The Other C Word
Is reality about words or is it about, you know, about reality?
I’ve said, on another occasion, “What’s in a name?” The phrase is by Shakespeare who has Romeo recognize that “ A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
I have a healthy concern for the way people throw names around, with little thought for, well, how much they smell. How often do we use terms like ‘democracy’, ‘freedom’, ‘education’, ‘socialism,’ and ‘capitalism’? Now, how well are they defined? Generally, not very well.
Those terms could all use closer examination of their DEFFINITIONS, never mind their relative values. Right now, I’m making it about ‘capitalism’. What is it? Do you know? Chances are, you are either in favor of it, or opposed to it. But, what IS it?
The textbook definition goes something along the lines of “Capitalism is an economic system in which concentrations of capital (money) are employed to provide more efficient means of production.” Well, OK, NOW we know what capitalism is. Right? Books have been written on the subject, and it wouldn’t hurt to read some of them. But for now, I’m going to talk less about what capitalism is, and discuss instead what people’s perceptions are.
Let’s have some examples of some perceptions. “Capitalists are those mean, greedy fossil fuel companies who have no problem with crushing the middle class and destroying the planet in order to chase after bigger profits.” Here’s another perception. “Solar and wind will reduce man’s CO2 output and save the planet. So will EV’s.”
The more astute have seen where I’m going: All the above, fossil fuel companies, solar and wind companies, and EV makers are examples of capitalism. They are identical in that regard. None of those products could be produced without capitalism. So, why do some people universally denounce the capitalism of fossil fuel companies, yet fail to notice that those other companies are also examples of capitalism? So, is capitalism good, or is it bad? Do fossil fuel companies pay their employees better or worse than solar, wind, and EV companies? How about benefits? I’m guessing you don’t really know, and honestly, I don’t either. So, why is there such a negative vibe about capitalism? Why do its detractors universally condemn it by name, but gladly accept it, unnamed, when employed to make solar panels and EVs? As a side note, I got into a ‘discussion’ with a hater of capitalism and fossil fuels who specifically condemned Exxon Mobil and gleefully predicted their demise as battery powered cars took over. I had to break the news to him the Exxon Mobil is heavily invested in the lithium production that is essential to those batteries.
Now, for a completely different subject, COVID. Chances are, you are either a proponent of vaccines, or you are at least marginally opposed to them. I’m not here to say what is or isn’t good about them. But the companies that create and distribute the vaccines are (wait for it) capitalists. Without capitalist pharmaceutical companies, there would be no vaccines. The irony is that, near as I can tell, the people who are most vehemently opposed to capitalism are also the most blindly obedient to vaccine mandates. Such people currently support the pharmaceutical industry in producing the vaccines at taxpayer expense and forcing everyone to get shots. Huh?
But vaccines aren’t all that pharmaceutical companies make. They also make opioids such as OxyContin. No, there isn’t big overlap between the COVID vaccine producers and the OxyContin makers, but Johnson and Johnson is one of them.
So, what’s in a name, especially when the name is ‘Capitalism’? I really am not concerned with who likes it or doesn’t. I am concerned with why. If a person has a full comprehension of an issue, I’m willing to accept their judgement, regardless of the degree to which their judgement matches mine. As I have been stressing in much of what I write, I am greatly concerned with the degree to which people form their ‘opinions’ around perceptions. The term ‘opinion’ implies a degree of knowledge. To simply believe as instructed, with little to no examination, does not deserve to be called ‘Opinion’.
The book A Mercy although fictional describes plantation slavery well. The author won a Nobel prize
The slaves grew their own food. I view it as a form of capitalism as the plantation owner put up the capital slaves and indentured servants did the work
Machines did not exist in 1600s and 1700s to do the work
As Aristotle wrote Civilization requires either machines or slaves
By civilization he meant time to read philosophy books and not do any work
As a descendant of slaves told me slaves became very expensive in America once the shipments of new slaves from aftrica stopped due to restrictions
It’s a subject worth examining. Something I myself have been reading a bit on. There has been a market for perhaps 100 thousand years. Archaeologists are studying that. So can have a market without capitalism
I read Ayn Rands books made a serious effort at understanding her ideas. There was no place for children in her system they were sort of like zoo animals. Because increasing wealth was the only thing that mattered. So is money the goal or human existence and actualization. Are many different philosophies. Positivism and or progress is actually a philosophy. Pragmatism another one.Stoicism another. Individualism. Nietzsche to paraphrase said there is a personal philosophy for anyone who takes it seriously. Otherwise it’s unconscious
Words are not enough that’s the struggle
Capitalism in simplest form is use money to make more money. No morality there beyond don’t lose money. Capitalism was fine with slavery etc.
Max Stirner has an interesting book on individualism the Ego and its Own that pushes you to think about your values and assumptions