Capitalism, communism, there must be a better way
Sitting around the dinner table, where all of the world’s problems could be solved if we all just chose to eat together rather than shoot each other, the subject came up as to what type of system would work better than capitalism or communism.
Communism’s ideal “from each according to his or her ability, to each according to his or her need” has been perverted in every form that has been tried. Countries like China and Cuba might be able to dispute the idea that communism has failed, but the Soviet Union’s downfall ensured that every American mind was filled with pride of the seeming superiority of its economic system, especially since the economic system of capitalism and the political system of democracy are equated to one and the same in the United States. (They are not the same, and they can exist independently of one another, but the majority of Americans are unable to separate the two.)
While capitalism appears to be the winner over communism, it is important to note that the unequal distribution of wealth will at some point catch up with humanity. We can either go ahead and allow that to happen and just try to ride the tornado of consequences that will come, or we can find a way to manage it so that wealth becomes more equally distributed. When one percent of the world’s population owns as much as the lower 50 percent, there are serious problems. No amount of work or world changing innovation can justify that kind of greed and wealth accumulation. Only blind faith in the false idea that those who work hard can get to be in the top one percent, and everyone else is lazy.
Capitalism preys upon the selfish instinct of people with its “the individual will do what is best for the individual” ethos. This philosophy is so embedded in the capitalist system, which America has combined with a survival of the fittest mentality, that even those who should question it most are either ignorant of its existence or willing to turn a blind eye from it while still confessing to believe in a higher power. Darwin and selfishness exist in spades in the United States, even if a vocal minority of religious fanatics would keep Darwin out of science, and selfishness out of their Sunday services. Having both in the economic system, a system that inspires the love of money, is acceptable to the Bible Belt and those who purport God as the highest power in the nation.
If we can let go of all our assumptions and examine the underlying values that an economic system conveys by its sheer force of being accepted, what would a new system look like? That is a hard question to answer, and it would be something even harder to implement. The new system would require a change in learning from adults to children. People would need to learn to value the good parts of themselves while rejecting the selfish part that has been enhanced by the current capitalist society.
Compassion and Kindness
One problem with capitalism is that it doesn’t reward the behaviors that would be ultimately better for everyone. Study after study and anecdote after anecdote tell us about the benefits of being charitable. People who practice giving back to the community live longer, are healthier, enjoy life more and generally have better social and support networks than those who do not give back. Volunteering makes people feel good. However, the only way that this type of work is rewarded is through jobs that pay poorly and have a highly stressful atmosphere with continuous scrutiny and second-guessing about how funds can be better spent, or through the intangibles mentioned above, and intangibles do not pay the rent or put food on the table.
Intelligence, Exploration and Discovery
In spite of the rise of Geek and Nerd cultures as represented in the skyrocketing attendance of comic conventions and the profitability of fandoms that can keep series alive even after networks have canceled the shows, intelligence and its subcategories of exploration and discovery lack value in the current system. A focus on short-term gain makes the possibility of exploration and discovery less likely, even in the jobs where those two things are paramount. For the regular person, companies often have an atmosphere that talks about creativity and innovation, but they seldom allow people time to think or to do things outside of their jobs. Quarterly profit seeking is so problematic exactly because it inhibits the ability of even the best companies to develop something that takes time and investment.
Intelligence may be valued in certain circles, but those who would like to learn about something other than what they specialize in are often thought of as strange and derided for not devoting their full attention to their specialty. The problem is that exploration, discovery and its offspring, creativity, happen on the borders and at the intersection.
In most of society, intelligence is still something to hide, especially for women. Until people can be rewarded for their intelligence, until we can figure out a way to make it okay for people to be smart, mankind will continue to suffer the consequences of valuing the idiotic, the comforting and the bliss that ignorance brings.
Beauty of the Arts
Every society celebrates what it considers beautiful in the human form. Yet, as we grow as a society, we have come to see what the ideas of body image have done to women’s self-esteem and to a lesser extent, men’s self-esteem. Not fitting the ideal body type, no matter how ridiculous or unhealthy, can cause people to suffer depression, eating disorders and, as stated above, low self-esteem.
That doesn’t mean that beauty shouldn’t be sought after. However, that beauty should be the beauty represented in the arts. Whether in photography, painting, sculpture or writing, those who create should be rewarded for their contributions to a better world and a better society.
Simplicity of Living
Many of today’s ills come from overconsumption. If we can wean ourselves away from the desire to have more and toward the desire to have enough, we would all, that is everyone on the Earth, be able to live comfortably today. When money is the overriding factor by which success, happiness and status is measured, there is never enough because it is just a number. Numbers go on forever.
Living simply would allow us to cultivate our relationships, express our creativity and find a society that helps everyone succeed in becoming his or her best self. If we could learn to value self-actualization and interdependence, we would find that we can be happier, healthier and more nurturing of each other.
The Problem with Utopia
Utopia is not a new idea. Sir Thomas More wrote about it in 1516 and what he wrote is still relevant to today. The problem with utopia arises when a few bad apples spoil the bunch. There will always be people who game the system. They will try to get the most with the least amount of work, which then sets a bad example for others.
When someone takes advantage of the system, it goes against humanity’s innate sense of fairness. When someone can say that “I work 8 hours and he doesn’t work any, but we get the same things,” there is little incentive for the hard workers to continue to work. According to C.K. Louis, the only time you should look in another’s bowl is to see if they have enough. Even if this isn’t the case, people who are doing what they enjoy should find it less difficult to cut others some slack. Very few people are actually lazy; most are happy to contribute, they just don’t know how. Even if a few people decide to live off the benevolence of others, it is more important to make sure that the majority are happy and taken care of rather than let a few dictate through their selfish actions the unhappiness of the greater population.
It is difficult to sustain a utopian vision in the face of outside political pressures. Maybe that is because most utopias are started by charismatic leaders that threaten the status flow. As soon as a community of like-minded individuals gather together with a different idea of how to live better, the communities around them see them as strange, ostracize them and turn them into something less than human. That doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t continue to find a better way to live.
Bhutan and GNH
One country that has stepped away from economic prosperity toward a better measurement is Bhutan. Instead of measuring Gross Domestic Product, Bhutan measures Gross National Happiness. This allows the country to ascertain how happy people are while placing the primary focus on increasing the happiness value. Projects that might bring in a lot of money are rejected if they will deplete the GDH.
The new society will have to help people focus on things that matter. Learning new skills like gardening will have to become second nature as people look to provide for themselves and for their neighbors. People will have to learn to reconnect with each other and with nature rather than with the Internet, and they will have to learn that the highest priority in life should be other people not belongings or status.
Communism’s ideal “from each according to his or her ability, to each according to his or her need” has been perverted in every form that has been tried. Countries like China and Cuba might be able to dispute the idea that communism has failed, but the Soviet Union’s downfall ensured that every American mind was filled with pride of the seeming superiority of its economic system, especially since the economic system of capitalism and the political system of democracy are equated to one and the same in the United States. (They are not the same, and they can exist independently of one another, but the majority of Americans are unable to separate the two.)
While capitalism appears to be the winner over communism, it is important to note that the unequal distribution of wealth will at some point catch up with humanity. We can either go ahead and allow that to happen and just try to ride the tornado of consequences that will come, or we can find a way to manage it so that wealth becomes more equally distributed. When one percent of the world’s population owns as much as the lower 50 percent, there are serious problems. No amount of work or world changing innovation can justify that kind of greed and wealth accumulation. Only blind faith in the false idea that those who work hard can get to be in the top one percent, and everyone else is lazy.
Capitalism preys upon the selfish instinct of people with its “the individual will do what is best for the individual” ethos. This philosophy is so embedded in the capitalist system, which America has combined with a survival of the fittest mentality, that even those who should question it most are either ignorant of its existence or willing to turn a blind eye from it while still confessing to believe in a higher power. Darwin and selfishness exist in spades in the United States, even if a vocal minority of religious fanatics would keep Darwin out of science, and selfishness out of their Sunday services. Having both in the economic system, a system that inspires the love of money, is acceptable to the Bible Belt and those who purport God as the highest power in the nation.
If we can let go of all our assumptions and examine the underlying values that an economic system conveys by its sheer force of being accepted, what would a new system look like? That is a hard question to answer, and it would be something even harder to implement. The new system would require a change in learning from adults to children. People would need to learn to value the good parts of themselves while rejecting the selfish part that has been enhanced by the current capitalist society.
Compassion and Kindness
One problem with capitalism is that it doesn’t reward the behaviors that would be ultimately better for everyone. Study after study and anecdote after anecdote tell us about the benefits of being charitable. People who practice giving back to the community live longer, are healthier, enjoy life more and generally have better social and support networks than those who do not give back. Volunteering makes people feel good. However, the only way that this type of work is rewarded is through jobs that pay poorly and have a highly stressful atmosphere with continuous scrutiny and second-guessing about how funds can be better spent, or through the intangibles mentioned above, and intangibles do not pay the rent or put food on the table.
Intelligence, Exploration and Discovery
In spite of the rise of Geek and Nerd cultures as represented in the skyrocketing attendance of comic conventions and the profitability of fandoms that can keep series alive even after networks have canceled the shows, intelligence and its subcategories of exploration and discovery lack value in the current system. A focus on short-term gain makes the possibility of exploration and discovery less likely, even in the jobs where those two things are paramount. For the regular person, companies often have an atmosphere that talks about creativity and innovation, but they seldom allow people time to think or to do things outside of their jobs. Quarterly profit seeking is so problematic exactly because it inhibits the ability of even the best companies to develop something that takes time and investment.
Intelligence may be valued in certain circles, but those who would like to learn about something other than what they specialize in are often thought of as strange and derided for not devoting their full attention to their specialty. The problem is that exploration, discovery and its offspring, creativity, happen on the borders and at the intersection.
In most of society, intelligence is still something to hide, especially for women. Until people can be rewarded for their intelligence, until we can figure out a way to make it okay for people to be smart, mankind will continue to suffer the consequences of valuing the idiotic, the comforting and the bliss that ignorance brings.
Beauty of the Arts
Every society celebrates what it considers beautiful in the human form. Yet, as we grow as a society, we have come to see what the ideas of body image have done to women’s self-esteem and to a lesser extent, men’s self-esteem. Not fitting the ideal body type, no matter how ridiculous or unhealthy, can cause people to suffer depression, eating disorders and, as stated above, low self-esteem.
That doesn’t mean that beauty shouldn’t be sought after. However, that beauty should be the beauty represented in the arts. Whether in photography, painting, sculpture or writing, those who create should be rewarded for their contributions to a better world and a better society.
Simplicity of Living
Many of today’s ills come from overconsumption. If we can wean ourselves away from the desire to have more and toward the desire to have enough, we would all, that is everyone on the Earth, be able to live comfortably today. When money is the overriding factor by which success, happiness and status is measured, there is never enough because it is just a number. Numbers go on forever.
Living simply would allow us to cultivate our relationships, express our creativity and find a society that helps everyone succeed in becoming his or her best self. If we could learn to value self-actualization and interdependence, we would find that we can be happier, healthier and more nurturing of each other.
The Problem with Utopia
Utopia is not a new idea. Sir Thomas More wrote about it in 1516 and what he wrote is still relevant to today. The problem with utopia arises when a few bad apples spoil the bunch. There will always be people who game the system. They will try to get the most with the least amount of work, which then sets a bad example for others.
When someone takes advantage of the system, it goes against humanity’s innate sense of fairness. When someone can say that “I work 8 hours and he doesn’t work any, but we get the same things,” there is little incentive for the hard workers to continue to work. According to C.K. Louis, the only time you should look in another’s bowl is to see if they have enough. Even if this isn’t the case, people who are doing what they enjoy should find it less difficult to cut others some slack. Very few people are actually lazy; most are happy to contribute, they just don’t know how. Even if a few people decide to live off the benevolence of others, it is more important to make sure that the majority are happy and taken care of rather than let a few dictate through their selfish actions the unhappiness of the greater population.
It is difficult to sustain a utopian vision in the face of outside political pressures. Maybe that is because most utopias are started by charismatic leaders that threaten the status flow. As soon as a community of like-minded individuals gather together with a different idea of how to live better, the communities around them see them as strange, ostracize them and turn them into something less than human. That doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t continue to find a better way to live.
Bhutan and GNH
One country that has stepped away from economic prosperity toward a better measurement is Bhutan. Instead of measuring Gross Domestic Product, Bhutan measures Gross National Happiness. This allows the country to ascertain how happy people are while placing the primary focus on increasing the happiness value. Projects that might bring in a lot of money are rejected if they will deplete the GDH.
The new society will have to help people focus on things that matter. Learning new skills like gardening will have to become second nature as people look to provide for themselves and for their neighbors. People will have to learn to reconnect with each other and with nature rather than with the Internet, and they will have to learn that the highest priority in life should be other people not belongings or status.