George Monbiot: We Need a New Political Story of Empathy and Sharing to Replace Neoliberalism
NOVANEWS
By Mark Karlin
George Monbiot. (Photo: Verso Books)George Monbiot ardently believes in the "politics of belonging." In this interview with Truthout, he explains the argument put forward in his book Out of the Wreckage: Humans are altruistic, but we need a new story of empathy and shared development to overcome the propaganda of the neoliberal story.
Mark Karlin: You begin your book with the importance of the stories we accept as our personal narratives as members of society. How did we end up with the neoliberal story prevailing?
George Monbiot: Starting with the formation by Friedrich Hayek and others of the Mont Pelerin Society in 1947, the neoliberals, with sponsorship from some very rich backers, built a kind of international network. They set up think tanks, sponsored...