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Capitalism’s Filthy Engine
Poverty
Ok, right, I’m not an economist. I’m not an expert. I don’t know an exchange-traded derivative from an MSCI EAFE Index. You do? Cool, you can wow me with your investment savvy in the comments.
What I am is — against all the odds — mostly solvent (I tagged along to some Debtors Anonymous meetings several years ago and know some of the lingo).
I also am living at the friendly edge of poverty. I’ve spent a good chunk of my life at the unfriendly edge of poverty and plan on never returning. But in reality, that’s not wholly under our control. There’s an engine that grinds up good little worker bees like us and we can do only so much to avoid that fate. Live within our means. Pay off all credit card debt immediately. Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables and get eight hours of sleep every night. Basic stuff.
That engine is Capitalism. We’re constantly being told about the glories of Capitalism. How it’s lifted 100,000,000 people in China out of poverty. How it drives innovation, competition, and good, old, American-Know-How. Who is telling us this crap? Well, Capitalism has some very loud cheerleaders.
We know them by the Rolex’s on their wrists and the way their drivers bring the Benz around when they’re done talking down to us.
