1.2 The Capitalist Mentality

When defining the mentality of capitalism, one can focus on several of its characteristics but the one aspect that has to be taken into account is that it is an extremely eclectic system. Although it can be defined as being more dogmatic than the strictest religious dogma, it is also speculative and more far-fetched than the most abstract philosophy.

I do not believe that science is the product of capitalist development. What happened is that the capitalist economic revolution and the scientific revolution coincided at a very unfortunate stage of development in Western Europe. The constructors of the capitalist mindset used this to spread the falsehood that capitalism generated science. The fact that some individuals who contributed to science lived in societies where rapid capitalist development took place does not necessarily mean that capitalism spawned these scientists. Although it is true that these scientists were in conflict with religious thought, most of them did not demean themselves by accepting the capitalist mindset.

The truth is that capitalism utilizes all the different forms of thought in the same way that it secures profit and capital from speculating with commodities and money. Thus, it evaluated the different forms of thought, taking from each the elements that suited it, combined them and reintroduced them to the market in the form of new philosophical or religious schools, promoting them as liberalism and positivism. Alas, it has succeeded, or displayed its craftiness, in making these two forms of thought the dominant mentality of modernity.

Indeed, positivism and liberalism which constitute the capitalist mentality are more pagan than paganism itself. While on the one hand science has been castrated by positivism and molded to oppose the world of belief and morals, on the other hand through liberalism it has transformed an individualism that destroys society into a nation-statist god capable of augmenting individualism to the point of committing genocides. No religious ethos has ever generated the amount of wars, oppression, and torture like the capitalist ethos. The mindset of no other society’s individual has been so irresponsible and had such a passion for profit making as the individual of the society where capitalism is victorious. No other society has generated so many ruthless, genocidal, assimilationist, and dictatorial individuals. Capitalism is a system of monopoly built upon the world of commodities and money. In constructing the present-day financial ethos, it has hound human society with mental forms unheard-of in history. It has made humanity prostrate itself before its contemptible idols. In other words, it has only brought intellectual failure and decay. It is therefore vital that we know what the capitalist mindset entails.

Firstly, I must point out that one-dimensional definitions of capitalism still from works that are under grave influence of the intellectual work of to system itself. Such interpretations can be seen even in the analyses of Marxists and anarchists who claim that they work within the parameters of scientific sociology and that they are extreme anti-capitalists.

In Marx’s own evaluations, the economic infrastructure plays a central rule in explaining all the legal, political, and ideological forms. Perhaps this is one of the principal reasons for the failure of socialism, although many major struggles have been waged for it. Without a long- term knowledge and trial of any given form of mindset, no human society can build and subsequently institutionalize its material (economic) way of life. No system analysis that ignores the development of the mindset can escape serving the hegemony of these very systems, even if they form their mindset in total opposition. The dominant systems guarantee their own hegemony through intellectual and political institutionalization. The new material life can only be arranged within this framework. Marx claimed he provided a corrective to Hegel’s dialectics, but he was gravely mistaken. It is now far better understood that Hegelian idealism-which was the height of metaphysical thought, building on Luther (who constructed the ideology of Protestantism) and Kant (against strict objectivity he takes into consideration subjectivity and partially morals)-was in fact one of the fundamental pillars paving the way for the German nation-state. Paradoxical as it may seem. Karl Marx continued building on this line of thought in the name of the proletariat and the anti- capitalist system. Ihe end result was that the German ideology caused fascism and Hitler- like leaderships. The danger present in this line of thought was best detected by the German philosopher Nietzsche.

Intellectual works by the Nietzschean school of thought are true opponents of capitalist modernity. It is a grave shortcoming that his work has not been developed into a political philosophy and implementation. The efforts of later French philosophers such as Deleuze, Guattari and Foucault and those of the Italian Gramsci were inadequate and have not been transformed into political institutionalization. What came to light in the practice of real socialism was its objective complicity with capitalist modernity in the name of the left for at least the past 150 years. The Soviet Russia and Chinese experiences confirm our evaluation conspicuously. (I shall return to this in the relative sections.) Generally, I find the critique on the birth of capitalism by the early leading anarchists-especially Proudhon, Bakunin and Kropotkin-much more enlightening. Although these anarchists saw the ideological and political dimensions far clearer, they lacked a correct political philosophy and failed to institutionalize their thoughts, combined with being unaware of morals and historiography, and this reduced them, in the final analysis, to an ideological commodity for capitalism. I must yet again point out that, if work on a particular mindset is not combined with a competent politics, moral, and historical work and implementation, then it will not escape being used by its opponents, and hence being counteracted either through annihilation or assimilation. Unfortunately, anticapitalist works on creating a new mindset have shared the same fate as works and movements trying to establish a different mindset throughout history; Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism are just a few examples. I am not suggesting that these teachings were in vain or that we are fated to live with the capitalist mentality –if I thought this, I would see no need for this book nor would I render meaning to freedom morals. I am merely making a criticism. Attaining a successful alternative system to capitalism and its historical building blocks can only be achieved if political philosophy, political institutionalization, and actions regarding the material life are passionately furnished under the guide of works for a mindset that is in complete integrity.

The role of political and military force is critical for maintaining the capitalist system’s hegemony. But what really maintains the hegemony is the possession of society through the cultural industry and society’s subsequent paralysis. The mindsets of communities under the influence of the system have become increasingly backward and pliable. Many philosophers have suggested that society has come to belong to the order of the zoo: just as a zoo, society has been turned into a spectacle. The sport, art, and culture industries, and especially the sex industry, bombard the emotional and analytical intelligence intensely and continuously through widespread advertisement campaigns. The total dysfunction of both types of intelligence completes the mental conquest of the society of the spectacle.

This society is worse off than a possessed society; it can be administered as the system desires. In fact, the initial experimental society of the spectacle of fascism has not failed-the ringleaders have been eliminated. But during and after the Cold War, the system made the society of the spectacle dominant over all societies via nation-states and global financial firms. The current material and immaterial conquest of societies by capitalism far exceeds that of mighty empires such as those of the Sumerians, Egyptians, Indians, Chinese, and Romans. Clearly, the empire phase of capitalism (previous phases being colonialism and imperialism) is the height of its hegemony. Although this phase objectively carries chaotic aspects and show signs that it experiences intense decay, the capitalist system aims to compensate for the effects of decay by deepening the hegemony of the mind.

A major factor in arriving at this level of control is the industrialization of sex. People have been made to seek success in sexual power. Sex was meant to have the function of being an instructive activity to create awareness and eternality of life in all human beings; thus, it is not only meaningful, it is sacred. Human societies throughout history held this basic belief, as all anthropological studies confirm. If there is any relationship that should not be commodified –industrialized– then, above all, it is the sexual relationship, because it is linked to the sacredness, supremacy, and continuance of life. Moreover, it has the responsibility not to endanger other lives.

Sexual abuse is one of the most fundamental hegemonic tools of the system. Therefore, it has not only been turned into a huge industry. It has corrupted sexuality within the society and turned it into the religion of dominant male sexism far worse than the ancient concept of phallus divinity. This new religious indicator has taken effect especially in each male and has had the seat of honor especially in literature and the arts. thereby transforming these fields into a terrible tool for brainwashing. Chemical drugs are nothing next to this new sexual religion. All individuals of society have almost been turned into perverted sexuality through mass media advertisement campaigns. It does not really matter whether you are young or old, everyone is used, even children. Woman has been turned into the most advanced sexual object, condemned to believing that she is worth nothing if she does not continuously evoke sexual desire. The sacred hearth and home has been turned into the location of sex. All that is left of the sacred mother and goddesses are “old wives” seen as worthless and disregarded; a very sad and painful situation.

The process of turning women into a sex tool has reached its peak in the use of artificial insemination. If she is unable to have children, that too is at excruciating levels due to pressure of the system. In accordance with the tradition of having as many children- especially male children-as possible, which is essentially a tradition of the patriarchal society, the role of the women from lower classes-with the help of technology-has been reduced to breeding machines. In this way, while on the one hand the difficult task of raising children has been imposed on the poor and the need for young workers has been met, on the other hand the family institution itself is being further degenerated. Thus, two birds are killed with one stone. The upper-class women and men degenerate the meaning of having a child through artificial insemination or adopting a child or keeping a pet in order to satisfy such a deficiency. In the meantime, this elite also strive to be eternally sexy and ritualize the new religion of sex. The end result is a meaningless increase in population, an unheard-off level of unemployment, and an environmental crisis brought on by the fact that the earth can no longer bear the human burden. I will talk about how to tackle this problem in my next book: Sociology of Freedom.

The second effective tool of enslavement lies in the industrialization (the widespread commodification) of culture. A society’s culture, in the narrow sense of the word. defines the mental world of that society. The three fundamental elements of any society’s culture are its thought system, “it! and morals. and it has taken the political and economic power centuries to besiege and buy off these fundamental elements. Throughout the history of civilization, they found it essential to bind all the cultural elements to themselves in order to gain legitimacy. Those holding economic and political power have realized this since the earliest days of civilization and have swiftly taken precautions. One can date back the beginning of cultural assimilation to the establishment of hierarchies. Culture is the real tool of governance of the hegemonic power system. In the absence of cultural hegemony, economic, and political monopolies cannot rule. Systems that are based solely on coercion and exploitation can only secure their existence for a short time through plundering, and when there is nothing left to plunder they will either turn against one another or collapse.

Thus, culture is also vital in capitalist civilization. Culture, which is the combined intellectual world of all social fields, is first assimilated to align capitalist civilization with economic and political power. Then it is turned into an industry so that it can be extensively and intensively spread on the world communities –nations, peoples, nation-states, NGOs, and firms. Literature, science, philosophy, all the arts, history, religion, and law are turned into objects and commodified. Books, films, newspapers, TV, the Internet, radio, etc., function as the market place where the commodities of this industry are for sale. Besides generating huge material gains, the true (and truly destructive) function of these cultural commodities is the intellectual captivity of society on a scale unmatched in history. They achieve this also through forming bovine-like class, nation, tribe, and other communities, creating a mass of people who have lost their meaning and who are, in short, impulsive and fickle. Even the most impoverished segments of society cannot think of anything else but to aim at becoming extremely rich-even if it is for a day-so that they can live as they desire. The master-builders of this system are the nation-states, global companies, and media monopolies. Aside from consumption and making more money, they have no interest in society.

Let us take heed: impoverishment is used like a cultural phenomenon. Even during the despised Middle Ages impoverishment was a reason for rebellion. Thus, if under the official cultural hegemony obtaining a salary has become a goal, this shows the cultural victory of the system.

The gravest aspect of falling victim to the hegemony of the cultural industry –which is intertwined with the sex industry– is the voluntary acceptance of this enslavement and, even worse, its perception as an act of freedom. This is capitalist rule’s most powerful base and most effective tool for legitimization. The empire-stage of capitalism is only possible through the development and use of the cultural industry. And the struggle against the cultural hegemony requires the most difficult of all struggles: intellectual struggle. Until we are able to develop and organize the essence and form of a counter-struggle against the cultural war waged by the system through invasion, assimilation, and industrialization, not a single struggle for freedom, equality, and democracy has a chance to succeed. I shall open up these questions to discussion in my next book, The Sociology of Freedom.

Since the beginning, in various societies, sports have had the function of preparation for participation in society, in assisting with socialization. Ever since the Roman Empire’s period of decay, we have seen the beginning of the industrialization of sports –the institutionalization of the gladiators being a prime example. Capitalism, from the beginning, has turned sports into a professional occupation by ruining its amateur character. Later, it imposed the industrialization of sports through which capitalism has managed to integrate sports with the economic and political power. Sports has become another important area of anesthesia that is commodified. Instead of encouraging the participation of individuals in society based on high spirits and physical endurance, the lure of making money and, subsequently, rivalry, are frantically incited and the society is turned into a passive spectator. The culture of the arena, becoming the bait for the lions and forcing gladiators to kill one another, has spread to all types of sports. The breaking of records and applause are the two dominant images. Supporting a specific team has become more important than having a specific religion or philosophy, and so the rulers have attained another effective tool for easy rule. (Can we imagine any religion or philosophy playing the role football does for the nation-state governments?)

Thus, these three areas –sex, sports, and culture– have been transformed into Industries through which the art of administration has reached its peak. Governance of global capital and the rule of the nation-state cannot be achieved without it. Let me make it clear that I am not critical of sex, culture, or sports per se. On the contrary, I am criticizing the fact that the most vital areas of social formation and sustainability are corrupted through their industrialization.

The virtual world is another important tool for domination in capitalism’s intellectual hegemony, mostly enforced by the media. The virtualization of life is indeed analytical intelligence reaching the edge of its limits. Virtually presenting something as terrifying as war can, on its own, demolish morals. Any life that has not been experienced by the human body and mind has always been seen as false, a “fake” life. Calling something “virtual” does not alter what that life is: a fake. I am not criticizing the technical developments that made virtual life possible: I am criticizing its abusive aspect and thus the paralysis of the individual’s mind Unrestrained use of technology is a unit dangerous weapon. The fundamental factor compelling virtual life is capitalism’s domination of technology and its desire to control billions. Life is no longer lived as before; increasingly, it is becoming virtual- like being dead while standing on your feet.

The most concrete form of virtual life is the simulacrum. Simulating past events, relations or monuments does not make one more knowledgeable –to the contrary, it stupefies us. No development can be achieved by imitating the monuments of civilization. Differentiation, which is at the essence of life, is never based on repetition. (Even history does not repeat itself!) Indeed, imitation is the negation of development. But still, the imitation culture has become hegemonic. Everyone imitates everyone to the degree that they resemble each other and flocks are successfully formed. The age of finance cannot sustain itself without the presence of virtual life. It can only be sustained through unlimited stupification and that can only be possible through fake, virtual life.

Our most basic duty is to respond to this in the name of free life. The ability to define and organize free life is imperative if communities are to survive. This is essential if society is to remain standing. We must construct a sociology of freedom that can generate effective response to the problems discussed above. Let us now interpret the success of the capitalist system in developing virtual life from several perspectives. The first big success was to subordinate society through the loosening of the functional ties of society with morals and religion, and by making morality and religion of secondary importance while replacing it with secular law. Religion and morals are only allowed when they serve the system. Law and secularism thus are the tools used to transfer social supervision into the hands of capitalist power. The elimination of religion and morals by secularism and law does not only put the aristocracy and the slave-peasants of the old society under control, it also opens space for capital and workforce as well as creating reserves. Religion and morals are not totally eradicated. Because they are intensively used tools by the civilization, they will also be much needed by the capitalist system as the “last word of the civilization”-on the condition that they are not party to economic and political power and thus pose an obstacle. Reform of religion and the state of law have become the main indicators of capitalist modernity. They play the essential role of being the two main tools to make the transition to a capitalist economy and society. At the same time, the system uses these tools to resolve problems relating to its mindset. The second success of the system is its use of the “scientific method,” with the object-subject dual antagonism being the padlock of its intellectual hegemony. The principle of objectivity which is held to be essential for the scientific method is in reality a prerequisite for the domination of subjectivism. In order to rule one must be a subject; those who are ruled will then quite naturally fall into the role of being the object. To be an object is to become a thing and to be ruled as a thing. To become a thing, the object, is the methodological expression of the way in which the subject rules as it pleases-it is the creed of science. The distinction between subject and object has roots that can be taken back all the way to Plato. Plato’s famous theory of the duality of Forms (ideas) and their simple, observable reflections is the basis of all subsequently postulated dualisms. However, its mythological basis can be seen in the Sumerian and Egyptian societies –the true roots are the rise to divinity and exaltation of the hierarchy at the and the turning of those at the bottom into servants. The concept of the creator-created, ruler-ruled dualisms can therefore be expressed as god-subject, word-goods. Thus, this concept developed from the duality of perfect ideas or forms and simple reflections to the point where a distinction is made between subject and object. Indeed, the soul-body distinction can be seen in this context as well. The political implication of this distinction, on the other hand, is the denial of democracy, paving the way for oligarchy and monarchy. It must be fully understood that with the onset of capitalism, the analytical intelligence wrapped itself in the most deceitful and conspiratorial forms. The stock exchange is the most striking expression of this reality. It is one of the areas where the speculative intelligence earns most of its profit. In this system speculation and speculative intelligence become twins. This is also true for the political and military fields. War is based on deception and craftiness; it is the peak of the hunting culture. Speculative intelligence has become a tool of manipulation and conspiracy within the stock exchange, politics, and the military unmatched to date. it leaves no room for conscience and emotions. While in one part of the world people can be killed with nuclear and other bombs of terror, in another part of the world some can earn billions without any effort. It could be said that capitalism reveals its mindset most on the stock change and in politics and war. There is not a single human value or emotion that it would not violate for profits.

But emotional intelligence is a sine qua non for life. As we are detached from this form of intelligence, the meaning of life is gradually erased. Ecological disasters signal the dangers awaiting life. Speculative intelligence in the culprit; it has been used in such a distorted way and nourished with language, power, city, state, science, and arts that it has turned into a global Leviathan, the world empire of the global capital. In order to stop this monster a comprehensive effort full of emotional intelligence is needed. It is necessary to drive back its suppression of free life in order to render it harmless. We must stop its ability to maintain and sustain itself before it turns our planet uninhabitable. The fundamental duty of a sociology of freedom is to attain the theoretical perspective for such a vital act and to succeed in structuring it accordingly and appropriately.