Capitalism: But, it is not impossible.

Capitalism is known to be a great method that gives everyone a chance to reach their potential. It is supposed to let the one who puts the effort gains the crown. However, this is reexamined by the story of Carlos, a very smart poor boy. Capitalism kills them and oppresses them, under the ideological condition for the fair equality: give effort then, you will own the crown.

Everyone has their own problems and their own obstacles. Life is hard for everyone. However, the result and the burden of the obstacles for a child are very dependent to his/her financial status quo. The weight of the obstacles the poor kids go through is way much heavier than the rich kids. The criticism about this should not lead to the black and white conclusion: the absolute sympathy for the poor and the absolute neglect for the rich. The poor kid and the rich kid are both fragile human beings we cannot estimate their pain neither absolutely nor relatively. However, we can strongly point out the structure of society that results unequal burden to the children, because the problem caused by the system cannot be called as a natural result. Rather it should be called as another problem that is solvable or should be solved.

The biggest problematic cause of such inequality in capitalism is money. The poor smart kids know they need an advocate like Eric, a person who has money and power, in order to get through the rough path they need to go through. Without Eric, it is hard for them to get a chance. The society, the capitalism makes them need Eric, despite the fact they actually do not have to in the first place. Give effort then, you will own the crown. I want to insist how irresponsible such condition is. In the society where the starting lines for everybody are not the same, free competition is not the best way to distinguish and award the winner of them all. Does free competition really excavate the pure potential of a person? Does it really maximize his/her full extent of potential? Does it really give everyone an equally same chance? Should money be considered as the ability of the person and a part of his/her potential? Some might say free competition with little regulation is the best mean to estimate people since it really shows them with no blinder. However, if such system itself promotes the sorting of people and let one specific kind of a group dominate the competition, the ideal purpose of capitalism has spoiled. In the story of Carlos, the one who has money dominates the game board. But we have to acknowledge that the minorities- ones who do not have money – are not the minority in numbers. They are not rare. They are prevalent. Some of them are even better than the ones who are smart and rich, but just cannot compete with them because the sorting itself is very different, and the expected road of their life is very different with the ones who are accessible to diverse resources. Rich and smart ones should be granted in that completion. So do the poor and smart kids. They all deserve to express their full potential in capitalism. If the accessibility does help the ones in that competition, we can agree that it is their ability in order to survive. But, if the social structure does not let them plausible to compete in the first place, this is a totally different story. This is inequality. This is a violation to one’s right. Under the capitalism, society does not recognize this. Even though the society knows them eventually, the capitalism – a pursuit of ‘true’ competition – blocks it from reaching and helping them. Because of the incompetent society of capitalism, they need Eric more. Society made them need Eric.

Then, how are we going to solve such inequality? The ones who have power, the ones who are in the place of leadership, the ones who are so-called ‘elites’ should change first. They are the ones who dominated the current game board. The ones who gained power in current system should make a move for the justice. They are the ones who can actually bring a big innovation in a shorter time. What I mean by innovation is the one step for the change of the structure and corrupted system. The ones who are in the discriminated position should also voice about their unfair treatment. They should never stop thinking out loud. We all should work together for the change. We all are in that inhumane system, so we have the right to scream for the change. Some might criticize my conclusion for being too vague and idealistic. However, what is right is right and what we should promote should be promoted. Being realistic and considering practical means should not be treated equal with reconciling with the corrupted reality. The ones who are in pain suffer and scream for nothing. The ones who are in power are too blind to see the problem with the system that let them have a power. This is the reality. This is not a true fact that we should consider and reconcile for the right thing. Reality means the current situation that we are in. Reality is not the ultimate truth. Reality should not be the excuse for giving up for the change. Reality is something that we should fix and we are able to move on. True, it is hard and complicated to change the whole system of the society. But, it is not impossible. And to go further from that, it is something we must do. Why? Because we know diversity and differences between us ultimately ends up with the fact that we are all the same. We are all human beings. Nobody is worth more than others. Nobody is inferior more than others. Only value that can differ one to another and should be embraced is the inborn difference that makes each one unique. I believe we can do this. We can make a change. Right now, we might be insecure about the solution and the change. But the history carried on with big and small changes, what makes this problem more special and harder than that?