Issue #35, 11/28/2006

Capitalism Sucks

Capitalism is the best economic system in the world. It totally whooped Communism's ass during the Cold War! Capitalism brings us a plethora of consumer goods at reasonable prices, and it draws all of the world together into one big interconnected family. I love Capitalism. Capitalism is our friend.

Capitalism is also a leech sucking the life out of our societies, our neighborhoods and our families. It is wiping out all of our indigenous cultures and replacing them with a shallow worldwide culture of product acquisition. It is a tool of Satan. It is destroying our planet.

What is the great disease that is decimating the inner city, that is abusing and neglecting children, that is robbing the downtrodden of all hope? You may say drugs, but that is more of an opportunistic secondary infection that comes along later, after Capitalism has already broken people and robbed their lives of all meaning.

Capitalism assures that we will never be happy, because it surrounds us with advertizing that constantly reminds us of all we are missing. Advertizing has become our culture now, pushing all others aside. It constantly drills into us the products we must acquire to obtain happiness: a new fragrance, a new sports drink, a new Hummer H2, a hair color that makes us feel "worth it," a breathtaking new technological entertainment, a $100 pair of sneakers.

Once upon a time, we were Native Americans, we were Gaelic Irish, we had folklore, we had heritage, we knew our place in the world. Maybe it wasn't an enlightened culture, but it was something. It gave our lives structure and meaning. Now, we are all generic consumers, worshipping at the alter of Nike and McDonalds. The traditions of our forebears are almost a forgotten memory now. Now, nearly all of the culture that most people experience, from morning until night, is a Capitalist sales message: Buy, Buy, Buy!

And it is not really stuff we need, either. Most of what Capitalism is selling us is crap. Carbonated sugar water in a pretty package.

Have you ever stood in line in the supermarket behind someone who is using government food stamps to pay? Although they are obviously poor, what are they buying? Is it bread, meat, milk, fruit and eggs? No, it's Pop-Tarts, Sugar Smacks, frozen pizzas, soft drinks and candy—all of it brand name, rarely generic. There's nothing there but sugar and fat, wrapped up in a glittery media package. It's the stuff that Capitalism is continuously pushing on us.

And the person doing the buying is usually a tub of lard themselves. Poverty in America doesn't necessarily translate into emaciation, unless you're on drugs. Poverty translates into a broken spirit. You don't have enough resources, but still you are trying desperately to live up to the impossible standards that the Capitalist culture has set for you.

Once upon a time, there was a way to eat. Maybe in your home culture you had grits for breakfast, soup and a sandwich for lunch, and meat, veg and potatoes for dinner. Food was relatively scarce, and nothing was ever supersized. Now, thanks to the free reign of Capitalism, food is plentiful and relatively cheap, available 24/7 and crammed down our throat whether we're hungry or not.

Did you know that there is now a "Fourth Meal"? I learned about it at Taco Bell. It is the meal between dinner and breakfast—the one you don't need—and Taco Bell is now open during those hours to stuff it into you. Thank you, Capitalism, for giving us a meal we never knew we were missing!

Impoverished American neighborhoods, if transported to another country or era, would be prosperous places. They have, in theory, enough resources to support themselves but not to live up to the Capitalist ideals proclaimed in TV ads and on the billboards all around town. Because the people there can't meet the standards of the only culture they know, these are broken, crime-ridden places. Without any other attainable structure, people drift hopelessly. They turn to drugs and profitable drug dealing, because what else is there to do? It's either that or watch TV and think about the things you can't have.

What happens when a poor family gets some money? Do they save it for the future? No, they go out and buy the latest hyper-advertized New Thing: The flat-screen TV, the X-Box 360. Given some resources at last, they're trying to buy some self-esteem in the way that Capitalism has taught them. This often leads to the absurd situation of no diapers for the baby, nothing in the fridge, but the latest home entertainment box in the living room—until, of course, it is hocked to buy drugs.

Capitalism is the great enslaver of both rich and poor. Those who are living in better neighborhoods and who are making enough money to, in theory, be happy, are not happy. They, too, blow their income on the latest New Thing, as their public religion has taught them. They, too, can never live up to the standards that their culture has set for them, but thanks to easy credit they can now totally hock their future while trying.

Why are you driving around in that crappy old car when you could be proudly driving the shiny new Crapola 9000? It only costs one quarter of your salary for the next five years!

Capitalist propaganda assures that none of us, no matter how much money we make, will ever truly be happy. Always there will be another New Thing that promises us satisfaction but that we can't currently afford. Even when we max out the credit cards, we still don't reach Nirvana, so we must dive back into business and sell people more shit they don't need. It's an endless cycle.

Not that I'm bitter, mind you. As I said, I love Capitalism. I like finding the goods I need, when I need them, at a low price. I just bought a nice shirt, a pair of jeans and a pair of shoes at Wal-Mart for only $9.95 each. Is this a wonderful country, or what?

Of course, my purchase is helping to support slavery in Asia. It's not slavery like we used to have in the Old South, where people were owned by others and kept in chains. In some ways, it's worse. Capitalism keeps people running on an endless treadmill, with sharpened spikes on all sides, chasing a carrot they can never reach.

It's a demeaning existance and not at all the shiny, optimistic fantasy world that Capitalist propaganda is trying to sell us.

—G.C.

Also see a 2009 Kilroy Cafe essay based on this one: FIGHT THE EVIL of the Capitalist Commercial Agenda

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