A manifesto for human well-being

By Bente

Capitalism is an economic system which in today’s world can be better described as the dominance of the economic system over the political system and society. However, more essentially for the human being and their society, capitalism is a social tendency, a profiting social tendency. The profit motive, as a driving force and a social archetype, has established a profiting tendency in society. People are born with the tendency being already there, people die and the tendency remains. It is not about specific people, or any number of people. This tendency has considerable weight and an influence on society and is actuating to it. A social tendency can motivate people and promote specific human aspects. People have aspects and follow or choose directions, which are also influenced by social factors and components. Society, in the way it is structured, nourishes and empowers to a great extent the profiting human aspect. Capitalism is the dominance of the profiting aspect of the human being in their society and the world, as a social tendency – the profiting social tendency.

The world and society are not only about capitalism, they are also about capitalism. Democracy and rights are humans and their society’s conquests that should constantly aim to strengthen them. Democratization is a process of human and social progress, a process that must be constantly evolving, as is the ever-deepening establishment of rights in society and in human consciousness. Markets and business interests, the way they operate today, in different circumstances work against and afflict democracy and rights, and in many cases operate at the expense of society, humans and the planet. The political system must constantly seek the deepening of democratization. It is crucial for the political system, however, to alter the correlations, rather than being controlled by the economic system; the political system should control the economic system. This is a critical challenge to politics and society. Democracy must prevail over capitalism and not capitalism over democracy. The economic system must not prevail over the political system, because this way democracy and society are afflicted. The political system and institutions should control, restrict and delimit the economic system, control, restrict and delimit the profiting human aspects. Policies should be chosen and applied for the benefit of society as a whole and not for business and financial interests – for humans and the planet, rather than corporate and financial interests. Market economy as an economic system is not the problem per se. However, the domination of markets, business, corporate, financial interests and the economic system over the political system and society is indeed a major problem. The economic system should be under democratic terms and democratic control. In general, economic freedom is something that corresponds to a free society, but in human and society-centered terms, for the progress and well-being of society itself, which should be the purpose of human society. Individual initiative, also contained in individual expression, produces and offers many benefits to society, but it should be accompanied by the inspiration of social consciousness to the members of society, by combating profiteering both institutionally and consciously in society, and also by ensuring that human, individual, workers’, social and environmental rights are not violated. Society must possess defenses so that the economy does not operate to its detriment, instead of serving it. It must also possess defenses against the human self-interest that can get against society and become dangerous and destructive. Society should be able to stop the manifestations of greed and immorality that arise through the pursuit of profit and are against it, against humans and the natural environment. Human self-interest can get selfish and mercenary and in many cases self-destructive to humankind. It is obvious that profit-seeking in society without control becomes in many cases profiteering and can be destructive and dangerous. Profiteering must be combated in society, as well as human exploitation, and the destruction of the natural environment. Self-interest and profit-seeking should be regulated and controlled so as not to get to be to the detriment of society and the natural environment. In general, the profiting manner as social attitude and behavior is disorienting for the essence of human life and human society. Society ought to be protected from the uncontrolled diversions of the expressions of profiting human aspects. Society, humans and the planet must be protected from the uncontrolled expression of human self-interest, which today has taken on self-destructive turns for humanity and the planet. Institutions, the political system and society, must control, restrict and delimit self-interest, profit-seeking and profiteering, the profiting human aspects, so as to protect society and the planet from their uncontrolled expressions, which are at stake in our time and this is a critical challenge for today’s world and humanity. Humans and the planet should be protected and promoted against profit-seeking and profiteering. What is needed is a modern, active and effective institutional framework, as well as structures for organizing and protecting society against profit-seeking and profiteering, adapted to the needs of the time. Institutions and society must protect and promote individual, workers’, social, human and environmental rights, and combat social injustice and inequality, protect and promote humans and the planet, adapted to the challenges humanity is facing.

The critical, existential issue of climate change and the environment in general must be placed directly at the center of politics and society, as they are of vital significance to humanity. The destruction of the environment and the planet is truly self-destructive to humanity. The environment should be at the core of human education and consciousness, as the human being must live in harmony with their natural environment, connected in such a way as a part of it, which is also what their nature itself seeks.

Another major challenge for today’s world and humanity, apart from the issues concerning the planet, the environment and climate change, is the fight against inequality. Society needs the institutionalization of a fair, democratic tax system, an ultra-progressive taxation, aiming at combating social injustice and inequality and the pursuit of social justice. Social justice will thus be cultivated in the consciousness of society and in the fight against the profiting consciousness in society.

There is also a need for restructuring and modernizing tax institutions, taxation of the planet’s enormous hidden wealth and tax havens, a global scourge, the confrontation of which, could truly resolve the important issues of humankind and their society, such as that of global poverty. Tax havens, a system of organized tax evasion and corruption at the expense of society, tolerated or even covered up by some institutions, are a huge source of immense inequality around the world, constantly increasing. Tax burdens are passed on to everyone else, and huge sums of money are lost – which could otherwise be put to society, such as to education, health care and social security – depriving the potentiality of some well-being for everyone. It is crucial to fight off tax havens, and in general to recover hidden wealth, which is necessary for the benefit of society. Tax justice is needed in order to cultivate the idea of justice in society and that is to benefit it, which is to benefit everyone.

There should also be a reform of the tax system and legislation at a global level, adapted to modern conditions, with the capital also operating at a global level. Institutions, also shaped at a global level, ought to combat human exploitation, inequality and the destruction of the natural environment. Institutions, legislation, taxation and rights’ protection need to be reformed in general and at a global level adapted and shaped to the current conditions, such as the form that corporations have taken today and how the capital also operates at a global level, so they need to adapt and shape towards the modern demands of society and humanity.

Inequality and climate change are major challenges, critical issues at stake for today’s world and humankind. The political system and the institutions must not be adapted to the economic system and business, corporate, financial interests, but be aimed at their real and fundamental role for the human and social well-being, while also making the economy adapted and oriented towards humans and their well-being and social well-being, its essential role. The political system and institutions should be oriented towards the progress and well-being of humans and society and the well-being of the planet.

The human being progresses as society. Society should be perceived as an entity and as an inextricable part to the consciousness of humans. The progress of society is also the progress of humankind. By promoting society as an entity, humanity is also promoted as a concept, the human concept. Also, social reality concerns, touches and affects all of its members, every human being as part of society, based on human existence and human nature. Every individual is intertwined in such a way with society, as the human is a social being, that the reality of a society, having whether positive or negative features, reaches, touches and affects in some way every single person who is a member; a better society is better for all. Social progress and well-being are to the benefit of all, but also simultaneously for each one individually, in the way that the human being and the individual are interconnected and interact with society, in the way human nature is interwoven with its social aspect. Humans and society need to be combined as the focus of human society, with the social aspect being a structural element of the human being as a social being. Human society should focus on humans and on society itself. Pursuing such a human society should be structured with a focus on humans as well as on society itself as the purpose itself, for the social progress and well-being, which means at the same time human progress and well-being. Society should be structured in a way that cultivates, nourishes, fosters and promotes the collective human aspects. Humans have an innate need for human interconnection, a fundamental biological need. We need to build our society connecting humans, not alienating them. The human society structure should be based on human nature, in order to fulfill it, to fulfill human beings and for them to thrive, for human well-being. A fundamental human challenge is the constant effort of strengthening the collective human aspects in their society. It is something that human nature itself shows and seeks in the way that is interwoven with its collective, social aspect and its expression, and emerges on the basis of human existence and human nature, it is what fulfills the human being. It is an effort that should be constantly evolving on the road of human progress and well-being.

The fundamental human conflict is based on their nature, on its aspects, the collective and the profiting. Human consciousness functions independently of and beyond social constructs. The degree of social and profiting consciousness, one’s perception of and perspective to humans, nature, life and the world, depends on and derives from a person’s inner core, that precedes the changeable, external, social constructs that surround it. Human consciousness is something deeper and autotomizes itself of any human made, social constructions. Also, a person can be essentially perceived as to the effect of their existence on society and the world. In general, there are value antagonisms in society. The world, society and the human being need the expression and promotion of ideas, the promotion of structures and institutions that cultivate, nurture and promote collective human aspects. The corresponding social stimuli incite and activate corresponding human reflexes, which are expressed by humans and are reflected in society. Human values also need to be fostered and promoted. The concepts that fuel the profiting tendency, such as wealth, power, domination and materialism, should be deconstructed. Concepts that motivate people and create social phenomena. They should also be deconstructed in the people’s consciences. In addition, various institutions that feed this tendency should be controlled and restricted. They should be deconstructed value-wise in the field of ideas and they should be controlled and restricted institutionally. Also, human values can prevail over human pettiness. Ideas create and constitute the sentiment of society and shape consciences. Ideas, consciences, institutions and social structures, things that interact and interconnect among them, constitute and reflect human society and consequently humanity. The areas for the development of society, the fields at stake, are these of ideas and institutions, for the shaping of the consciences of humans and for the shaping of their society. The areas of ideas and institutions are the fields to fight for a better society and humanity.

The profiting human aspects should be restricted, delimited and not prevailing in society. Collective aspects have enabled the human being to survive as a social being, but throughout the ages they have also promoted humankind and let them rise. Humans in cooperation were allowed not only to survive but also to progress and thrive. The profiting aspect is part of human nature, part of its mechanisms, its self-preservation and survival, as are collective aspects. However, it should not prevail in human society, especially the more it progresses; society should not operate in terms of the jungle law. Profiting aspects should be restricted and society should cultivate and promote collective human aspects, making human lives better and the world a better place.

Society should not be a jungle, where humans have to survive, but their community, a big family for humans. Society can try to embrace humans and stimulate their beautiful human reflexes, not deprave them. This can start from the values of society, the orientation, the structures, the surrounding atmosphere, the feeling that society brings out, or it can also start from any member of society, from any single microcosm.

The human being in their society also need the expression of individuality, but with the promotion of individual autonomy, not individualism, along with the promotion of well-being of society, both of which interact. Society’s well-being can strengthen the expression of individuality and the expression of individuality can promote society’s well-being.

Institutions should pursue social justice, but also promote it in the consciousness of society. The promotion and pursuit of social justice will be of benefit to all. More and diverse people will potentially be able to express their individuality, contributing to society. Also, the social reality reaches, touches and affects somehow every member of society, every human being, just as the human being and the individual are connected to their society. Social injustice and inequality reach, touch and affect everyone in a negative way, based on how humans are intertwined with their society and human nature is interwoven with its social aspect. Social injustice and inequality also undermine trust in society and social cohesion. By combating social injustice and inequality, society progresses and thrives, there is better interaction with society for each one individually, a better relationship and connection of humans with their society, which is fundamental to the human being as a social being. By pursuing social justice, society will be better, more coherent and harmonious for all; in addition, the general feeling and consciousness that is formed and prevails in society will also be upgraded. The pursuit of social justice is an integral part of the pursuit of social progress and well-being. Its pursuit will be for the benefit of all, for the progress and well-being of society, the human progress and well-being.

There is a need to strengthen the spirit of cooperation and restrict competition in society. It also needed to deconstruct materialism and power. There is a need to develop and cultivate a collective sentiment, a collective spirit and collective consciousness. Social consciousness must be promoted and institutionalized in the economy rather than profiting consciousness prevailing in society. The profit motive should not prevail in society, as a social attitude, as implied in capitalism, but as a motive and a social attitude to promote participation and contribution to society. In general, the feeling of participating in society, the motivation and attitude within their society, inspire the human life and humans as social beings. The answer for humans and their society, as inextricable parts, is social consciousness and collective orientation. Human society should be human and society-centered itself.

With a reform of education systems, which are the foundation stone of society, much can change. Human and society-centered education systems should be pursued, focused on humans and society. They should cultivate and inspire social and environmental consciousness, autonomy along with collectivity, individual expression as well as cooperation and collective orientation. Such education systems should be oriented towards the human and social progress and well-being and the well-being of the planet. By optimizing the education system, the members of society advance individually and at the same time as society as a whole. The members of society advance also with regard to social attitude, social participation and social contribution, political attitudes, political participation and political choices, a better society is generally promoted for all, with all of the above being interconnected.

The sentiment and consciences of society are constantly shaped and generally progress. The more education there is in society and the more beautiful and better ideas prevail, the better the situation will be and society will progress. Democracy has this special quality and reflex, that the more education there is in society and the more society improves, the more democracy itself improves and the better it becomes. Society reflects democracy and democracy reflects society itself, as they are inextricably interconnected. Society as a whole and its majority, through appropriate education and appropriate social stimuli, are in the best position in general, to be able to know and manage the prospects of society itself as a whole, the prospects of society, which is a bright distillation and conquest of the ideal of democracy. Society itself manages its prospects, and shows its way. The concept of democracy is the polity expression of the collective, of society itself. The conflict between democracy and capitalism is on the same axis of conflict as between the collective and the profiting human aspects. Society itself as a whole forms the social reality, which is society. Different stimuli in society from different backgrounds reach all destinations. Ideas move, coming from all directions and going to all directions. Different social stimuli, counterbalancing forces of social stimuli by institutions, structures, individuals and various and different means and from different sources affect society, but social stimuli also evolve, constantly shaped and at stake.

The aspects of human nature are inherent in humans, in every human being, that as a whole constitute humanity. Every human being possesses human nature, reflecting humanity. The human being is a social being and an autonomous being at the same time. A human being with the appropriate social stimuli or with personal awareness can manifest their nature accordingly. Every human being can individually restrict their profiting tendencies and nourish the collective tendencies of their human nature. Human nature is in such a way interwoven with its collective aspect and expression, that the collective attitude to life and the collective orientation fulfills the individual. The collective attitude to life and the collective orientation need be contained in the human microcosm, but also with an awareness towards society, towards the world, with humans as a part of society, as a part of the world. The mind, which differentiates human beings and how they experience their lives, from other beings on the planet, transfers all aspects of their existence to another dimension, to the mind dimension; it also transfers to another dimension and deepens the collective aspect and expression of their social nature. Also, through language, a product of the mind, there is deeper communication, and as the mind transfers into another dimension and deepens the emotional world of the human being, a deeper connection is created between humans. As a social being, and especially as a deeply social being because of the mind, human life and fulfillment are linked to their attitude to life and orientation in relation to their fellow human beings and their community. Through understanding – an innate ability in the human being called empathy – other people who experience a similar life situation, with life challenges actually in common, sharing life and the same world, humans are thus fellow-traveling. Empathy is a collective mechanism of human nature and a natural disposition of the human being, which connects humans and reveals the collectivity of their nature. Humans can nourish empathy, understanding, an ability they possess in their nature. Every human being lives and experiences their own microcosm. They experience in their own way. There is autonomy in how they experience their lives. How they experience their being, how their existence is experienced is a personal affair. The way existence is experienced is a personal matter. Every human being can be in their microcosm, with their attitude to life, experience their microcosm better and make it better for them and for those around them, thus making the world better. From the microcosm to the world. The attitude to life of a human being has an impact on the world and also is a perception of the world and how they experience their life. Every human being is a creator of their own world, of how they experience their being. The collective orientation and the collective attitude to life are better for each one individually and at the same time for all, things that are interdependent. By making individually, as an attitude, the human life better, the world becomes better at the same time. There is should be deepening and establishing of collective orientation individually. Orientation individually is not about acceptance, it stems from and depends on the individual, it is a personal matter. Human fulfillment is an individual affair with collective orientation.

A human pursuit can be the ever-deepening establishment of the collective orientation in their society, which is together with the pursuit of a better world. There is should be deepening and establishing of the collective orientation in society and the world. When profit-seeking and profiteering, the profiting human aspects, cease prevailing in society and the world, when the collective human aspects prevail in human society and the world, capitalism will have been left behind. The pursuit of a better world is an eternal, fundamental calling of humanity and their society; it is the pursuit of a better human life, better existence for the human being, to make human lives and the world better. With the pursuit of a better world, the world and life will be better for everyone. The idea of a better world paves the way for human progress and well-being. Humans can aim at and pursue the strengthening and prevailing of their collective aspects in their microcosm, in their society and in the world, which is what fulfills them, for human-rise.