Unpopular Opinion:

Our economy is fake. It is a contrived system to place arbitrary values on resources. Many of those resources are needed for living, and for survival, and those are given values as well.

Translated: we still place dollar-signs on the backs of people living in our society.

The economic system of capitalism in the modern day doesn't work. Millions go without the basic necessities every day, and although that's the "nature" of the existence of life, how can we consider ourselves a higher intelligence, or an advanced species if we don't recognize we have the means to overcome the cycles of survival actions that nature put in place? Yes, we have invented, and created a vast number of things no other species has, but we still struggle with the concept that we are no longer hunters, and gatherers. We don't have to migrate along with our food resources like animals living in the wild, yet our economic system practically forces members of our own species into such survival mode, while others live in an opulence that is not only condoned, but facilitated by their own established rules, and laws.

Selfishness, and greed point to our lack of evolution away from those basic animal tendencies. We are separated from, and deny our nature, our connections to the natural world around us, yet still act like primitives in this greed-driven haves-and-have-nots economic system.

The reward for advancing business is wealth - Gates, Bezos, Zuckerberg, the Waltons, the Kochs, etc. are wealthy beyond imagination. They may point to their philanthropic efforts to show their generosity, but any one of them alone has enough resources as specified by our economy to end homelessness in the nation that made them wealthy. Every member of our society who needs food could receive the food they need for a fraction of their wealth. Combined, they could change the landscape of our nation, and our economy for the better. But where is their motivation to do so? The government, with what they collect from the majority of the population could do the same. Vacant properties could be refurbished for low income housing. Money spent on concerns that do not better society could be reallocated to concerns that strengthen our people, and our society. As long as the government makes no moves to truly improve the lives of the many who still struggle, why should the wealthy act?

It's not rocket science. It is merely the effort of looking at what would truly make our country a better place, and applying the resources our society has defined as valued toward the betterment of our species, not just the betterment of businesses, or the people who own them.

Unfortunately we can't even get past providing living wages to workers which carry the fortunes of these people's businesses on their backs. While thousands of WalMart workers apply for food stamps, the owners of the company remain one of the wealthiest families in history.

But Paul, don't you believe that people should be rewarded for their work?

Yes, I do. But what is an adequate reward for creating a website where people talk, and share stupid memes? How many billions of dollars are deserved for this invention? Software? Writing software alone should result in billions of dollars of rewards? Product distribution? Billons, or Trillions of dollars of reward?

At what point do we say, ok, we need to actually stop living like animals in the feast or famine world, and start working together as a collective in a focused effort to make the world a better place?

Communism isn't the answer. Socialism isn't the answer. Capitalism isn't the answer. We need an economic system that is based on logic, empathy, and integrity. Stop throwing away millions of pounds of food based on supply-side economics which state if it isn't profitable to sell, giving it away will only drive down its value further, so just destroy it. It makes no sense. Not everything is about making profits. That outlook removes the humanity from our actions. Stepping back and recognizing enough profits have been made elsewhere that could be applied to making more mindful decisions puts humanity back into it.

But we still allow greed to drive, and over-ride all of our decisions in business, in government, and in life.

Capitalism doesn't solve the problem of "how do we evolve, and create a better world?" It more often leads us to find new ways to take advantage of others, to pry resources away from others, to conquer rivals, and to horde resources. Innovation can be spurred without excessive opulence being the reward. Companies can be profitable, yet still be controlled, and provide for those who lift the company's efforts higher each day.

And from my own experience, the people lifting companies the most are NEVER at the C-Level.

But it has to start with the government. Decisions at the top of the chain have to be selfless, sensible, compassionate, and be driven with ethics, and integrity. And with our current administrations, we see none of this.

America is in decline. The stock ticker doesn't measure quality of life, nor does it measure the respect other nations have for America. We're not making decisions to make us better at the highest levels. As witnessed in the previous administrations, politics have degraded into nothing but partisan pissing contests. Representatives fighting over control, hording power, hording resources, and making decisions based on what will give them their biggest payday. Humanity is lost. Especially within our current government.

We've devolved to a dangerous point. We're back to outright animalistic behavior, driven by greed, and ignorance, and fear. The very things people point to as what will save us from our decline, are the very things we see more of, and that drive that decline.

But that's just my opinion. We will still live in a world of haves and have-nots, regardless of what we do, but if we can advance our society, better protect our world, and help reduce the suffering of people, at least in our own nation, wouldn't that be a good thing?