Moneypulation, the Philosopher’s Stone, 3

They say that money makes money. More specifically, that much money makes further money, and that it does so almost automatically. In other words, that wealth not only tends to concentrate, but that it does so almost spontaneously, and maybe exponentially. Let us not just take note of that as usual, and this time ask ourselves seriously: why? Or, rather: how? What is it that enables and that produces such concentration? Oligo−monopolies. And now, while we’re at it, let us not just stop there and ask ourselves just as seriously: what is it, even more basic than oligo−monopolies, that enables such oligo−monopolies to grow big enough fast enough?

Someone said that the philosopher’s stone, the dream to turn iron into gold – a suppressive dream, because it is to our cost and to our detriment – is no more a dream but a reality. If this alone sounds incredible, then brace yourself: not only they’ve developed it, but they’re also using it all out. Well, that suppressive philosopher’s stone is the very series of mechanisms described here.

Censorship can be divided in two levels; the first level is when someone overtly dictates what you are allowed to think; the second level is when someone covertly dictates what subjects, facts, information you will ever be allowed to know: you apparently have freedom of thought, but someone selects behind your back what you will ever exercise your freedom of thought upon. And goes without saying that one’s point of view and opinions are built on one’s information.

And the economic weapons discussed here represent a comparable shift to a whole new level. One thing is targeting what flows along a line, quite another is targeting the line itself. There are lots of producers and consumers, and all the products travel between them on the roads; one thing is seizing overt control of some factory, farm or household, quite another is seizing covert control of the roads – it’s hidden monopoly.