It’s been more than a while since my last posting here, due to a combination of lack of time, writer’s block, rich (to an intolerable level) actuality and procrastination.
However, in the meantime I’ve shared tens of articles in TWTP page in FB and I urge you (because it is worthwhile) to follow the site there, if you also want to read a rich and essential selection of articles, news and analysis.
This morning, TV presented the recent and notorious #dieselgate, the attempt of the industrial giant, Volkswagen, to mislead and deceive consumers and authorities about the real emissions of their cars.
Around the scandal, some of the facts which have material, ethical and even political levels are:
Consumers buy low-emissions cars, either because of financial reasons or, hopefully, because they want to contribute in lower emissions, less CO2, saving the planet, i.e. environmental awareness.
They have been fooled and betrayed and in their turn and unwillingly, they betrayed the cause.
States and authorities, very unwillingly, struggle to match profits of industries with laws about the emissions. For this reason they have set standards. They have been defrauded.
Environmental groups and organizations invest all their lame (not by their own fault) influence and contribution to the cause of saving the planet to be defeated, like many other fights, in the name of profit. They have been mocked and disregarded and their hardly achieved victories have been “zeroed”.
It is considered highly probable that Germany itself is under pressure (blackmail) from USA to push/force/impose consent inside EU legislative bodies and member states to sign the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the well-known threat on economy, civil rights, public health and, eventually, democracy in EU.
The old and “traditional” industrial giant of Germany is said to be in “existential” danger because of the scandal, they have lost their credibility, their stocks fell and the factory could stop working and producing. Skilled workers are threatened with unemployment and even worse, into current economic climate.
The giant will survive, I could bet much on that, the, real responsible or scapegoat, CEO will not … starve but workers will suffer psychological blackmail to “save their jobs” by accepting cut of their wages and even “limited and targeted” dismissals.
What is ironic if not tragic here is that the workers inevitably connect their lives with the industry, the cheating, unlawful, inhumane organism which nevertheless has giant profits.
The need for work could drive any worker and employee to disregard one’s consciousness, views or ideals. After all, that’s the ultimate role and purpose of (manufactured) unemployment within EU and wherever neo-liberalism is ruling and governing.
So, while environmentalists protest outside Volkswagen, workers and residents of Wolfsburg are terrified by the ominous prospects for their place, their works or their businesses.
A similar situation applies at Skouries, Chalkidiki, Greece, where the gold mining has disastrous effects on environment but the workers (think that) they defend their jobs but unwillingly they fight in favor of the interests of the Canadian company and against their children’s future.
Consciousness vs. Living
People vs. Corporate
Ethics vs. Matter
Climate vs. Fraud
Truth vs. Lies
Earth vs. Fossil fuels
Environment vs. Profits
… and the winner is …
who or whatever we, all the people, decide.
Which are your views??
PS:
A few days after posting this article, revelations show that European Commission knew and covered the fraud.
The World The People 