One time a fellow worker (let’s call him Dan) and I were discussing politics, and he told me he was a proud capitalist. He owned his house and car, had computers and video games, and a well-stocked kitchen. “But Dan,” I replied, “you don’t have any capital!”
What pays you while you sleep, while you play, or eat? If the answer is “nothing,” you, my friend, are NOT a capitalist!
The confusion is caused by a tangle of misinformation and propaganda laced with semantic intricacy. We associate owning things with capitalism, and the difference between private and personal property is rarely explained adequately in the American public education system. Personal property is used by you, while private property pays you because other people use it.
The trick? We describe two very different scenarios as property, and the words “private” and “personal” in any other context would be synonyms. It is a vocabulary trick played on the masses, and it is no mistake.
Dan was no capitalist, he was a worker who had been given a vocabulary that made him feel like one. By picking apart this contradictory language, we empower ourselves as workers and build class solidarity.
The Myth of “Risk”
A common defense of the owning class is that “they take all the risk.” But is that really true, or is it more propaganda fed to us by those same owners? If a business owner fails (especially in modern, corporate America) they still go home to a full kitchen, a nice house, and tomorrow’s opportunity. They get “golden parachutes” on their way out of a bad decision, usually worth millions of dollars. If a worker fails, they lose their entire livelihood.
According to CNBC, more than 60% of Americans report living paycheck-to-paycheck. That means that most Americans have just a few days to spare before needing to find another income source. That is a huge imbalance in the power dynamic between workers and owners.
Knowledge is Power
As I have said, it is no mistake that Americans are led astray. Think of the advice you hear about the current economy and it’s impact on education. Often in the workplace and even at social gatherings I hear people talk about how higher education is not worth the investment, how expanding your mind is worthless compared to learning to do a specific job. But ask yourself: “Who benefits?”
Is it going to benefit the worker to learn to do a skill for a business owner? Will that worker not just be tethered to that business, or even the whole industry? They don’t want you to expand your mind because when you do, you can fully perceive the exploitation you have been subject to your entire life.
End-game
The capitalist seeks power and control. They dictate when and where you can go, how much you can see, and what you can have and experience. They want to shape the world in their image for their own comfort, not the working masses.
Dan wasn’t lying to me when he said he was a capitalist, he was simply misinformed, and it isn’t his fault. Having your car paid-off does not make you a member of the owning class, especially if you’re still living paycheck-to-paycheck.
The owning class wants workers that are skilled and docile. Have you ever wondered why every other developed nation has universal health insurance, but in America we have to get it from our employers? That lack of freedom reduces your social mobility. You can’t go start your own business, because what if you get sick or injured? You can’t afford that!
If you are a worker, the deck is already stacked against you. Open your mind, expand your knowledge, and cut through the propaganda. Don’t be afraid to ask the question, “Why do the owners deserve to make money while they sleep and I only deserve money from my service to them?”
Leave a Reply