What's so great about capitalism anyway? The primary motivator behind the ideology is greed, which is itself something so often viewed as sinful or wrong. Yet it is those hyper-conservative Christians who are so adamant that their capitalism is what is best -- what God would intend.
Why can't we have an economic doctrine that is focused on something different? I agree that greed is a very powerful motivator, but are there not equally powerful, but more beneficial (or benevolent?) virtues? Perhaps loyalty (marxism?), or community (communism?). Are these doctrines so inherently wrong? They didn't work for the Soviets, but I'm not sure anything would have worked for them. I find it interesting that many small groups can function perfectly with a communistic system. Why then is it so hard to translate to a country?
Perhaps large groups of people are always doomed to fail. Although, upon reflection, smaller groups do not always fair that well themselves. And what qualifies "failure" anyway? The Roman Empire lasted a thousand years, and the British Empire a few hundred. America is still going pretty strong after 234. Is equality something we really desire? Do we really want people to do well for themselves? In a world with limited resources, poverty is a necessity. It is a sad fact that with 7 Billion +, the majority will suffer for their entire lives, but that is what is required for a free market economy. Does this make aid organizations inherently self-defeating? Does helping the poor automatically bring down the rich? Do we even care?
And what is the role of the thinkers, the theoreticians? Are we doomed to scream into a blank wall our whole lives? Perhaps it is better for us to live in our own little communities and forsake the morons. For in the end America is a popularity contest, and the smart, thoughtful, inquisitive, and passionate are not the popular ones.
Why can't we have an economic doctrine that is focused on something different? I agree that greed is a very powerful motivator, but are there not equally powerful, but more beneficial (or benevolent?) virtues? Perhaps loyalty (marxism?), or community (communism?). Are these doctrines so inherently wrong? They didn't work for the Soviets, but I'm not sure anything would have worked for them. I find it interesting that many small groups can function perfectly with a communistic system. Why then is it so hard to translate to a country?
Perhaps large groups of people are always doomed to fail. Although, upon reflection, smaller groups do not always fair that well themselves. And what qualifies "failure" anyway? The Roman Empire lasted a thousand years, and the British Empire a few hundred. America is still going pretty strong after 234. Is equality something we really desire? Do we really want people to do well for themselves? In a world with limited resources, poverty is a necessity. It is a sad fact that with 7 Billion +, the majority will suffer for their entire lives, but that is what is required for a free market economy. Does this make aid organizations inherently self-defeating? Does helping the poor automatically bring down the rich? Do we even care?
And what is the role of the thinkers, the theoreticians? Are we doomed to scream into a blank wall our whole lives? Perhaps it is better for us to live in our own little communities and forsake the morons. For in the end America is a popularity contest, and the smart, thoughtful, inquisitive, and passionate are not the popular ones.
