Thursday, October 8, 2009

Thanks for capitalism

To mark the approach of Thanksgiving weekend William Watson has penned an excellent column, "Giving thanks for capitalism":
... Maybe in the end material circumstances are not important. Maybe poverty would not prevent spiritual wealth. Maybe if we were poorer, we'd be happier, or more fulfilled. Most of us seem unwilling to take that chance, however. Thanks to the effort of those who came before us, thanks to our own efforts, we don't have to take that chance.
... Life might be better all round if as a species we weren't acquisitive. But we do seem to be acquisitive. And it has brought hundreds of millions of us to a standard of living that while probably pitiful by the standards of the future is astounding by the standards of the past.
... Excessive acquisitiveness we usually call "greed." Critics of capitalism, from Marx to Moore, see it as a system founded on greed. Acquisitiveness and self-interest are clearly key to capitalism. But is most people's acquisitiveness really excessive? Is the desire to work hard, to save and to better oneself really "greed"?
... who's to say what's excessive? One man's obsession is another man's passion. We admire obsession in sports, entertainment and the arts. [And let’s not forget science and the obsessions of people like Albert Einstein and Richard Feynman.]
... The only place such obsession is regarded as hurtful or evil is business. Outside business it's regarded as "dedication."
... some participants in capitalism probably are motivated by "greed." But the acquisitiveness that motivates the rest of us is normal and healthy and something we should be thankful for.
Amen!

7 comments:

  1. I love Richard Feynman!

    But, to the point...

    Acquiring things - the desire to do so and the actual doing so - is a survival technique. My great-grand-mother lived through BOTH World Wars (as in, in the middle, not watching it from the other side of the Globe).

    She never threw anything away.

    She would even save empty cartons from sugar and flour - because you never knew when another war would come and these might come in handy for something.... OK - it looked peculiar. But, given her life experience, it kind of made sense.

    Now, please, consider that OUR experience - living our lives in relative peace and prosperity - is NOT the NORM!!! Really, it is not usual - if one looks at the history of the human race. So, is the compulsion to 'acquire' and 'save up' stuff really as illogical a trait as our current circumstances make it seem?

    OK - we have gone soft. And, we are often 'acquiring' for the sake of 'acquiring' - not because of any conscious effort to prepare ourselves for leaner times. My point is, however, that the impulse itself is an evolutionary mechanism, and important one that helped us survive till now.

    Plus, we have taken the very impulse which helped us survive and adapted it into one which improves our standard of living. Let's face it - without the consumer, wishing to acquire the best and the latest, there would not be the progress in technology and rise in living standard that we have come to see as 'natural'!

    Disparaging this very useful and important impulse seems rather disrespectful to our ancestors, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  2. All you say is true. This time and place we live in is not the norm but far better than most, if not all. And as you (and Watson) say this is thanks to our naturally aquisitve nature - something to be accepted, valued and exploited rather than disparaged.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello dude!

    1gbps connection, 10 terabyte bandwidth powerful VPS for only 10.95!

    http://www.hostomosto.com

    See you

    ReplyDelete
  4. great information you write it very clean. I am very lucky to get this tips from you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I would like to thank You for being the member of this website. Please allow me to have the possibility to express my satisfaction with Host Gator web hosting. They offer professional and fast support and they also offer some [url=http://www.aboutus.org/HostingHostGatorCoupons.com ]Hostgator coupon codes[/url].

    I like HostGator hosting, you will too.

    http://phutinh.net/4rum//member.php?u=2322

    ReplyDelete
  6. [b][url=http://www.louisvuittonbagssalenow.co.uk/]louis vuitton purses[/url][/b] Having said that, just before she experienced her appointment she witnessed blood in her urine and concerned for her kid's safety she went to discover her principal care doctor instantly. For the medical center her medical professional advised her that her boy or girl didn't have got a soul conquer and established by ultrasound that her newborn was not alive. Following the delivery of her stillborn boy or girl, her major treatment physician knowledgeable her which the membranes with the amniotic sac ended up ruptured.

    [b][url=http://www.outletonlinestore.co.uk/]www.outletonlinestore.co.uk[/url][/b] This trend household has frequently intrigued legendary designs, beautiful actresses which includes Jennifer Lopez and Madonna in internet marketing campaigns. Famous people in Louis Vuitton style are Jessica Simpson, Milla Jovovich, Brooke Shields, Anne Hathaway, Heidi Klum, Kate Hudson, Claudia Schiffer. Phony Louis Vuitton Purses The monogram Louis Vuitton lines usually are not basically restricted for that beige on chestnut style and model, but have now expanded to incorporate numerous varieties this kind of because the Multicolor Monogram plus the Mini Lin collections.

    [b][url=http://www.bestbagsonlinestore.com/]www.bestbagsonlinestore.com[/url][/b] Purse basic developments alternate hurriedly you are going to learn thinking about ladies paucity to herald the women handbag by making use of well-nigh most up-to-date fads. Numerous businesses provender an essential group of handbags with plenty actions and hues. It's attainable to get a merchandise which incorporates a monumental solution of product.

    [b][url=http://www.cheapuggsonlinesale.co.uk/]cheap ugg boots[/url][/b] The entire world is getting techno-prone; folks have grown utilized to machines. One accesses and operates the devices whole day, the considered as well as function processes of our head are mirrored with the outputs given through the machinery, simply because it is the devices, who perform for us nowadays. The only real overall body part, which is effective actively using the operating of your machines, is mind.

    [b][url=http://www.toplouisvuittonhandbags.co.uk/]louis vuitton outlet[/url][/b] Yet another position that I typically search for snook is all-around causeways. You will discover mangroves alongside a lot of of Florida's causeways and in involving them is access to the h2o. These are excellent sites to fish. You can find a straightforward to follow wizard that receives you put in place plus the course instantly checks and downloads new patches and updates. You may as well use applications like Major Fix, a absolutely free program that always checks your existing laptop safety towards updates and immediately downloading fixes and patches to maintain your personal computer running technique safety up-to-date. Significant deal with is just not an anti-virus plan.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Have you ever noticed that 99% of coincidences presents us with a favorable outcome? Can you say miracle?Now I want to give you 5 steps to help you pass life's exam It brings joy to give awayI know this first step may not be as clear[url=http://patriotsofficialshop.com/]Rob Gronkowski Authentic Jersey[/url]
    as we would like it to be considering all the things that happen in our lives
    Be mindful to add more into your life We tell ourselves we are good people for doing this type of work[url=http://patriotsofficialshop.com/]Red Rob Gronkowski Jersey[/url]
    tighten our belts[url=http://texansfootballstore.com/]Arian Foster Kids Jersey[/url]
    and carry onand I can recommend a book on this subject which I bought and later decided not to read

    ReplyDelete