Richard, Thanks for your response. Back in the day we said the imbalance in the social process was seen primarily in the dominance of the economic and the collapse of the cultural, which showed up most graphically in the economic inequality between the few who have much and the many who have little. Although we never articulated it this way, the cultural collapse showed up in the story that meaning and significance in life come through the acquisition, accumulation and disposition/consumption of material wealth. Do you see the situation today as being significantly different or about the same? My guess is, today we would have to be more aware than before about how the political contributes to the imbalance. Certainly, with the rise of the strongman leader in nations around the world, it’s more than just limited participation in the political process. Would love to hear your take on all this. Randy
On Dec 13, 2025, at 10:53 PM, Richard and Maria Maguire via OE <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
Hi
Thanks, Randy, for pointing us to this article.
I read "The Image" before I met up with the ICA. I was quite excited to read it, since he gave a clue about how people form and maintain their beliefs and how these lead to certain actions. I learned how Culture and symbols play a huge role of (at least) all people and their societies, whether they are a member of the KKK, the Nazi Party, MAGA, neocons or the Civil Rights or Peace Movements. What matters is the interests that these cultures and symbols represent. To me the illustration of the current distortions of the Social Process toward the economic is the undelying social source of so many past and current cultures. I find it most disturbing the way so many important cultureal institutions, like the media and the education system are being bought up or even more heavily influenced by people of wealth or their allies. as Adam Smith said in "The Wealth of Nations"in 1776. "When ever these people get together, the public is worse off. The talk is always about how to raise prices and lower wages"
"All the goods belong to all the people" is a message that neocons and their related movements would probably never use, nor would they affirm the messages and cultures implied by that or the many Human Rights Instruments affirmed by many countries (although often not by the US).
From what I learned, especially in CSI was that culture is like technology, it all depends on what the intention is, and how much it is or is not an affirmation of connectedness and love or separation and fear.
Best wishes
Richard
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