I was asked, "Objectivsm is basically common sense. Why do you think so many people fail to use it, or understand it? Why is it not taught more? What would be the state of our country, if more people realized that their happiness is their obligation, and not mine?"
Objectivism is basically what it takes most people all their lives to figure out: that the only person you can rely on in life is yourself. Being successful, or winning, feels good because it is right. There is nothing to be ashamed of if you are better than someone else. If you fail there is nothing to be ashamed of as long as you learned something. People fail to use it, or understand it for several reasons; the first being that most people are lazy and stupid. The second reason is that our public schools are run by the government, and the government desires citizens who are lazy and stupid. If the population is lazy and stupid, then the government has free reign to tax, pass laws, etc. No Child Left Behind was designed to make every child as dumb as the dumbest student. The third reason is religion. Christianity states, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." The Bahá'í Faith states, "Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself." Judaism, "The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself." Taoism, "Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss." As you can see, the them of putting other people's interests before your own is a common theme in religion.
Some people claim that these religious edicts are alterations of the golden rule. The golden rule is to treat others as you want to be treated. Nowhere in there does it say put others before yourself. Objectivism takes that one step further and brings in a component of value. Only items or services that have a value for you are to be sought, and something of value will be given in exchange. People who aren't fair or valuable need not be dealt with. An object's value derives from within you. A certain book may not be worth much to others, but it might be worth over $100 to me. If you don't like the book, you are under no obligation to buy it. This is where the government and religion take the counterpoint role to Objectivism.
According to the government and religion, poor people are the responsibility of the wealthy. According to Objectivism, the poor are their own responsibility just as the wealthy are only responsible for themselves. Now, if you receive a value from helping poor people, be it monetary or pride, then it is a noble cause. To pass a law or preach a doctrine that if you don't help poor people you are the scum of society, is completely wrong. Objectivism is about doing what you want for reasons that you understand. Slavery is about doing what other people want for reasons you do not understand. The government, the schools, and the religious institutions want slaves. No, they're not going to break out the whips and chains. They do not want physical slaves, they want mental slaves. They want control of our brains, our thoughts, and our feelings. This is why more people do not see the value of Objectivism. From birth they are told to love others more than they love themselves, that being selfish is evil, and that if you trust in God, the government, or any authority figure, you need or want will be provided.
Entitlement is for the weak, the lazy, the uninformed, the selfless. If everyone realized their happiness was their own responsibility, we would live in a completely different society. All this would take is for everyone to realize that their actions lead to consequences. These consequences could be good or bad, but every action leads to some other action. If you steal, you might be arrested. If you work hard, you may be rewarded. If people took responsibility for their own lives, there would be less whining, and I would have to buy less Advil. Under the current system, this will never happen.
Right now I work for money and you work for money. However, we are not being paid money. We are being paid with fancy pieces of paper that are backed by nothing other than the word of the goverment. The government tells us, "These pieces of paper are worth something, we promise." The truth is they are worth nothing. Our money is not backed by gold, silver, bronze, stainless steel, aluminum, rubies, diamonds, or even sand. Our money is backed by the word of our government. The International Monetary Fund ensured that no other currency would be backed by gold, forcing countries wanting to join the IMF to sell their gold and silver.
If our government collapsed, everyone would be broke. If our money was backed by gold, our money would still have a value even without the government, as we could trade our dollars in for gold, which we could use to trade for goods and services from anybody in the world. If we were an objectivist nation, we would have currency backed by gold (or something else of value), we would not have government run programs (other than the military, the police, and the court system), we would have low taxes (more like a annual membership fee), we would be allowed to succeed on our own, and we would be responsible only for ourselves. Sure there would still be lazy people, but they would not be in a position of power, they would be destitute.
We are a nation of non-earners. Those who earn are forced to give their earnings to the government. Non-earners receive money, from the government, for the sole reason that they earn nothing. Objectivism does not reward anyone, rather, those who are earners earn rewards and those who are non-earners do not earn anything. Objectivism's rule of gold is, "Those with value receive value, those without value receive no value." Note that value is not defined. Value is anything that the individual places worth upon. It could be money, gold, pride, friendship, or any number of other items.
The first step to creating an Objectivist country is to understand that the only person you should love as yourself, is yourself. Nobody else even comes close.
© 2010 Nate Phillipps
Showing posts with label no child left behind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label no child left behind. Show all posts
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Right To Entitlement
This past weekend, my brothers, friends and I wanted to go play some mini-golf at Como Zoo in the cities. It was a Sunday, and the place was packed. We pulled into a parking lot, I was driving, and every space was full. There were two cars in front of us, driving the horseshoe hoping a few cars would pull out so we'd have a place to park. One car pulled out, and the lead car pulled in. The car in front of us rounded the bend, and two families were getting into their cars, so that was spaces for them and us.
The first car pulled out, and the new lead car pulled into that space. The second car pulled out, and I went to park in that space, when a lady ran to the middle of the parking space and stood there. I inched forward and she held her hand up to me. I honked my horn, and she pretended to ignore me. I rolled down my window and I asked her what she thought she was doing. She said, "I'm saving this spot for my friends who are on their way."
It was too hot outside and I was too tired from the weekend to get out and cause a scene, but in retrospect I should have, because as I drove on, I saw another open spot. This open spot also already had a female inhabitant. This female inhabitant was twice as rude as the first one, telling me, "I'm not moving child." In an effort not to unleash my unholy rage at a children's zoo, I politely swore at her and drove on. We had to park about a mile away, and walk back. I settled for reporting them to security, even though they were probably long gone by the time security got to the parking lot.
This whole ordeal got me thinking about entitlement. Am I entitled to those parking spaces? Only if I can physically park my car in that spot before anyone else does. When somebody cuts you off and steals your space you're mad, but at least they have a car and are using the parking space for its intended purpose. So that lead me to ask, do those women have any right to those parking spaces?
If those two women were walking down the middle of a highway, they would be deemed a safety risk and the cops would be called. Now, I'm all for everyone having the right to stand where they want, but seriously, is this middle school? There's a line of cars waiting and you're going to stand in a parking lot and tell 20 people, who were able to bring their cars with them, that they can't park there? Obviously these women feel a strong sense of entitlement, strong enough that they believe they don't need a car to 'reserve' a parking space. On the grand scheme of things though, how high up are parking spaces?
My issue isn't so much the parking spaces. OK, at the most I got some more exercise and maybe my blood pressure was elevated for five minutes due to anger. My issue is their attitude, because you know they apply it to more than parking spaces. What kind of society do you have to grow up in to believe that you are entitled to anything and everything? The answer is ours.
It starts out, at the latest, in public schools. These are the institutions teaching our children. These institutions hand out trophies to the kids in last place, as well as the kids in first, because otherwise the kid in last place might feel bad. These institutions change their entire curriculum to ensure that no child is left behind, no matter how slow a learner. They actively and legally hold back the smart children. And on top of that, there's all the propaganda that is taught in their regular classes. Furthermore, there are parents out there who refuse to punish their children for bad behavior, saying they don't want to cause the child any discomfort. In reality, they are just being lazy by not teaching their children that actions have consequences. The consequence can be positive or negative, but every action has a consequence.
For example, had I kept driving towards the woman in the parking space, eventually she would have moved or I would have hit her. In either instance I could be charged with assault with a deadly weapon, or some similar charge. Every action has a consequence.
College is no better at doing away with a person's sense of entitlement. Scholarships are given to those who need, not those who earned. Scholarships are given to the teacher's pet, or the son of the mayor, not those who earned them. If you can play football, or another popular sport, you may be given a free ride, even if you can't write your own name.
After graduation you enter the workforce. This really doesn't do anything to curtail the sense of entitlement either. If you know the CEO or president you don't have to be the most qualified candidate. If the company is trying to fill it's affirmative action quota, you don't need to be the most qualified candidate. Pretty soon you don't feel that you need to earn a raise or promotion, rather, they should give it to you because it's yours. And as if that was not enough depravity, soon you are standing in parking spaces for no other reason than you deserve it, and those of us waiting with our cars don't.
© Nate Phillipps 2010
The first car pulled out, and the new lead car pulled into that space. The second car pulled out, and I went to park in that space, when a lady ran to the middle of the parking space and stood there. I inched forward and she held her hand up to me. I honked my horn, and she pretended to ignore me. I rolled down my window and I asked her what she thought she was doing. She said, "I'm saving this spot for my friends who are on their way."
It was too hot outside and I was too tired from the weekend to get out and cause a scene, but in retrospect I should have, because as I drove on, I saw another open spot. This open spot also already had a female inhabitant. This female inhabitant was twice as rude as the first one, telling me, "I'm not moving child." In an effort not to unleash my unholy rage at a children's zoo, I politely swore at her and drove on. We had to park about a mile away, and walk back. I settled for reporting them to security, even though they were probably long gone by the time security got to the parking lot.
This whole ordeal got me thinking about entitlement. Am I entitled to those parking spaces? Only if I can physically park my car in that spot before anyone else does. When somebody cuts you off and steals your space you're mad, but at least they have a car and are using the parking space for its intended purpose. So that lead me to ask, do those women have any right to those parking spaces?
If those two women were walking down the middle of a highway, they would be deemed a safety risk and the cops would be called. Now, I'm all for everyone having the right to stand where they want, but seriously, is this middle school? There's a line of cars waiting and you're going to stand in a parking lot and tell 20 people, who were able to bring their cars with them, that they can't park there? Obviously these women feel a strong sense of entitlement, strong enough that they believe they don't need a car to 'reserve' a parking space. On the grand scheme of things though, how high up are parking spaces?
My issue isn't so much the parking spaces. OK, at the most I got some more exercise and maybe my blood pressure was elevated for five minutes due to anger. My issue is their attitude, because you know they apply it to more than parking spaces. What kind of society do you have to grow up in to believe that you are entitled to anything and everything? The answer is ours.
It starts out, at the latest, in public schools. These are the institutions teaching our children. These institutions hand out trophies to the kids in last place, as well as the kids in first, because otherwise the kid in last place might feel bad. These institutions change their entire curriculum to ensure that no child is left behind, no matter how slow a learner. They actively and legally hold back the smart children. And on top of that, there's all the propaganda that is taught in their regular classes. Furthermore, there are parents out there who refuse to punish their children for bad behavior, saying they don't want to cause the child any discomfort. In reality, they are just being lazy by not teaching their children that actions have consequences. The consequence can be positive or negative, but every action has a consequence.
For example, had I kept driving towards the woman in the parking space, eventually she would have moved or I would have hit her. In either instance I could be charged with assault with a deadly weapon, or some similar charge. Every action has a consequence.
College is no better at doing away with a person's sense of entitlement. Scholarships are given to those who need, not those who earned. Scholarships are given to the teacher's pet, or the son of the mayor, not those who earned them. If you can play football, or another popular sport, you may be given a free ride, even if you can't write your own name.
After graduation you enter the workforce. This really doesn't do anything to curtail the sense of entitlement either. If you know the CEO or president you don't have to be the most qualified candidate. If the company is trying to fill it's affirmative action quota, you don't need to be the most qualified candidate. Pretty soon you don't feel that you need to earn a raise or promotion, rather, they should give it to you because it's yours. And as if that was not enough depravity, soon you are standing in parking spaces for no other reason than you deserve it, and those of us waiting with our cars don't.
© Nate Phillipps 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Sodomizing America
One of the main principles this country was founded upon is freedom of speech. Since then, the government has tried to find a way to silence all opposition. In order to silence us, the government does not need to take our voices or our ideas; all they need to do is remove our system of communication. If we have nowhere to communicate, we essentially have nothing to say.
President Obama is working on creating an 'internet kill switch' that he can use whenever he deems the internet to be a threat to national security. Quoted as saying, "I will tolerate debate on war policy but I won't tolerate division," one can see where Obama stands on free speech. As long as your speech matches Obama's speech, you are tolerated. If you differ from Obama, then you are no longer tolerable.
The beauty of America is that no matter what your belief, you are allowed to state your belief, and pursue your belief (as long as you aren't harming anyone else). What better example of freedom of speech is there than the internet? I can communicate my ideas with people all over the country, and all over the world. If Obama gets his kill switch, he will be able to stop the flow of communication, the flow of ideas. Sure, we can live without the internet, but the internet has surpassed the Postal Service as the number one delivery method of messages. An internet kill switch is the equivalent of shutting down the Post Office, or burning all the letters deposited in the mail box.
Obama isn't the only government official who wants to control the internet. The FCC has started the process to classify the internet as a public utility, which would grant the government a monopoly on internet services, internet packages, and internet control. The first sites to go will be sites like this one. Eventually, any site that doesn't agree with the party line will be shut down. The internet is the new printing press, and the government will do anything in its power to shut it down.
Another founding principle of America was the freedom from excessive taxes. After spending an unprecedented amount of money on failed businesses and failed countries, Obama needed a way to quickly raise some money What better way than taxes? Of course, he doesn't want to come right out and say he's raising taxes. Instead, Obama has tried to make us believe that he's raising taxes for our own good. Cash for clunkers was a program that used your tax money and my tax money to buy vehicles for people who subscribed to the party line. Have a gas guzzler that's responsible for global warming? Trade it in and the taxpayers will buy you a nice 'green' car.
Or, how about health care? Shouldn't everyone have health care? Isn't free health care the American dream? Who cares if it isn't, if you need it, the taxpayers will foot the bill. We won't even see one benefit from the health care bill before we go broke from trying to afford it. And as if the guilt trip from everyone's health isn't enough, we're also at war. You don't want to be seen as unpatriotic do you? Then you shouldn't question the government when they ask for more money. When they demand more money. When they forcefully take more money.
Owning the automotive industry, the banks, the health care industry, Wall Street and destroying the American spirit isn't enough for the government. It's just the beginning. Cap and trade, the internet, the oil industry, health and food, education are all sitting squarely in the government's sight. After that, they will more than likely go after mobile phones, newspapers, and books.
But it's not enough to stop there. The government wants complete and total control. Of the economic recovery of our country, President Obama said, "Recovery also requires countries not having an undue advantage." Obama wants us to surrender our American values. Our country was founded primarily on our belief that we have unalienable rights that nobody can take from us. We believe that our country is the best country in the world. We acknowledge we have problems, but we know that even with our problems, we are several times over a better country than any other on the planet.
Now Obama is trying to make us feel guilty for our success. He wants everybody to be equal in terms of wealth, happiness, and status. The equality America promises is the equality of being able to pursue what makes you happy. There is no guarantee about being happy, or being successful. There only the guarantee that you will be able to try. Instead of letting people rely on their abilities, Obama wants to force everybody to perform at the level of the least able. We have seen this before in the No Child Left Behind Act. Look what it's done for our school system. The government will not stop until we are all peons, serfs, servants and slaves.
They will be burning our freedom in piles. In that sense there will be no difference between books, computers, cell phones, the American flag, and the Constitution; all will be ash in the streets of Washington.
© Nate Phillipps 2010
President Obama is working on creating an 'internet kill switch' that he can use whenever he deems the internet to be a threat to national security. Quoted as saying, "I will tolerate debate on war policy but I won't tolerate division," one can see where Obama stands on free speech. As long as your speech matches Obama's speech, you are tolerated. If you differ from Obama, then you are no longer tolerable.
The beauty of America is that no matter what your belief, you are allowed to state your belief, and pursue your belief (as long as you aren't harming anyone else). What better example of freedom of speech is there than the internet? I can communicate my ideas with people all over the country, and all over the world. If Obama gets his kill switch, he will be able to stop the flow of communication, the flow of ideas. Sure, we can live without the internet, but the internet has surpassed the Postal Service as the number one delivery method of messages. An internet kill switch is the equivalent of shutting down the Post Office, or burning all the letters deposited in the mail box.
Obama isn't the only government official who wants to control the internet. The FCC has started the process to classify the internet as a public utility, which would grant the government a monopoly on internet services, internet packages, and internet control. The first sites to go will be sites like this one. Eventually, any site that doesn't agree with the party line will be shut down. The internet is the new printing press, and the government will do anything in its power to shut it down.
Another founding principle of America was the freedom from excessive taxes. After spending an unprecedented amount of money on failed businesses and failed countries, Obama needed a way to quickly raise some money What better way than taxes? Of course, he doesn't want to come right out and say he's raising taxes. Instead, Obama has tried to make us believe that he's raising taxes for our own good. Cash for clunkers was a program that used your tax money and my tax money to buy vehicles for people who subscribed to the party line. Have a gas guzzler that's responsible for global warming? Trade it in and the taxpayers will buy you a nice 'green' car.
Or, how about health care? Shouldn't everyone have health care? Isn't free health care the American dream? Who cares if it isn't, if you need it, the taxpayers will foot the bill. We won't even see one benefit from the health care bill before we go broke from trying to afford it. And as if the guilt trip from everyone's health isn't enough, we're also at war. You don't want to be seen as unpatriotic do you? Then you shouldn't question the government when they ask for more money. When they demand more money. When they forcefully take more money.
Owning the automotive industry, the banks, the health care industry, Wall Street and destroying the American spirit isn't enough for the government. It's just the beginning. Cap and trade, the internet, the oil industry, health and food, education are all sitting squarely in the government's sight. After that, they will more than likely go after mobile phones, newspapers, and books.
But it's not enough to stop there. The government wants complete and total control. Of the economic recovery of our country, President Obama said, "Recovery also requires countries not having an undue advantage." Obama wants us to surrender our American values. Our country was founded primarily on our belief that we have unalienable rights that nobody can take from us. We believe that our country is the best country in the world. We acknowledge we have problems, but we know that even with our problems, we are several times over a better country than any other on the planet.
Now Obama is trying to make us feel guilty for our success. He wants everybody to be equal in terms of wealth, happiness, and status. The equality America promises is the equality of being able to pursue what makes you happy. There is no guarantee about being happy, or being successful. There only the guarantee that you will be able to try. Instead of letting people rely on their abilities, Obama wants to force everybody to perform at the level of the least able. We have seen this before in the No Child Left Behind Act. Look what it's done for our school system. The government will not stop until we are all peons, serfs, servants and slaves.
They will be burning our freedom in piles. In that sense there will be no difference between books, computers, cell phones, the American flag, and the Constitution; all will be ash in the streets of Washington.
© Nate Phillipps 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
The Problem With Capitalism
Wherever I happen to be, I advocate capitalism. The liberals, and conservatives, forced a negative stigma on capitalism. When we are in a recession it is capitalism's fault, not over-regulation. When a company fails, it is capitalism's fault, not their poor business practices. It's no wonder that when I speak pro-capitalism, the response is invariably, "The problem with capitalism is..."
...it doesn't take into account minorities.
Capitalism takes into account everybody. Under capitalism, everybody would have an equal opportunity for success. Communism and socialism try to do away with class, race and status by employing a No Child Left Behind policy. Communism and socialism set the economic standard as the poorest citizen, and then aspire to drive everybody to that level of poverty. Communism and socialism use pity as their measuring stick. Capitalism uses ability as its measuring stick.
Nobody was created equal, at least, not in the sense the government would have you believe. My talents are different than your talents. I look different than you, I act different than you. You and I are not the same. I enjoy different activities than you. We don't make the same amount of money. What communism and socialism aim to do is to make everybody equal in the sense that we all make the same amount of money, all have the same number of cars, all have the same number of kids, all have the same job, and so on. The government believes that we are all entitled to happiness and success. That is not the American dream, and we don't have to look further than our own country to see the failings of this mentality.
When you have an economic system that 'takes minorities into account,' you end up with racism under the guise of affirmative action. Affirmative action breeds racism because it is racism. Affirmative action mandates that companies look no further than skin color when selecting their employees. Companies should only hire those most qualified for the job. They should not hire the blackest applicant, or the whitest applicant. They should hire the most-able applicant. Giving somebody handouts because of their skin color only encourages laziness and a sense of entitlement. You are entitled to what you can earn, nothing more. The concept of earning has been systematically dilluted with this concept of entitlement. Now we don't have to earn rewards, we are entitled to rewards. This mentality is being taught in our schools; you are rewarded for your faults and are told to hide your attributes.
I don't remember a time when a report came out that said America was on top in terms of world education. The No Child Left Behind act effectively hindered smart children by forcing them to advance at the same pace as the slowest children. When I was a kid, I read every book I could get my hands on. I don't remember the last time I saw anybody under the age of 40 reading a book. It amazes me how uneducated people as a whole are. It's not just that they are uneducated, it's that they don't even care to be educated. Part of this is the fault of our education system, part of it is the standards our society fosters, and part of it is the fault of those individuals who do not value knowledge.
In a truly capitalistic economy, there will be classes, there will be poor and there will be wealthy. The difference is that under capitalism, everybody has equal opportunity according to their ability, whereas under communism and socialism, everybody has a hindrance applied so that their ability matches those least-able. It's the pursuit of happiness we have a right to; we don't have a right to happiness.
...people who are greedy will continue to exploit the system and keep others down.
The first thing to remember is that currently, America is not a capitalist country. America has never been a truly capitalist country. Greed is not a bad thing, in the sense that you want to earn as much money as possible for your labor. In capitalism, corporations who employed evil practices (blackmail, bullying, shady accounting, etc.) would not be able to sustain themselves. We need to examine this on a more practical level.
Let's say you have a group 5 friends. Let's say that one of your friends is manipulative, bullying, and cheats, and you and your other four friends can't stand him because he takes advantage of you. We are going to examine two scenarios. The first scenario will be under our current government/economy here in America. To top off this evil friend's behavior, let's say that your mom absolutely adores him (either because she approves of his methods, or maybe because he is bribing her). Now, you and your friends can't stand him, and want to tell him to leave you guys alone. Before you are able to do that, your mom sits down and has a talk with you about how you should give him another chance, and that he's really a nice guy, if you could just see past his faults. She also says that if you don't get along with him, she will decrease your allowance, ground you, or take away some other 'privilege.' After the talk, you make the effort to get along with him because you love and trust your mom. Or, maybe she doesn't talk to you before. Maybe you and your friends tell this bully to go live his own life. Then he goes and talks to your mom and tells her that you have been treating him unfairly, so ultimately you are pressured into apologizing to him and giving him a second chance.
Under capitalism, you and your group of friends tell this cheater to leave you alone. Your mom doesn't say anything, regardless of how she feels, because she knows that you are an individual and can make your own choices and decisions. Or, she is still being bribed and tells you to give him another chance, but you aren't under any pressure from her because she doesn't hold any power over you (your allowance cannot be lowered because it is directly in proportion to your skill at executing your tasks, you can't be grounded because she has no right to your life, and she can't take away any privilege because that would be theft).
What happens to the bully? He ends up with no friends and nobody to bribe.
In order to be truly capitalist, there would have to be a drastic change in the mentality of our country, but I have a feeling that if we quit socialism cold-turkey and went to capitalism, that a majority of people would catch on pretty quick. In capitalism you don't get rewarded for failing, you get rewarded for achieving.
So what is the true problem with capitalism for its opponents?
The problem with capitalism is that the only person you can rely on is yourself. And that is a frightening thing for those who loath themselves, are fearful of their abilities, and embrace death. For those of us who are confident, able, and embracers of life, all we need are ourselves and the freedom to achieve.
© Nate Phillipps 2010
...it doesn't take into account minorities.
Capitalism takes into account everybody. Under capitalism, everybody would have an equal opportunity for success. Communism and socialism try to do away with class, race and status by employing a No Child Left Behind policy. Communism and socialism set the economic standard as the poorest citizen, and then aspire to drive everybody to that level of poverty. Communism and socialism use pity as their measuring stick. Capitalism uses ability as its measuring stick.
Nobody was created equal, at least, not in the sense the government would have you believe. My talents are different than your talents. I look different than you, I act different than you. You and I are not the same. I enjoy different activities than you. We don't make the same amount of money. What communism and socialism aim to do is to make everybody equal in the sense that we all make the same amount of money, all have the same number of cars, all have the same number of kids, all have the same job, and so on. The government believes that we are all entitled to happiness and success. That is not the American dream, and we don't have to look further than our own country to see the failings of this mentality.
When you have an economic system that 'takes minorities into account,' you end up with racism under the guise of affirmative action. Affirmative action breeds racism because it is racism. Affirmative action mandates that companies look no further than skin color when selecting their employees. Companies should only hire those most qualified for the job. They should not hire the blackest applicant, or the whitest applicant. They should hire the most-able applicant. Giving somebody handouts because of their skin color only encourages laziness and a sense of entitlement. You are entitled to what you can earn, nothing more. The concept of earning has been systematically dilluted with this concept of entitlement. Now we don't have to earn rewards, we are entitled to rewards. This mentality is being taught in our schools; you are rewarded for your faults and are told to hide your attributes.
I don't remember a time when a report came out that said America was on top in terms of world education. The No Child Left Behind act effectively hindered smart children by forcing them to advance at the same pace as the slowest children. When I was a kid, I read every book I could get my hands on. I don't remember the last time I saw anybody under the age of 40 reading a book. It amazes me how uneducated people as a whole are. It's not just that they are uneducated, it's that they don't even care to be educated. Part of this is the fault of our education system, part of it is the standards our society fosters, and part of it is the fault of those individuals who do not value knowledge.
In a truly capitalistic economy, there will be classes, there will be poor and there will be wealthy. The difference is that under capitalism, everybody has equal opportunity according to their ability, whereas under communism and socialism, everybody has a hindrance applied so that their ability matches those least-able. It's the pursuit of happiness we have a right to; we don't have a right to happiness.
...people who are greedy will continue to exploit the system and keep others down.
The first thing to remember is that currently, America is not a capitalist country. America has never been a truly capitalist country. Greed is not a bad thing, in the sense that you want to earn as much money as possible for your labor. In capitalism, corporations who employed evil practices (blackmail, bullying, shady accounting, etc.) would not be able to sustain themselves. We need to examine this on a more practical level.
Let's say you have a group 5 friends. Let's say that one of your friends is manipulative, bullying, and cheats, and you and your other four friends can't stand him because he takes advantage of you. We are going to examine two scenarios. The first scenario will be under our current government/economy here in America. To top off this evil friend's behavior, let's say that your mom absolutely adores him (either because she approves of his methods, or maybe because he is bribing her). Now, you and your friends can't stand him, and want to tell him to leave you guys alone. Before you are able to do that, your mom sits down and has a talk with you about how you should give him another chance, and that he's really a nice guy, if you could just see past his faults. She also says that if you don't get along with him, she will decrease your allowance, ground you, or take away some other 'privilege.' After the talk, you make the effort to get along with him because you love and trust your mom. Or, maybe she doesn't talk to you before. Maybe you and your friends tell this bully to go live his own life. Then he goes and talks to your mom and tells her that you have been treating him unfairly, so ultimately you are pressured into apologizing to him and giving him a second chance.
Under capitalism, you and your group of friends tell this cheater to leave you alone. Your mom doesn't say anything, regardless of how she feels, because she knows that you are an individual and can make your own choices and decisions. Or, she is still being bribed and tells you to give him another chance, but you aren't under any pressure from her because she doesn't hold any power over you (your allowance cannot be lowered because it is directly in proportion to your skill at executing your tasks, you can't be grounded because she has no right to your life, and she can't take away any privilege because that would be theft).
What happens to the bully? He ends up with no friends and nobody to bribe.
In order to be truly capitalist, there would have to be a drastic change in the mentality of our country, but I have a feeling that if we quit socialism cold-turkey and went to capitalism, that a majority of people would catch on pretty quick. In capitalism you don't get rewarded for failing, you get rewarded for achieving.
So what is the true problem with capitalism for its opponents?
The problem with capitalism is that the only person you can rely on is yourself. And that is a frightening thing for those who loath themselves, are fearful of their abilities, and embrace death. For those of us who are confident, able, and embracers of life, all we need are ourselves and the freedom to achieve.
© Nate Phillipps 2010
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