Society as it is

Anthony McCall, You and Me Horizontal, 2005
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By JOSÉ MICAELSON LACERDA MORAIS*

Author's introduction to newly published book

A major social contradiction seems to be made up of a set of smaller contradictions, all interconnected. If it is possible to eliminate some of these smaller contradictions, the result may be significant: the overall level of the major contradiction will be reduced. In doing so, the major contradiction may become more amenable to analysis and treatment, allowing us to eliminate even more aspects of its complexity. By repeating this process, we may arrive at a fundamental point, a common denominator.

This point would reveal to human beings that, regardless of our individual intelligence or accumulated material wealth, all human and non-human lives are essentially equal, at any time and place in this world. Only at that moment can we finally understand the true nature of our human condition and the profound meaning of human society.

The idea expressed above proposes that major social contradictions – such as structural inequalities and injustices – are composed of minor contradictions, which are interrelated problems or tensions that, together, sustain the global contradiction. By progressively eliminating these minor contradictions, the level of complexity of the major contradiction is reduced, making it more understandable and amenable to management intervention, not to its solution, since real contradictions cannot be resolved, but rather through a form of sociability/civility that is less harmful and destructive than the capitalist form.

This view suggests that the great inequalities and divisions of society can be gradually eliminated through a conscious and ongoing process of overcoming minor conflicts. As this elimination progresses, society moves closer to a deeper understanding of the essential equality of human beings, regardless of material or intellectual differences.

The ultimate goal of this process would be the revelation of a unifying principle: the fundamental equality of human and nonhuman life. At this point, there would be a transformation of collective understanding, in which humanity could finally recognize its common condition. This involves the idea that, despite apparent differences—such as level of wealth or intelligence—people are essentially equal and deserve the same respect and consideration.

This line of thought reflects a vision of dialectical social progress, where the gradual resolution of contradictions leads to human emancipation and a deeper understanding of human nature. It is a process that culminates in the realization of a more just and humane society, in which the divisions that have historically fragmented people would finally be overcome. Ultimately, the proposal suggests that only by understanding the dynamics of our contradictions—social, economic, political—will we be able to achieve a true understanding of our own humanity and, consequently, build a society that reflects this essential equality.

In economics, not knowing how market forces, capital (capitalist social relations of production, the economic structure of society and value that is valorized through the appropriation of social labor), work and crises affect people's lives can make someone feel less impacted by issues such as inequality, inflation, or job insecurity.

This way of thinking is reminiscent of the popular expression “ignorance is bliss,” which suggests that sometimes not knowing the reality or depth of problems can save people from frustration or anxiety. The happiness that arises from this ignorance is “strange” because it is not a genuine happiness based on a deep understanding of reality, but rather a happiness built on superficiality and ignorance. It is a happiness that ignores the structural problems of society, such as economic inequality, poverty, and labor exploitation.

The economy influences every aspect of our lives, from access to goods and services to the type of work people do and the opportunities they can have. Failure to understand these mechanisms and their operations necessarily implies ignoring the systemic pressures that shape our lives. This situation leads us to live under the illusion that the challenges of the material construction of human existence are personal, and not the result of an economic system that benefits some at the expense of others.

While it may seem comfortable to accept the economy as it is, it is neither sustainable nor truly liberating. Thus, the lack of knowledge about the dynamics of exploitation, inequality and alienation that are characteristic of capitalism may even spare the individual from immediate frustrations, but it also prevents him or her from understanding the roots of many of the problems that affect our daily lives.

True “happiness”, in this sense, is directly related to emancipation – the ability to understand reality critically and, based on this understanding, seek transformations that improve life not only on an individual level, but also and, above all, in collective terms; that is, towards a more just and equitable society.

*José Micaelson Lacerda Morais is a professor in the Department of Economics at URCA. Author, among other books, of Income, class struggles and revolution (Authors Club).

Reference


José Micaelson Lacerda Morais. Society as it is; society as it could be: an economic essay on collective self-help. Revised and expanded edition. Joinville, Clube de Autores, 2024, 102 pages. [https://abrir.link/AfZRx]


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