Sunday, September 21, 2008
Prejudiced Schweickart Stuff
Schweickart's article does serve to make several good points about capitalism, namely showing the numerous people laying in the wake of capitalist idealists, but his arguments seem to stretch numbers and ignore some of human tendencies that make capitalism the best option in my views. The main metaphor that Schweickart uses is the idea of what a carnival would look like if everyone's size was determined relative to their income. This did serve to illustrate how very top heavy America's economy is in today's modern world, but this doesn't always have to be a negative factor for capitalism. Sure, as a small 2-3 foot member in this parade it wouldn't really seem fair that any one person could amass the miles high status that Bill Gates enjoys, but is it really such a problem that the capitalist system allows someone to do well providing that they have the skills to do so. As prejudice or "White man's Burden-esque" it may sound, I believe that if you possess the means to make money you really shouldn't be penalized or carry a guilty conscience for making the most of it. The tax system in the United States is harsh enough in my opion with the 35% at its highest reaches. I'm sure I'm sounding bigoted now, but I believe that if you're making that much money either you or your ancestors were skilled enough to deserve it, and it is your duty to give charitably enough to help out the lower classes. While not all of the lower classes deserve their poverty in any way shape or form, I'm a firm believer that anyone who tries hard enough can get ahead in life. Everyone in my family has at some point lived at or near the poverty line and through the virtue of hard work we've made ourselves to the position that they are at now.
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2 comments:
I agree that his numbers do seem skewed and exxagerrated. It particularly hit home to me when he talked about the 40 hour work week and what that means the wealthy make in dollars per hour. First of all, the 40 hour work week is non existant to many people. Both my parents are on salary, which means that they get paid a certain amount per week regardless of how much time it takes them to get whatever they are supposed to get done that week done. My mother is a professor of nursing at a local community college. Almost every night she stays up reading and grading papers at least 2 hours outside of her normal 8-6:30 working day. So that makes her "work week" significantly over 40 hours per week. She does not get any overtime or acknowledgment for this extra work b/c it is just part of her job. It is generally only the lowest level of jobs that have a standard clock in/clock out type of a work day. Ask any professional, and they will tell you how the real world operates. When work needs to get done, you work until it is done. My dad travels often for business taking him away from home up to 2 weeks a month. He does not get paid extra for the time he must spend traveling for his job. I think Schweickart belittles the amount of time and effort the "wealthy" of our society put into their jobs.
Also both of my parents were first college graduates in their families. My grandfather on my dad's side did not get past 8th grade and his mother was a mill worker. My mother's mother went back to college in her 50's to obtain her associates degree and works in a junior college library and my grandfather worked as a security guard. It is not impossible to rise above circumstances with a little determination.
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