Economism

Economism is a moral and social posture "which interprets the whole sum of human life in terms of the production, acquisition, and distribution of wealth".

It's incredibly pervasive. As the evening winds down, to show how clever they are, someone will invariably flare their nostrils, put on a solemn face and start going all macro. Within a few minutes the whole table is infected, carping on about national debt, budget cuts and currency fluctuation. Hopefully one day it will be recognised as a mental illness and there'll be a 10 step programme to wean people off it.

"Economism can build a society which is rich, prosperous, powerful, even one which has a reasonably wide diffusion of material well-being. It can not build one which is lovely, one which has savor and depth, and which exercises the irresistible power of attraction that loveliness wields. Perhaps by the time economism has run its course the society it has built may be tired of itself, bored of its own hideousness, and may despairingly consent to annihilation, aware that it is too ugly to be let live any longer."

Albert Jay Nock

I'd say that sums it up perfectly and the "despairingly consenting" bit is upon us now! It is hardly suprising that economism creates such a world since in essence, it systematically elevates the nastiest most ruthless people possible, those cunning enough to know how to observe the letter of the law whilst having total disdain for the spirit of it. It forces us all to develop that most horrible side of ourselves unless we`re already taking protection under the umbrella of others who individually or collectively fit that description.