Our government is once again using fear as a tactic, but this time it isn't rationalized as a reason to go to war. Maybe they don't realize they're doing it this time. We are frightened to death of change. Yes, I know we just elected a leader who promised to bring "change" to the country, but what I'm talking about is systematic change. We are afraid to lose our way of life. This needs a little historical introduction as a headnote to get everyone on the same train of thought.
In the 1700s the English and French began discussing the nature of nature. They asked themselves, what was it all like before these creations of man? How did mankind exist when it was analogous to animals? What made man tansform into the creature he is today? SELF INTEREST. Then, having discussed how society functioned in State of Nature, they discussed what improvements were most effective. These thinkers came up with three ideas that are essential to cooperation in the Human race, only three limits that ought to be placed on self interest that actually increase the productive powers of self interest: the rights to life, liberty, and property. In the 1700s the Scots thought up something great. They theorized that by making the economy (the method in which humans interact with material goods) equivalent to the state of nature they could use this most inherent of human characteristics to increase productivity and raise the standard of living for all. In this capitalist system, the strong and smart would prevail while the weak and timid fail.
We are nearly scared to death of Capitalism. If our banks fail, we die, apparantly. What we don't realize is this failure is the very thing that makes capitalism work! If life is one large learning experience, then mistakes are good for our future. If we do not fail, there can be no progress. The system that we have obviously is not perfect. By bailing out these large financial institutions we are preserving an imperfect system so as to not take that leap of innovation and adaptation. The only real way to influence business is to show that it is unprofitable to engage in a course of action. By bailing out the large financial institutions we are negating that effect. If we truly are capitalist we should stop acting in this manner.
If we are not capitalist, then we should stop teaching it in schools and stop proclaiming it to the world. Capitalism allowed a Nation to rise in this land. It allowed immigrants a place where their hard work was not co-opted by another's interest. It gave them the opportunity to act in a self interested way. In fact, the self interest is the only reason they are here in the first place!
There are no barriers in the country, yet we set a dangerous precedent in these recent acts. We now proclaim: We are capitalist untill stormy seas appear on the horizon. That is unacceptable in my eyes. Adapt and survive. Let the weak fall and the strong rise to take their place. These are the laws that govern nature and supposedly our economic theory. Its about time we started looking to it.
as a side note:
http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=21879&news_iv_ctrl=1021
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