Capitalism Is How You Hold Capitalists Accountable
Let your dollars speak for you
Capitalism has caught a bad name lately.
Greedy billionaires run the world they say. People seek profit, the poor get poorer, and the rich get richer.
To top it off, you have money-hungry corporations who out-price the mom-and-pop shops running them out of business.
The world is getting worse, people are selfish and the only way to fix things is by getting rid of capitalism… right?
No. Wrong.
The way to fix things is to play the game of capitalism.
Support local
You hate Wal-Mart. You hate how they pop up in suburbs, and then price out your local grocery or convenience store.
It’s all capitalism's fault.
It encourages these massive corporations to move to every district; the bigger they get, the easier it is for them to continue.
As they grow, their pricing shrinks and eventually, it is impossible for the small shops to compete on price.
But, does that mean it is impossible for small shops to compete at all?
No, it doesn’t.
Not if this bothers you enough that you’ll spend a couple of extra dollars at the local store instead of saving 10% at Wal-Mart.
Very few things are worse than someone who sips their Starbucks while they complain about capitalism.
The thing about local stores is while they can’t compete on price, they can compete and beat big corporations on many other levels.
Big corporations take a long time to make changes. Local stores can make a change on the spot.
This means local stores can innovate and experiment with new ways of doing business and new products at speeds Wal-Mart cannot.
That’s a competitive advantage.
Additionally, local stores are more authentic.
When you walk into a local store, you often have the chance to talk to the owner. In those talks, you discover why each item is in their store. There is a story behind it and that makes a shopping experience that you could never have at Wal-Mart.
So, if rich billionaires upset you, support small business owners instead.
Stop buying your $9 Starbucks, stop going on Amazon, Aritzia and Lululemon shopping sprees and instead, step foot inside the local business owners’ stores and shop there.
Android exists too
Capitalism tends to lead to large businesses having monopolistic advantages.
For example, the iPhone.
It can be rough if you don’t have an iPhone because everyone else does. You want to have the same capabilities as them.
Iphones make it impossible for anyone else to enter the market.
Nope, wrong again.
There are many Android phones that compete and are a great alternative.
While it seems like Apple has a phone monopoly, they really don’t.
Recently, there have also been new brands creating non-smartphones. A way to cleanse you from social media. These are also a great alternative.
If you don’t like the size of Apple and if you don’t like the iPhone… Don’t buy it.
That’s how you “stick it to the capitalists”.
Let your dollars do the talking
At the end of the day, you need to let your dollars do the talking. The best way to hold capitalists accountable is to do… capitalism.
Surprise, surprise.
That’s the way a free market works. You let your dollars speak for you.
If you don’t want to support a business or a specific greedy billionaire… don’t buy their product or service. There are always alternatives.
Don’t like iPhones? Buy an Android.
Don’t like Subway? Go to a local restaurant.
Don’t like Toyota? Buy a bike or a Tesla.
This is how capitalism works.
And, if a product is so good you end up buying it anyway… That’s great. Be happy you found a product that good.
The fact you can buy a good product is a sign that capitalism might just be a good thing.
Capitalism has helped you in more ways than you can imagine
It’s weird when people talk badly about capitalism because the stats are heavily on capitalism’s side.
Poverty levels have dropped more under capitalism than any other economic system.
The everyday luxuries you enjoy because of capitalist systems are also unparalleled.
Thanks to capitalism we’ve seen medical advances that would have never otherwise happened. We’ve seen space become commercialized and the birth of the electric car.
Thanks to capitalism you have incredible purchasing convenience, access to products from across the world and the opportunity to change your with a good idea well executed.
I’m sure you agree since you still shop on Amazon regardless of how much you hate capitalism.
Every time you make a purchase, you are voting for a business of your choice.
You have a vote, thanks to capitalism.
The free market you live in is giving you… freedom.
Conclusion
The false assumption is that capitalism is to blame for individuals seeking profit. As if under other economic systems people have not sought profit.
The difference is that with capitalism, you are rewarded with profit when you contribute goods or services to the society you serve.
If you don’t like what someone is offering you, don’t purchase it. That’s how you ensure capitalism functions properly.
This is why capitalism has worked better than any other economic system.
Thanks for reading