Capitalism or Service to Others? Is there a Middle?

In the third grade, at age 8, I jumped up in the middle of class and said to the teacher, “I get it! We're here to be capitalists, right? If I know where a well of water is and someone is thirsty, I don't tell them where the well is; I keep it secret and sell them a cup instead! That's capitalism, right?”

She said that was a good description of capitalism.

“Then I'm done here! I've come to tell them where the well is!”

I pushed my school books off the desk; the books they were going to spend a whole year with that I had read in a weekend; and I ran over and climbed out the window. I walked miles to get home and was never going back. I already knew there was nothing there of value; there was only a lot to distract you with.

I had already noticed what was missing.

They made me keep coming back for years.

James Clark

#thelastcollaborator

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