The $20,000 Lecture

My (imaginary) interview with John Ralston Saul

Let me introduce Mr. Saul

How would you sum up your theory in the UNCONSCIOUS CIVILIZATION?

We are free to do as we are told

unconscious
 Analogy

of Plato s cave

What is the citizen?

do we create the citizen?  What rights does the citizen have?  Who bestows rights upon the citizen?
 How

What is government?
The most powerful force possessed by the individual citizen is her own government.

Why do people hate their government?

 Media  Disinterest

 Question:

who owns the media

Then why do we elect who we do?

Social Context
Canada needs to understand its history the origins of corporatism

Corporatism
Nietzsche: God is dead. WILL Ubermensch Hitler/Mussolini origins of corporatism 1. Obedience 2. Obedience

Today s government is FASCIST Lobbyists Privatize services

Primary obligation of the people is to the corporation

Social context 2
 Globalization

is dead.  Lasted 30 years  Market idolatry  Rise of nationalism again

Social context 3. Aboriginals

 Lack

of discourse  Violence

Ideology


The most powerful force possessed by the individual citizen is her own government

Gov t today
 Shared

disinterest  People s gov t

Citizen
 Citizens

legitimate position

will act and BE the gov t  If you don t act, others will

4 legitimate positions in a society

 1.

God; god(s)  2. a king/queen  3. groups  4. individual citizens acting as a whole

The citizen
 VOID

(Nietzsche s ABYSS)  This void will be filled  By whom?  For what purpose?

THE UNCONSCIOUS CIVILIZATION

is individualism?  Individualism means to live in society  We exist in society, we are more than one, more than family
 What

2. Citizenry: self interest creates disinterest

 Barrier

to good governance  Short term thinking

3. Filling the VOID corporatism is creating a conforming society

do people vote for?  Do we obey a superior even if the order is unjust?  If so, why do we blindly obey?  Nuremburg Trials; are we any different?
 Who

antianti-smoking

gay rights

LOBBY GROUPS
environmental

animal rights

4. Fear
 Trials,

official inquiries  Gov t obsession with secrets. Why?  What prevents citizens from acting

Fear
 Rwanda

the rise of nationalism

(1 million killed?)  The Congo (4.7 million?)  Somalia (without a gov t since 1991)  Canadian attitude? Who cares?

Congo
 Coltan

murder by cell phone

Barrick Gold

Rwanda
Rwanda  Few natural resources
 Hotel

South Africa
 Mitsubishi/Xstrata  Ferrochrome

used in stainless

steel

The point, according to Saul?

 Africa

doesn t care about globalization  Neither does Latin America

5. The role of government today

 Should

gov t reduce its role in society?  Privatize? Outsource? On the rise

6. Canada is based on egalitarianism, not equality

is justice?  Surplus in Canada (shoes, food, everything)  ECONOMICS discourse is NOT working
 What

7. GLOBALIZATION is dead
is DEAD  The economy does not determine a society s civilization  ECONOMICS doesn t work  Q: What does?
 Marx/Marxism

dignity (South Africa)  Egalitarianism (Confucius)

 Human

8. Canada is a METIS nation

all have Aboriginal roots  Laws, communication  Canada is a peaceful nation cooperative spirit
 We

PLAN 1. Volunteer
 In

local politics (school councils, trustees)

Plan 2. Public education

citizenship occurs  Counteract CORPORATISM  THE CORPORATION  Especially in universities
 Where

Plan 3. Give women leadership roles (especially in law and medicine)

& property rights  Grads are mostly women
 Wollstonecraft

Plan 4. Agency
 People

young people

have the power, not lobbyists  1970 s political apathy  1980 s creation of NGO s  NOW NGO s but there s no power or influence

Plan 5. create international cartels

 Economics  FAIR

prices not LOWEST prices

Plan 6. decision making and local resources

 The

Arctic alternate energy forms  Health care wellness; not sickness

Plan 7. Language uninhibited free speech

 Dangerous

when gov t tells people they can t say certain things

Plan 8. Aboriginal Culture

 ANIMISM

everything is one  We re out of control now  All people in Canada tied to Aboriginal culture

How do we save civilization?

Aboriginals play a central role in Canada  Place Aboriginal at CORE of LAW
 When

Plan 9. Create the GNH Gross National Happiness Party

is happiness?  Confucius? duty  Rousseau, Locke life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
 What

Today

Disneyworld; Walmart

Thank you, Mr. Saul. And now we will take questions from the audience...