The Bottom Line Is Profits First
How’s that for redundancy? That’s the nutshell, the crux of the biscuit, raison d’etre, the core ethos of modern techno-industrial civilization.
“The genocide in Gaza has not stopped because it’s lucrative.” — Francesca Albanese
Francesca P. Albanese is an Italian legal scholar and expert on human rights. On 1 May 2022, she was appointed United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories for a three-year term, which was then renewed for another three years. She is the first woman to hold the position. Wikipedia
Recently, I embarked on a research binge, examining typical U.S. pro-business organizations and lobbying groups. Many of the groups I have explored over the past thirty years — Citizens United, The Federalist, and many others. These organizations exist under a fanatical ideological veneer, used as a passionate, performative cover for activities solely focused on ensuring that money goes to the right people, businesses, politicians, special interest groups, and governments. The Right accuses the Left of unfairly and unscrupulously funding its causes and vice versa. All groups from Fare Right to Fare Left in the United States are corporatist and may as well be fascist adjacent. One way or another, the only organizations that survive and thrive are those that drive profiteering. Modern, techno-industrial, fossil-fueled, global, and financialized capitalism, with its dark tetrad characteristics evident from China to the Middle East, Africa, Vietnam, India, Australia, and beyond, has the whole world in its grip, driven by profiteering. The primary activities of these individuals and institutions are transforming material and energy throughputs into profits.
I have friends and acquaintances who are service providers, supporting individuals who prioritize profit; they are professionals, including cooks, sailors, pilots, healthcare workers, journalists, and content creators, among others. If you have not made your way by hook, crook, or hard effort to a place where you earn most of your money from capital on capital returns, you are most probably in the business of providing services to those who are.
I used GENINI to research one such organization whose mission is to follow left-leading money, what CRP would consider “evil money.” There are organizations on the Left doing the same thing, and they are all lucrative, or they wouldn’t be in business. They are all supported by wealthy donors and contributions from large corporations.
Use these research tools while you still have some semblance of agency. Soon, AI will be ubiquitous and invisible, and it will run everything. People will be treated as utterly domesticated pets, tolerated by the elite upper class, while we, the plebs and proles, the only labor saving meat bags left, implement their dystopian immortality project aimed at conquering the Universe. The actual outcome of these activities will be human extinction, but as they say, it will have been a fantastic ride.
***I am linking to a Google document of the full report; otherwise, this post would be very long. ;-)
Case Study
The Capital Research Center: A Comprehensive Analysis of its Mission, Operations, and Influence
I. Executive Summary
The Capital Research Center (CRC) is a conservative 501(c)(3) non-profit investigative think tank based in Washington, D.C., founded in 1984 by Willa Johnson. Its foundational mission is to scrutinize non-profit organizations, with a particular emphasis on “reviving the American traditions of charity, philanthropy, and voluntarism.” CRC explicitly adheres to principles of “free markets, Constitutional government, and individual liberty.” It functions as a “watchdog group” specifically tasked with monitoring “liberal money in politics” and actively discouraging corporate donations to organizations it identifies as liberal or anti-business.
As a conservative watchdog, CRC conducts “fact-based investigations” to expose the agendas of funders, activists, and politicians who, in CRC’s view, exploit governmental power for their special interests. A cornerstone of its operational strategy is the publication of InfluenceWatch, an extensive online encyclopedia detailing political influencers, as well as producing documentaries through its Dangerous Documentaries project.
CRC has garnered attention for its comprehensive investigations into “dark money” networks, such as Arabella Advisors, alleging their substantial impact on progressive causes and electoral processes. Conversely, CRC has faced its share of scrutiny, including accusations of funding climate science disinformation advertisements and criticisms concerning its characterization of individuals affiliated with left-leaning organizations. Its media bias is independently rated as “Lean Right” by AllSides.
CRC’s stated mission to “revive American traditions of charity, philanthropy, and voluntarism” is not merely an academic pursuit but a strategic ideological framework. By positioning itself as a defender of “traditional” philanthropy, CRC implicitly critiques contemporary philanthropic practices, particularly those it labels “liberal” or “progressive,” as deviations from these traditions. This allows CRC to present its “watchdog” activities as upholding fundamental American values rather than purely partisan opposition. The act of “reviving” implies that these traditions have been lost or corrupted, thereby establishing a normative framework for what constitutes “good” charity, aligned with their conservative, free-market values. This rhetorical choice provides a moral and historical justification for their investigative work, positioning their critiques as a defense of foundational American principles rather than simply partisan opposition.
IX. Conclusion
The Capital Research Center stands as a prominent and influential conservative watchdog organization firmly rooted in its mission to scrutinize non-profit organizations and monitor “liberal money in politics.” Since its founding in 1984, CRC has consistently operated from a clear ideological framework, advocating for free markets, constitutional government, and individual liberty. Its commitment to these principles guides its extensive investigative reporting, which aims to expose what it perceives as the undue influence of left-wing financiers and activist groups on American society and policy.
CRC’s operational model is characterized by its reliance on “fact-based investigations” and a multi-platform dissemination strategy. Through its flagship publication, Capital Research magazine, its comprehensive online encyclopedia, InfluenceWatch.org, various special reports, podcasts, and documentaries, CRC effectively amplifies its findings to a diverse audience, ranging from policy researchers to the general public. This integrated approach underscores its strategic intent to not only inform but also to actively shape conservative narratives and influence public and policy discourse. The organization’s financial growth, combined with its deep connections to a network of conservative philanthropists and political figures, further solidifies its position as a well-resourced and impactful entity within the conservative ecosystem.
While CRC asserts its objectivity and independence, its explicit “Lean Right” bias and the nature of its critiques position it as a partisan actor in the broader political landscape. Controversies, such as those surrounding its funding of climate science advertisements or its characterization of individuals associated with left-wing movements, highlight the contentious nature of its work and the ideological lens through which its investigations are conducted.
Ultimately, the Capital Research Center continues to play a significant role in the ongoing ideological battles within American politics and philanthropy. By meticulously tracking financial flows and dissecting the operations of organizations it deems ideologically opposed, CRC serves as a consistent voice in the conservative movement, contributing to debates on issues ranging from election integrity and environmental policy to the very nature and purpose of charity in a democratic society. Its ongoing efforts underscore the complex interplay between philanthropy, political advocacy, and ideological influence in the contemporary United States.
I strongly recommend the above documentary series and the following books.
What is Profit
Money makes the world go around. It’s a strain for most people to imagine a world where one doesn’t buy happiness. People who strive to be better than others often struggle with concepts of equality and equity, let alone simply being a humble animal embedded in Great Nature. What’s the point of living and working hard if you can’t be better than others and have power over others, over all living things, great and small, and let’s not stop there, over the Universe or even the Multiverse? The conquistador mentality goes back to the dawn of civilization thousands of years ago. What differentiates modernity from the olden days (throw a dart at a timeline) is its tools.
The contemporary discourse surrounding economic activity frequently frames profit-seeking as a driving force behind globalized, techno-industrial, and financialized capitalism. This perspective often portrays profit as a fanatical ideological veneer that masks activities solely focused on directing wealth to specific individuals, businesses, and political entities. Profiteering is the ultimate objective, transforming material and energy throughputs into financial gains, irrespective of broader societal implications. We must move beyond such a singular, critical interpretation to dissect the multifaceted concept of profit, exploring its definitive economic definitions, abstract theoretical underpinnings, historical evolution, and complex societal impacts. The analysis distinguishes between the neutral economic concept of profit and the pejorative profiteering to provide a more nuanced understanding of this pervasive influence on modern culture.
Conclusion: Profit as a Dynamic and Contested Concept
Profit, at its core, is a definitive economic calculation — the surplus of revenue over explicit and implicit costs. However, its true nature, origin, and role in society are subject to abstract and diverse theoretical interpretations, ranging from a reward for capital accumulation and entrepreneurial foresight to a product of labor exploitation. This inherent duality highlights the profound complexity of the concept and the ongoing academic and societal debates surrounding it.
Historically, profit has been an undeniable engine of innovation, economic growth, and efficient resource allocation, profoundly shaping modern industrial and technological societies. Its pursuit has driven advancements that have significantly increased productivity and improved living standards for many. Yet, the analysis also reveals that the unchecked pursuit of profit has led to significant societal challenges, including escalating wealth inequality, widespread labor exploitation within global supply chains, environmental degradation, and undue corporate influence on political systems. These negative manifestations often align with the concept of profiteering, where ethical boundaries are transgressed or systemic conditions permit exploitation. The initial critique of profiteering highlights a valid concern about the consequences of profit when it operates without sufficient ethical or regulatory constraints.
Modern culture is increasingly grappling with the paradox of profit: how to leverage its powerful incentives for progress while effectively mitigating its negative externalities. The rise and growing adoption of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles indicate a significant societal demand and a growing business imperative to reconcile profit maximization with broader ethical and sustainable development goals. This suggests a potential evolution in the cultural narrative of success, moving beyond purely monetary terms to embrace a more balanced view of prosperity that encompasses social well-being and environmental stewardship. The fundamental challenge for the future lies in designing and implementing economic systems and institutional frameworks that can effectively channel the profit motive towards inclusive and sustainable outcomes, ensuring that the transformation of material and energy throughputs benefits all of humanity rather than exclusively serving a select few.
- *To read the report, click on the link in the heading above.
But seriously, folks, the business-as-usual concepts of profit need to be consigned to the dustbin of history. We need a reality-based, symbiotic idea of value that stems from living systems embedded within Great Nature’s living systems.
Reality as understood by the heart, the imagination, science, physics, biology, love, empathy, and compassion.
For now, though, one can still dream of conquest, vicious competition, control of resources, and making thousands of times more money than a well-compensated corporate lawyer.
The inherent conflict between endless growth-driven profit and the finite nature of our planet is the crux of modernity’s existential predicament. When profit-making becomes the sole, unconstrained objective, it most often disregards ecological limits and social well-being, leading to a self-terminating system. This relentless pursuit of financial gain, particularly within the frameworks of neoliberal and neoconservative ideologies, prioritizes market efficiency and deregulation above all else. These frameworks, while promising prosperity through unchecked capitalism, often externalize the actual costs of production onto the environment and marginalized communities.
TESCREAL Anarcho Capitalists spend the world’s resources accelerating towards a fantasy machine where they compete forever for profits in the cloud.
The “Profit Fist” ideology fosters a “business as usual” mentality that accelerates resource depletion, drives ecocide through habitat destruction and pollution, and exacerbates global heating by prioritizing fossil fuel extraction and consumption. The profitability of war tragically incentivizes conflict, leading to further resource consumption and human suffering, truly embodying a form of “genocide” through economic and political means. Such a system, predicated on infinite growth within a finite world, inevitably leads to “overshoot” — humanity’s demand exceeding the Earth’s regenerative capacity — ultimately undermining the very living systems it depends upon.
The uncritical adherence to these ideologies, which champion profit maximization at any cost, is profoundly destructive. They foster a short-term perspective that overlooks the long-term implications for ecosystem health and social equity within the bounds of evolving natural living systems. In a world grappling with ecological collapse, war, ensuing famine, global heating, and escalating social crises, a paradigm shift is urgently needed to redefine success beyond mere financial accumulation, recognizing that true prosperity must be rooted in peacemaking, ecological stewardship, sustainability, and distributive justice. Otherwise, the current trajectory of profit-driven exploitation will indeed prove to be a self-terminating path for both human civilization and the planet’s intricate web of life.
Do people in the Global North want new narratives and better, healthier, happier, and more fulfilling ways of life? Ways of life rooted in sustainable cultures of place and interconnectedness. Can they imagine what that might be? Would they sacrifice one hour a day to remove the venal vandals running the world from their jobs and replace them with people who cherish life?
I have many acquaintances who think our present norms are optimal, or at least that they can’t do much to improve them anyway. We live in “the best of all possible worlds.” Many people believe that whatever is happening is part of God’s plan. These people are relatively wealthy and accustomed to being able to buy whatever they need to make them comfortable, secure, and “happy.” I wish I could say they will notice the polycrisis when it starts to hurt, but I doubt it, and it’s too late anyway. When it starts to hurt, they will have already been trained to blame others, and their emotions and reactions will be monetized. They will act out in a violent, chaotic panic or give up. One thing I think will most probably feel is pride, no matter how bad things get. They will believe they are on the right team until the bitter end.
Someday, the last King will die on a golf course in Tasmania, and life will go on without the wise ape.
