Capitalism of the 21st Century

In the current global economic system, capitalism reigns supreme, not in the fact that it is 'better' for our overall well being or for our future prosperity, but in the fact that it is ruthless and does not allow for an alternative economic system to even exist. Capitalism, as it stands today, is only concerned about one side of the systems production equation, the numerical profits derived from both real resources and labor, as well as imaginary and fictitious commodities that do not serve anything or anybody except for the system itself and the insider fat-cats that feed upon it. The goals of 21st century capitalism have mutated beyond free enterprise to something grotesque, a system of extraction, much like the vampire extracting the victims blood, putting them into a blissful slumber as the life blood is drained away leaving a shriveled husk behind. So it is with our global economy, the 'life blood' from the earth and from its people in terms of products and services are extracted for the growth of mere numbers in a banks computer, numbers that give power and control to those with the largest value in their account. Large corporations and the 'top 1%'  are the heads of what is tantamount to a globalized Ponzi scheme where very few will benefit and the rest of us and our beautiful Earth will be left out to dry. The vast masses of people in our global economy have bought into this scheme, hook line and sinker, not able to see past the facade of glitz , glamour and power that is promised to them if they merely work hard and take part in this system, paying their dues and climbing the ladder. And for those that do see the current system for what it is, they are powerless to escape it or really offer up an alternative that can out maneuver the capitalistic machine on the personal and global level. For the participants in this system, no payout now will be sufficient to cover the debts and damages have been accrued on our future security and on the planet that we all depend. There is no reality based justification for this model any longer.  Why then, do people so easily follow and take part in such a system that is so morally bankrupt and self serving, so extremely near sided and only really benefiting the few? Well, this kind of thing can be seen throughout mankind's history, that the masses are so very easily indoctrinated and persuaded by those in power by telling fanciful lies to placate the populous. We see this in religion after religion, government after government, in nation states that become inevitably become empire states. It is the belief held by the many that gives such power to the few, a belief that burns as religious fervor, and beyond, allowing the populous to sanctify the powers that be so that they remain in power despite the obvious perversions and inevitable downfall of this system. The corruptions and peddled lies continue as social norms and economic 'imperatives' with everyone waving the banner of progress and the flag of democracy as we march ourselves over the cliff.

The crux of the issue has to do with the finite state of physical materials and natural resources. The current economic system we call capitalism has its foundation based upon the idea that these resources are limitless, that no matter what, growth on every front can and ought to be obtained. The DOW Jones and the NASDAQ ought to go up. Up is good, down is bad, always keep the market in the green. Go as high as you can for as long as you can, in perpetuity. What do those numbers represent, at least in part? Companies profits (ignoring the other ways they make profits for now, like creating money out of thin air essentially done both by the Fed as well as venture capitalists). How do companies make profits? Traditionally, they obtain money from goods and services offered by them and their employees. In order to have profits grow they need to provide more services and products. How do they do that? They grow larger, have more employees to provide more services and obtain more products to sell more of. More people, more things. But people require resources to live as well, so more people means more food, water, shelter, gas, space and death of other lifeforms so we can continue to grow as a human mass of consumers and producers.