Has Capitalism Finally Run Out Of Runway?

Since it’s the byproducts of capitalism that have turned our wonderful earth into an oven and made it possible to aim thousands of nuclear tipped missiles at ourself, the short answer is YES! It is not, however, that capitalism is inherently evil, although if you’re among the millions that do not directly profit from it you likely think that’s the case. The real problem is that capitalism worked way too well. It has worked hand in glove with science and technology to raise the living standards of billion of earth’s inhabitants to a way higher level than ever before — mainly over the last several centuries, a period of enormous creativity.

Now all this creativity according to “my” ultimate law of the universe, which says that creativity must at some point in time be offset by destruction — balance. The universe loves balance above all else, and as we humans are creatures of the universe we are subject to its laws. That is to say that stars are born and stars die. In other words all that creativity of humankind has within it the seeds of its own destruction, of which capitalism has played a major part of our creativity and thus is playing a major part of the destructive offset. We are in essence drowning in the byproducts of capitalism’s success.

Capitalism is like a Ponzi scheme. For it to work depends on constant expansion of everything — more people, more houses and more money. Unfortunately this capitalistic game is being played in a finite space with finite resources, all of which are quickly running low — on planet earth. Even the granddaddy of capitalism, Adam Smith, were he alive today, would see that the game has finally run its course. Science has manage to keep people feed by the green revolution, but the problems of everything are now overrunning solutions far faster than there are answers.

The bottom line is that in the end capitalism cannot outrun the ultimate law of the universe: creation must be offset by destruction — balance. This is where religious freaks have an advantage. They know that somehow their God will save them, and of course some welcome with open arms the “end times.” So there you go folks. There’s your magical out. The only way out — of sorts. No high value 401k’s or ever-growing capitalism required.