaces, among
other things. There are no shortcuts though; the difference between a
powerful counter-neoliberal act and total bullshit is hard to draw, not
because these techniques are ineffective but because they are difficult
to do well.
And it makes sense that it’s hard. We are in
a war of propaganda with hugely unequal resources, constantly told by a
huge arsenal of advertising, media messaging and financial control we
are not enough and that we must compete with each other to have a sense
of self-worth.
a war of propaganda with hugely unequal resources, constantly told by a
huge arsenal of advertising, media messaging and financial control we
are not enough and that we must compete with each other to have a sense
of self-worth.
Although the propaganda is relentless,
what we have on our side is the fact that it simply isn’t true – and we
do all know this. When we create the space to connect with that inner
truth, we can get in touch with new sources of meaning.
what we have on our side is the fact that it simply isn’t true – and we
do all know this. When we create the space to connect with that inner
truth, we can get in touch with new sources of meaning.
Alongside
the personal work, we can also liberate our wider self through
connecting with each other – through creating communities. When we
experience genuine acceptance from others, it acts as a powerful proof
that we don’t have to “beat” one another in order to feel a sense of
self-worth.
the personal work, we can also liberate our wider self through
connecting with each other – through creating communities. When we
experience genuine acceptance from others, it acts as a powerful proof
that we don’t have to “beat” one another in order to feel a sense of
self-worth.
For many people on the left, the term
‘community’ is viewed with suspicion, being associated with oppression
and control. There are valid criticisms here, and the communities we
build have to have solidarity and breaking patterns of oppression at
their heart.
‘community’ is viewed with suspicion, being associated with oppression
and control. There are valid criticisms here, and the communities we
build have to have solidarity and breaking patterns of oppression at
their heart.
This is sensitive and self-confronting
work, more so for people whose identity helps them get ahead in our
neoliberal world: white, middle-class, straight, cisgendered,
able-bodied people, particularly men.
work, more so for people whose identity helps them get ahead in our
neoliberal world: white, middle-class, straight, cisgendered,
able-bodied people, particularly men.
It requires us to
hold a mirror up to ourselves to see the ways that our behaviour can –
often unwittingly – perpetuate patterns of dominance and oppression.
Creating safe environments where people with different identities can
share their realities, and bearing witness to the struggles of others,
can help us find our way back to each other.
hold a mirror up to ourselves to see the ways that our behaviour can –
often unwittingly – perpetuate patterns of dominance and oppression.
Creating safe environments where people with different identities can
share their realities, and bearing witness to the struggles of others,
can help us find our way back to each other.
These need
to be spaces which acknowledge that the ways in which we have been
separated from one another have not just been rational, explicit or
cognitive but have also been implicit, emotional and embodied – and need
to be countered on that level. We haven’t thought our way into this
problem, and we won’t be able to just think our way out of it.
to be spaces which acknowledge that the ways in which we have been
separated from one another have not just been rational, explicit or
cognitive but have also been implicit, emotional and embodied – and need
to be countered on that level. We haven’t thought our way into this
problem, and we won’t be able to just think our way out of it.
A
powerful example was in a power and privilege workshop Deborah attended
recently, led by Teju Adeleye, where the group of 12 included people of
different ages, genders and ethnicities, and also three deaf
participants and two BSL translators.
powerful example was in a power and privilege workshop Deborah attended
recently, led by Teju Adeleye, where the group of 12 included people of
different ages, genders and ethnicities, and also three deaf
participants and two BSL translators.
The
conversation was particularly rich and challenging because the hearing
participants had to embody some of the effort that deaf people face
every day in trying to make themselves understood in a world made for
hearing people. This seemed to bypass the defensiveness that can arise
in power and privilege work, as it brought a previously unconsidered
unconscious privilege into our awareness, not just as an abstract idea
but as a lived reality.
conversation was particularly rich and challenging because the hearing
participants had to embody some of the effort that deaf people face
every day in trying to make themselves understood in a world made for
hearing people. This seemed to bypass the defensiveness that can arise
in power and privilege work, as it brought a previously unconsidered
unconscious privilege into our awareness, not just as an abstract idea
but as a lived reality.
As with personal
practices there are no shortcuts, and the difference between a
transformative moment of connection and a meaningless encounter is
subtle. But while it is hard to do well, it is actually within all of
our power to take these steps towards liberation.
practices there are no shortcuts, and the difference between a
transformative moment of connection and a meaningless encounter is
subtle. But while it is hard to do well, it is actually within all of
our power to take these steps towards liberation.
Against all of the
firepower, money and resources our elites are using to separate us, the
first step towards a different future is as simple as turning to the
person next to you – particularly someone who is different to you – and
asking how they are.
firepower, money and resources our elites are using to separate us, the
first step towards a different future is as simple as turning to the
person next to you – particularly someone who is different to you – and
asking how they are.
The challenge is to really mean it.
SOURCE: Open Democracy
