As the three big U.S. auto makers are doing the swirling whirly around the big toilet bowl that is our current economic condition, I have taken pause to consider the wisdom of capitalism as a method for creating and distributing resources. Despite the occasional suggestion by a family member that I'm a communist, this is not true.
I do believe there are areas of the economy that should be left to the government to manage. I believe in public education, public works like roads and sewer systems, a national military, and hopefully soon, the development of universal health care. The idea of pure capitalism should be the exclusive domain of eleventh grade boys in the high school philosophy club. But I don't think these beliefs make me a communist, or even a socialist for that matter.
I believe capitalism is an ingenious system for motivating human behavior. Ask a child to make his bed for the good of all then compare this reaction to the one inspired when there's a quarter or half dollar on the line and you'll understand what I'm talking about. There are enormous environmental and domestic challenges facing working age Americans right now. Imagine effectively harnessing that motivation seen in a little kid frantically pulling those blankets straight to get his reward towards the end of green energy. For me, the big tasks facing our nation and world seem more manageable with this in mind.
Of course, that motivation to get the quarter can easily be misused by big kids (otherwise legally known as adults) taking shortcuts in making their figurative bed and in the end entirely failing at the task they set out to do. Back to the American auto makers. We have known for many years carbon emissions are a big problem for the future of our planet and, therefore, the quality of life or likeliness of life for our children and grandchildren. Further, we know most of our oil is pulled out of politically unstable countries that acting on our economic self-interest has further destabilized. These are very big problems.
But in pursuing the extremely restricted guidelines of personal self-interest, our big auto makers have been mass producing monstrosities of vehicles known as SUVs for years. And apparently taking a cue from the auto makers, consumers have been buying them up like madness. Driving into the parking lot of my child's school, I would guess more than 75% of the vehicles are massive gas guzzlers. These vehicles and their production were always going to be unsustainable and we are now seeing the inevitable outcome.
What democracy depends on most in order to harness its power and direct it in more positive directions is leadership. Just as the child has little interest in the big picture of why its good to keep one's living space tidy, apparently millions of fully grown individuals must also be directed to live and produce in responsible ways. I include myself in this point. I enjoy the inspiring effect and momentum-building qualities of good leadership as much as anyone. I need it as much as any other American.
It looks like we may finally have some good leadership nationally. Lets build on it. I have been looking into a program called RePower America, which promotes a goal of all green energy in ten years. If any of you reading this want to check this organization out or let me know about others you have discovered that are looking promising, let me know about it. Share it with everyone you know. Let's use our incredible gifts of technology to spread positive ideas.
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2 comments:
Though expediated by Reagonomics, the American tendancy towards pure capitalism (or objectivism) has been here from the start. The poor pilgrims were sponsored to come over to America by business men who took advantage of them. Pilgrims were starving while they tried to pay back the predatory loans of their British sponsors. Later, in the nineteenth century, unrestricted capitalism led to big business employing thousands of children to do dangerous work. Also, the plight of pure capitalism helped make slave traders obsurdly rich. This is a long-standing problem.
The solution is to embrace a mixed socialist-capitalist system, as you are suggesting. Health care, infrastructure, and defense must be ran and stewarded by the state. Technological innovation, consumer products, and retail must be run by the capitalists, but stewarded by government over-sight to keep everyone safe and honest.
Americans must stop believing in systems and start believing in each other. They must lose their fear of compromise, plurality, and solution-based thinking. These are good things and in no way dangerous to growth and innovation in the business sector. If anything, a little socialism may save capitlaism in the long run.
Very well put, sis. I didn't realize this started even before industrialization. Wisdom of the ages only becomes so when we are well informed and willing to learn.
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