It’s our fault.
The way the world treats us. The opportunities are given and taken from us. The narrative that we see in the world around us.
It all comes back to us.
It’s tempting to blame others for our misfortunes. To blame our bosses for not giving us the raises we feel we deserve. To blame corporate executives for escalating prices on the services we rely upon.
It’s tempting to blame others for exposing us to risk. To blame self-interested investors for hitching our collective destiny to the uneasy wagon of the stock market. To blame banks for taking on bad debt risk and tanking our economy.
And it’s tempting to blame others for leaving a bad taste in our mouths. To blame Mark Zuckerberg for giving away our data to bad actors. Or the media for providing us story after story of blood and guts, deceit and divisiveness.
But it all comes back to us.
We’re responsible.
You see, our capitalist society is built upon more than the principle of free enterprise. It’s built in our image.
Yes, a system built on the tenets of supply and demand reflects our desires. Oftentimes, it reflects the best aspects of humanity. But other times, it speaks to the darkest parts of our nature.
Namely, our overindulgent, win-at-all-costs tendencies.
These flaws lie within all of us, regardless of character. While some of us outwardly display them more than others, they’re certainly omnipresent.
One look at the capitalist structure proves that.
The pursuit of the almighty dollar owns all in this society. The exchange of money plays a fundamental role in our everyday lives.
On a basic level, we trade money for the services needed to survive. That’s a value exchange that benefits both sides of the transaction.
But we’re not okay with staying at that basic level. We want to live into The American Dream.
We want the bigger house, the nicer car, the flashier amenities. We want more, more, more — regardless of the collateral damage that comes with it.
This setup speaks to overindulgence. To a game with winners and losers that continually requires us to get an edge.
The corporate world reflects these values we espouse.
It has to.
Companies come into existence to satisfy our needs. Our overindulgence keeps them alive and thriving – as it provides fledgling companies an abundance demand to serve.
All until companies reach critical mass, and become mature. At that point, the goal becomes to keep that edge. To grow that demand even further, in order to satisfy their investors and keep their competitors at bay. Just as with our individual pursuits, there can never be enough.
Humanity inevitably gets lost in this process. Companies prioritize profits over people. Customers become commodities and employees become expendable.
It’s easy to vilify faceless corporations or their executives for being heartless, greedy and cruel when we feel the sting of these decisions. But it’s far more likely that the real villain is in staring back at us in the mirror.
We are the engine that drives business. Our needs, wants and desires impact the outcomes we see.
We have the voice and power to stem the tide, to turn things in a brighter, less ugly direction.
But we must accept the blame.
We must let go of the narrative that we are good and the world is evil.
We must recognize that the flaws we have within us impact the results we see without.
And we must work to exhibit restraint. To resist overindulging or winning at the expense of others.
No more scapegoats.
The key to a brighter, warmer kinder world lies within.
Let’s seek it out.