Being the Bridge
I remember when I used to be an armed security guard in New Mexico. I was tasked with working an event in New Mexico in Santa Fe. At the time I was a pretty gung-ho Libertarian and I remember meeting up with this guy who was a self avowed socialist. When one considers the spectrum, it seemed like we would be on the path to an argument.
Instead we talked. I forget all of the details of the conversation but the end product had us share our idealized economic worlds. I envisioned a little town trading with one another so that everyone could prosper. He envisioned a little town helping one another so that everyone could prosper. In our idealized worlds our economic plans worked out, so that everyone flourished.
I think about that conversation a lot. How two opposing economic views ended up with a very similar product in the end. A while ago it boggled my mind. "How?" I would ask myself. Well fast forward to where I am now looking at the economic reality that is our current system.
It seems like that discussion I had so long ago has exploded on to the national stage with the advent of Covid-19. Socialism vs Free Market Capitalism. Lest you think this is a post pushing for one or the other that isn't the case at all.
Frankly, we have to admit that both are faulty. Socialism is not perfect. Free Market Capitalism is not perfect. Unlike my conversation with the bearded socialist, sin and corruption end up marring both systems. Now to be clear...I am not in need of convincing that your system is better, I have no desire to get into that fight.
When Walmart comes to town it has obliterated small businesses. Amazon has such crazy infrastructure in place that they are THRIVING during a pandemic that has otherwise tanked small businesses. Because, at its core Capitalism is just survival of the fittest but for businesses. One fish gets bigger and bigger accumulating more money, power, and political influence. Its an abuse of the system.
Likewise states like Illinois can have huge public expenses and entitlement programs that strangle the rest of the state. The poor cannot even afford to buy a house. The middle class have to give up a significant part of their salary for some public servant on retirement to be drawing a 6 figure income in retirement. Frankly its an abuse of the system.
As you are reading you may be thinking, "But that is CRONY Capitalism!" or "Thats not real Socialism!"But, herein lies the rub that neither side likes to admit. Capitalism and Socialism are both capable of being manipulated and abused. Socialists point to the abuses they see in Capitalism and Capitalists point to the abuses they see in Socialism.
Both are correct, because the heart of the issue is the unwritten social contract that everyone points to and believes exists. You (x) are not gonna cheat me.
Instead though, it seems like the social contract is being broken all over the place. Companies lay off their employees when it is inconvenient or for profit (like one of my favorite previous companies Blizzard). Government takes more then it should in some places, or does not provide adequate care in some places. Both are faulty.
Maybe there is something wrong within a system that has allowed for mega companies and billionaires to have significantly more influence than the normal person. Maybe there is something wrong within a government system that is allowed to create winners and losers within the free market. Maybe there is a wiser and more judicious use of tax dollars then on government programs that are unneeded.
And, rather then starting from a position of superiority, conceit, and disdain when entering into discussions around economics and politics, perhaps...perhaps we can instead acknowledge that corruption is real and evident in every economic system.
Perhaps we can start off with humility and realize that real life breathing, living, bleeding people have been hurt by each system. People have starved to death in Socialism and people have been enslaved by Capitalism. And, if we can start there perhaps we can also realize that each system has some good to it as well. The small business owner who gives back to his community. The parks my children can play in. The awesome creativity that has been allowed to develop under a Free Market. The young married couple who gets pregnant to early and cant afford the thousands of dollars for a safe pregnancy and so medicaid helps them out, so they are not financially destitute.
Maybe instead of just yelling over each other, we can take a moment to acknowledge one another's humanity and realize they came by their point of view honestly. Perhaps we can discuss and deliberate as opposed to resorting to the same kind of sneering that the snake did in the Garden of Eden with Even. Maybe we can realize we are all culpable. Maybe we can realize that we are just as much part of the problem as those whom we demonize and mock. And, maybe if we can start with that we can all get closer to that idealized version of the little town that both the Socialist and the Libertarian came up with.
Peace.
Instead we talked. I forget all of the details of the conversation but the end product had us share our idealized economic worlds. I envisioned a little town trading with one another so that everyone could prosper. He envisioned a little town helping one another so that everyone could prosper. In our idealized worlds our economic plans worked out, so that everyone flourished.
I think about that conversation a lot. How two opposing economic views ended up with a very similar product in the end. A while ago it boggled my mind. "How?" I would ask myself. Well fast forward to where I am now looking at the economic reality that is our current system.
It seems like that discussion I had so long ago has exploded on to the national stage with the advent of Covid-19. Socialism vs Free Market Capitalism. Lest you think this is a post pushing for one or the other that isn't the case at all.
Frankly, we have to admit that both are faulty. Socialism is not perfect. Free Market Capitalism is not perfect. Unlike my conversation with the bearded socialist, sin and corruption end up marring both systems. Now to be clear...I am not in need of convincing that your system is better, I have no desire to get into that fight.
When Walmart comes to town it has obliterated small businesses. Amazon has such crazy infrastructure in place that they are THRIVING during a pandemic that has otherwise tanked small businesses. Because, at its core Capitalism is just survival of the fittest but for businesses. One fish gets bigger and bigger accumulating more money, power, and political influence. Its an abuse of the system.
Likewise states like Illinois can have huge public expenses and entitlement programs that strangle the rest of the state. The poor cannot even afford to buy a house. The middle class have to give up a significant part of their salary for some public servant on retirement to be drawing a 6 figure income in retirement. Frankly its an abuse of the system.
As you are reading you may be thinking, "But that is CRONY Capitalism!" or "Thats not real Socialism!"But, herein lies the rub that neither side likes to admit. Capitalism and Socialism are both capable of being manipulated and abused. Socialists point to the abuses they see in Capitalism and Capitalists point to the abuses they see in Socialism.
Both are correct, because the heart of the issue is the unwritten social contract that everyone points to and believes exists. You (x) are not gonna cheat me.
Instead though, it seems like the social contract is being broken all over the place. Companies lay off their employees when it is inconvenient or for profit (like one of my favorite previous companies Blizzard). Government takes more then it should in some places, or does not provide adequate care in some places. Both are faulty.
Maybe there is something wrong within a system that has allowed for mega companies and billionaires to have significantly more influence than the normal person. Maybe there is something wrong within a government system that is allowed to create winners and losers within the free market. Maybe there is a wiser and more judicious use of tax dollars then on government programs that are unneeded.
And, rather then starting from a position of superiority, conceit, and disdain when entering into discussions around economics and politics, perhaps...perhaps we can instead acknowledge that corruption is real and evident in every economic system.
Perhaps we can start off with humility and realize that real life breathing, living, bleeding people have been hurt by each system. People have starved to death in Socialism and people have been enslaved by Capitalism. And, if we can start there perhaps we can also realize that each system has some good to it as well. The small business owner who gives back to his community. The parks my children can play in. The awesome creativity that has been allowed to develop under a Free Market. The young married couple who gets pregnant to early and cant afford the thousands of dollars for a safe pregnancy and so medicaid helps them out, so they are not financially destitute.
Maybe instead of just yelling over each other, we can take a moment to acknowledge one another's humanity and realize they came by their point of view honestly. Perhaps we can discuss and deliberate as opposed to resorting to the same kind of sneering that the snake did in the Garden of Eden with Even. Maybe we can realize we are all culpable. Maybe we can realize that we are just as much part of the problem as those whom we demonize and mock. And, maybe if we can start with that we can all get closer to that idealized version of the little town that both the Socialist and the Libertarian came up with.
Peace.
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