Climate change is an emerging global concern of this century. As with all prior socio-spiritual matters, it is quickly becoming hijacked by capitalism. As a prime example of this, we need only think of Jesus championing compassion, and the capitalist hijacking of this spirituality by the immensely profitable Roman Catholic Church—an organization completely devoid of compassion.
Change generally begins with a meditative purpose to advance long-term common good, be it for sustainability, progress, or harmony. In this case, the beginnings of environmental worry among indigenous and tribal agricultural communities quickly turned capitalist with “eco-warrior” influencers competing for social media following and engagement, and pumping out New York Times bestsellers—in print of course. The purpose is always to profit in a capitalist model through check-marked programs such as social investments advocacy and aimless speaking engagements at globally renowned podiums sponsored by groups that cause the most environmental damage.
The public that capitalism targets is largely illiterate in terms of economic order and accounting models. Profit is unsustainable, and imposing a carbon tax on profit will not deter destructive behavior until the tax is raised to 101% of the profit. Even at 100%, which seems like a deterrent as no profit is generated, a company is still economically profitable, if not actually so. The reality of the capitalist accounting model is very different to the actual tangible reality of its performance. Therefore, such a complicated economic order can pretend to appease public outcry through the imposition of a carbon tax meant to deter polluters and reduce harm.
In reality, the US will never impose a law to criminalize ecocide or overconsumption because it is the driving national institution of capitalism in the same way the Vatican drives capitalist aims through Christianity, or maybe even religion in general. A hundred and ninety-six countries have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child—the US is not one of them. Capitalism requires child slave labor and child trafficking to advance as economically as possible. Laws are not imposed for a greater good measured by social harmony and coexistence, but for the singular advancement of profit maximization at any cost.
For the benefit of the global common, capitalism’s strongholds in nations and corporations must be challenged by channeling funds into purposeful anti-capitalist engagement to regain pure democracy; a society in which the law upholds the best interests of the common and not the richest in a common. Today, new voices are emerging that are not interested in profit or recognition. New voices are rising that do not care to profit from playing by capitalism’s rules. As the Compassiviste momentum of these voices gains traction, the hypocrisy of profiting from the climate crisis shall cease. Real social harmony will replace the culture of defending the personal freedoms of the careless within the 1% wealthiest.
The global spiritual order in love must now evolve beyond the hierarchy and sexism of the dominant capitalism model. In every capitalist structure, from religion to corporation, woman, child, animal, plant, and environment laws rank a distant and negligible second to the laws designed to benefit man. This is just as prevalent in carbon footprint statistics. It is time for the spiritual revolution in love. Congregations and collectives have the capacity to influence change by harnessing the power of decentralized unity to reverse global warming.
