Desire Above And Beyond Sanctity
There are now bots leaving adverts on blogs in the form of comments. Picked up a few. And am thoroughly pissed off. A blog is a personal space, not a free for all where anyone can bombard you with ads such as on tv, the cinema, or indeed anywhere in real life.
There is no longer any sanctity in a person's life. We are here to be got at by a company, before we are poached. Therefore we get cold callers. Ads in every shape or form, on the telly, in cinema, even in films and tv programs now which is perhaps the most insidious as it destroys the experience. Nowhere is sacred if they think they get you to spend your money on their products, and since just about everyone might buy, everyone is a target. They seem to be completely oblivious to the fact that wall to wall advertising actually turns people off a company.
The time has come to redress the balance between this. The people and those for whom money is the only object.
I have been thinking for a while. An ethical tax, applying to business, administered by the people is what is required. Let us Socialise Capitalism.
A Quango is set up. The people can submit petitions against a business. Any business that has more than a certain number of signatures against it is investigated in its proceedures. If they are ethical, eg, if they are paying their staff fairly, paying their suppliers fairly, not operating a monopoly, using or researching greener methods, not acting against society etc, then all is fine and good. If however they are operating under unethical practices (Of course many good business practices are unethical) they shall be taxed at a rate of 100% on their profits for that fiscal year. This tax will go towards righting the wrongs the company has comitted. For instance, The Drinks industry will see all of its profits go towards controlling binge drinking and treating alcoholics, the smoking lobby will similarly see its profits go towards treating smokers who cost the NHS several billion a year (roughly about what the tobacco industry makes). Oil companies will see their profits going to Wind Farms. Nestle's profit will go towards convincing African women that breast milk is best for their child. Pharmaceutical companies will see their profit going towards providing AIDS treatment to all for free, rather than their unpayable prices.
Companies will soon learn that it is better to spend a portion of their income on becoming good citizens, rather than see it all taken from them to right their irresponsible wrongs caused for the sake of their share holders. Suddenly the consumer will be in charge. Will hold the reigns of power. If a company is corrupt, it shall be brought low. No one can argue against this tax, because to do so would be an admission of guilt. If you are an ethical business and treat your customers right, you have nothing to fear. Thus, instant true social capitalism.
This tax would also encourage competition, by paralysing the unethical competitors for a year, ethical competitors will get a massive boost to their relative fortunes. Because their running costs won't be touched, the tax collected at the end of the year, (the case against the company possibly concealed until that date) the tax cannot actually drive any company out of business. Also none of the money will actually pass through the government, but through this quango who will use it to directly change areas adversely affected by companies who have been self regulating for so long that they have given themselves carte blanche to absolve themselves of any responsibility towards society whatsoever if it means more money for them.
The resulting extra cash boost to areas like the NHS, (such as if all smoke related diseases are treated on the fag companies money) among other things, will probably mean that at some point taxes on the people can be lowered, thus creating a growing economy and lowering the rich poor divide.
Oh the things I could do if I ran the country.
There is no longer any sanctity in a person's life. We are here to be got at by a company, before we are poached. Therefore we get cold callers. Ads in every shape or form, on the telly, in cinema, even in films and tv programs now which is perhaps the most insidious as it destroys the experience. Nowhere is sacred if they think they get you to spend your money on their products, and since just about everyone might buy, everyone is a target. They seem to be completely oblivious to the fact that wall to wall advertising actually turns people off a company.
The time has come to redress the balance between this. The people and those for whom money is the only object.
I have been thinking for a while. An ethical tax, applying to business, administered by the people is what is required. Let us Socialise Capitalism.
A Quango is set up. The people can submit petitions against a business. Any business that has more than a certain number of signatures against it is investigated in its proceedures. If they are ethical, eg, if they are paying their staff fairly, paying their suppliers fairly, not operating a monopoly, using or researching greener methods, not acting against society etc, then all is fine and good. If however they are operating under unethical practices (Of course many good business practices are unethical) they shall be taxed at a rate of 100% on their profits for that fiscal year. This tax will go towards righting the wrongs the company has comitted. For instance, The Drinks industry will see all of its profits go towards controlling binge drinking and treating alcoholics, the smoking lobby will similarly see its profits go towards treating smokers who cost the NHS several billion a year (roughly about what the tobacco industry makes). Oil companies will see their profits going to Wind Farms. Nestle's profit will go towards convincing African women that breast milk is best for their child. Pharmaceutical companies will see their profit going towards providing AIDS treatment to all for free, rather than their unpayable prices.
Companies will soon learn that it is better to spend a portion of their income on becoming good citizens, rather than see it all taken from them to right their irresponsible wrongs caused for the sake of their share holders. Suddenly the consumer will be in charge. Will hold the reigns of power. If a company is corrupt, it shall be brought low. No one can argue against this tax, because to do so would be an admission of guilt. If you are an ethical business and treat your customers right, you have nothing to fear. Thus, instant true social capitalism.
This tax would also encourage competition, by paralysing the unethical competitors for a year, ethical competitors will get a massive boost to their relative fortunes. Because their running costs won't be touched, the tax collected at the end of the year, (the case against the company possibly concealed until that date) the tax cannot actually drive any company out of business. Also none of the money will actually pass through the government, but through this quango who will use it to directly change areas adversely affected by companies who have been self regulating for so long that they have given themselves carte blanche to absolve themselves of any responsibility towards society whatsoever if it means more money for them.
The resulting extra cash boost to areas like the NHS, (such as if all smoke related diseases are treated on the fag companies money) among other things, will probably mean that at some point taxes on the people can be lowered, thus creating a growing economy and lowering the rich poor divide.
Oh the things I could do if I ran the country.
posted by Caractacus at 21:46
1 comments
