Waxing Politically

One of the things I read lately is that Americans are supposedly split on how to feel about Obama's tax plan. The overwhelming majority who have almost nothing in terms of material wealth feel that the wealth should be spread around. However, they're also weary because they have aspirations of one day becoming wealthy.

It's too ridiculous for words. Of those 200-million+ that aspire to be wealthy, how many are even going to make it to anywhere near a wealthy standard of living? The numbers have shown that the number of people controlling the majority of the wealth has dwindled and the disparity between the rich and the poor is the greatest it's ever been. I don't put it past most Americans to not know that fact since the country cannot even compete in terms of educational performance. A dismally small number of 4th graders can even find Canada on a map. Canada!

Most Americans are deeply in debt. They own very little of their possessions outright. They make payments on their cars only to take on a new one once that's paid off. Car makers are happy to oblige them of this habit by making cars with a 5 year expected life (which just also happens to be the length of term of most financing agreements). Cars from previous eras were made to last a lifetime with proper maintenance, and a lot of them still shine on the road because they receive just a little TLC. They bought (and still buy) houses they can't afford, paying twice the cost of the house when the mortgage is finally paid off. If the mortgage ever gets paid off. Usually they'll try to sell the house for a "profit" and move to another house, starting the cycle over again. The "profit" they make in the sale rarely, if ever, is even equal to the price of the house plus the interest they've paid up until that point. I don't even want to imagine the number of people who don't even own the food that they've eaten. It's just mind-boggling.

The greatest lie of capitalism is not that anyone can become wealthy, it's the supposition that everyone can become wealthy. The flaw in that reasoning comes when one posits the simple query, "If everyone is wealthy, who's going to be doing all the work?" Of course, in tribal societies they already realized this fallacy - albeit largely subconsciously. I refer to the modern version of a teaching of Zhuangzi:
The Mexican Fisherman

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican.

"But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs...I have a full life."

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you!

"You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat. With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers.

"Instead of selling your fish to a middleman, you can negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied the American.

"And after that?"

"Afterwards? That's when it gets really interesting," answered the American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?"

"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta, and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends!"

The difference between the more egalitarian and socialist structures of tribal societies and capitalist societies such as our own is that while we are constantly being told to acquire, acquire, acquire, while they instead enjoy a far richer unapportioned wealth of a full life.