Socialism, human nature, kindness.

Capitalism tries to indoctrinate us with the idea that capitalism is a natural result of human nature. To be able to confront this false idea of capitalism, this propaganda, we have to recognize that human nature like everything else contains within itself contradictions. That it contains within itself many negative features, the potential for war and slaughter and selfishness. But that it also contains within itself many positive features, the potential for solidarity, common collective action and the greatest kindness. The problem is that capitalism under which we live bases itself and has to base itself on developing the negative sides of our potential. If we are to convince people of the potential for socialism we have to recognize that the human is not "perfect" but that the problem is that the capitalist system develops the most negative traits that we have. To maximize its profits, to maintain its minority rule, capitalism rewards selfishness, cruelty, individualism, and punishes kindness and solidarity.

The US like all capitalist countries is inundated with magazines "explaining" how to have good relationships and good sex. We are all familiar with them, certain clothes, certain perfumes, certain cars, certain positions, these are what we have to buy and learn if we are to have good relationships and good sex. This is nonsense. There was a study conducted last year in 37 different countries asking people what they wanted most in a sexual partner. The answer which was given most frequently was kindness. This reflects a powerful progressive instinct within us. Now where are the magazines explaining this? They do not exist. This is partly because the capitalists who produce the magazines cannot bottle and sell kindness. But it is also and very importantly because kindness is a dangerous idea for the capitalists to push. It is a short step from kindness to solidarity and from there to active solidarity. The idea that everybody should have a decent life is inherent within kindness. But capitalism cannot afford to allow everybody to have a decent life. Its profits depend on exploiting the majority and the majority living in poverty and want. So kindness is out.

Capitalism is not a result of human nature. It takes the most negative traits of human nature and develops and exploits these and it takes the most positive traits of human nature and suppresses these. This is what we must understand. We have to take up the struggle against capitalism and its inevitable drive to develop our more negative sides and crush our more positive sides. For the victory of kindness and solidarity and democratic collective action and socialism, for the defeat of selfishness, war, exploitation, individualism and capitalism.