Thursday, April 3, 2014

Is our current model of 'success' working?

One case scenario: Ought we to limit pay or create a maximum wage?  There is much talk about our minimum wage, not so much about maximum wage. Eg, Should we limit CEO pay (as some countries do) and going further do we limit the amount of money a person can earn?  Say we set a limit of 'ethical' capitalism (do these two terms fit together, they seem abrasive at first glance) at a generous 1 Billion.  Some will say this proposition in turn hinders individual initiative for great ideas or new technology; but, not when we consider that after a person earns his/her cutoff of 1 Billion they may display human ambition and ingenuity in other ways,  such as invention and creative work - (should Trump pick up a paintbrush?) all proceeds after that mark must be donated to legitimate charities.   Others may commit to genuine philanthropic work.   The Walton clan, and the other 1%  may respectfully disagree. 

Is an idea or invention everything?    The Hollywood adage says, "The Idea is King"; but there seems to be something missing here.  In reality many people make things happen or bring ideas to fruition - is it a healthy tendency to worship or idolize ideas?   

Does our inclination to secure workers or resources at minimum cost and maximize profits for a select few exploit people, animals, and the environment?  

Our psychological selves are entrenched in current modes of thinking and feeling (50); but we might extract something positive from this; consider that we invest our creative energies in things and ideas we believe in; and we also have the power to change things by re-examining our fundamental beliefs about how we live.

Is restructuring capitalistic attitudes a Utopian fiction? 

1 comment:

  1. Lots of excellent questions. Perhaps the team was whelmed.

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