A "to what extent do we control our own destiny" type question.

Author and speaker John Perkins writes in Confessions of an Economic Hit Man and talks (from first hand experience) about a “mutant” form of capitalism that has gobbled up the resources of independent nations in service to a globalized empire of corporations. Typically, the method is:

1. Coerce nation’s leader to accept loans for massive infrastructure projects (such as a power plant), bury the nation in debt, and exert control as a creditor;

2. If that fails, assassinate the leader; and

3. If that fails, use western militaries to invade (and then give the corps what they want).

All of this was done all over the world from the end of WWII to the present and in relative darkness (i.e. the American public was mostly unaware and perhaps mostly believed we were doing good things in the world).

Perkins also takes time to mention that this phenomenon is not a conspiracy, but rather a fraternity of ideas—an evolution of capitalism, albeit an unhealthy one.

His conclusion is that this capitalism is a reflection of society’s imagination and ideals, so we are responsible for its existence and the antidote is to start living and thinking differently.

I buy it to an extent, but I wonder about how culpable we are a) for being duped most of our lives, b) for the continued perpetuation of illusory assumptions that hide this awareness, and c) for the inertia that must be overcome to not only eliminate the effects of said mutant capitalism but also awaken the brainwashed multitudes to whom the mutant capitalists have a vested interest in keeping distracted and dulled.

To what extent are we (am I) responsible, especially if the old advertising adage is true that no one asked for a microwave?*

*in other words, few are really asking for mutant capitalism.

EDIT:: I guess a simpler way to say this is have we been given the opportunity for informed consent and are we still culpable (vs blame/responsibilty of other parties) if we haven’t?