In These Times: Escape From the Dismal Life

Escape From the Dismal Life
Raj Patel’s new book explains the value of nothing, and everything.

By Mark Engler


In 1971, the most popular field of study at universities in the United States was education. Social sciences and history came in a fairly close second, with all other fields falling far behind. But by the millennium, those patterns were a distant memory.

Business had become king on campus. It now awards twice as many degrees as any other field. As a corollary development, the famed “dismal science” is also surging. Ask Harvard undergraduates what they are studying, and their most likely answer will be “Econ.”

In this age of bailouts and bonuses, the high priests of finance lord over public policy. As Oscar Wilde said, “Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

This is the premise of Raj Patel’s new book, The Value of Nothing: How to Reshape Market Society and Redefine Democracy. A writer, academic and former analyst for the Oakland-based Institute for Food and Development Policy, Patel traces the origins of the dominant market-based worldview, examines its negative impact on the planet and finally maps an escape route.

He writes, “The dazzle of free markets has blinded us to other ways of seeing the world.” The remedy, he argues, “is not a democracy run by experts, but the democratization of expertise and resources.” .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/5554/escape_from_the_dismal_life