Hi Lama la, I recently had the opportunity to visit Los Angeles. I was particularly excited as it was my first trip to an economically developed country, and also I’m a big fan of Hollywood. While I was impressed by the skyscrapers and wide roads, I was shocked by the amount of homeless people on the streets. Some looked crazy, while others were high on drugs. Some parts of the city were really scary. Lam, how can a country with such a high GDP and so many rich people allow so much of the population to live in such a deplorable state? What’s gone wrong?
Master – Welcome to the world of unrestrained capitalism. While the U.S. and L.A. might be extreme cases, GDP-obsessed countries tend to create wealth, but not for everyone.
Furthermore, there is also often a general belief in such countries that helping the poor or disadvantaged makes them weak and dependent, and so people who fall through the cracks of society are often ignored. The situation is similar on the other side of the Atlantic, though at least most European countries offer free medical treatment. The U.S. doesn’t.
How do countries end up with a system that is so lacking in compassion and so discriminatory? Well, capitalism values competition over cooperation, and greed is encouraged as it keeps the wheels of industry turning.
Rather than content human beings, capitalists aim to produce hungry ghosts, as the latter have an unsatiable desire to consume, while satisfied individuals don’t. Think about it. Have you ever seen an advertisement that tells you that you are fine as you are and that you don’t require the latest sneakers, phone accessories, or a Botox treatment. No, right?
The entire system is geared to make us feel incomplete and insecure, and this has had a massive negative impact on society, creating waves of depression, debt, and addiction. According to the New York Times, it is estimated that between 1990 and 2018 the number of Americans who consider themselves in the lowest happiness category increased by more than 50 percent.
Now, 2,500 years ago, the Buddha taught that everything exists interdependently. Fruit reaches maturity not through the isolated efforts of a seed, but due to the interaction of the seed with rain, sunlight, and nutrition. Humans are the same. We achieve contentment and reach our potential by riding the wave of global stability and regional opportunities.
In short, we all connected, and so each of us is affected when catastrophes, such as war or large-scale crop failures, occur somewhere on the planet. Similarly, we all suffer when sections of society are lost in poverty or addiction. To put it in another way, we cannot say, “I’m healthy, but my liver is sick.” If one part of our body, such as the liver, is ill, then we’re ill.
Sadly, the capitalist system does not recognize interconnectedness, and it is every man for himself, and the result of this attitude is not only reflected in the streets of L.A., but in most urban centres where a capitalist mentality dictates policy. Otherwise, it is experienced as deprivation in other countries. In short, our cheap shoes are another man’s sweatshop.
Why does capitalism create such issues? Does it not promote ingenuity and hard work? Yes, there is no doubt that it can inspire new innovations and encourage people to be industrious, but not in a way that benefits everyone.
Think of it like a heart that is enabled to work to its full capacity, but then keeps all the blood for itself, or kidneys that purify fluids but refuses to share them with the other organs. What is the result? The body becomes weak and sick and eventually withers and dies.
How do the present business models connect to this situation? Well, think of fashion houses in Milan or London. They define what is beautiful and cool, and then exploit people’s insecurities about fitting in, emphasising that to be accepted they need to conform to the facial features, and fashion styles that they promote.
This results in insecurity, which leads to a lack of confidence and depression. And, for what purpose? To increase the profits of company shareholders.
South Korea is an example where this system has eaten away at the traditional heart of the country. There is an obsession with fashion and Western features, and this has created huge self-doubt, which has resulted in the country having the highest suicide rate on the planet, which is particularly high among the elderly.
I can still recall my first realization that the capitalist system worked against the public good. I was in a pub in London (no doubt under age. HAHA), and noticed free salted peanuts and potato chips on the counter.
At first, I thought it was a gesture of goodwill from the pub management. Then, it dawned on me that the more salt consumed, the thirstier the customers became, causing them to consume more alcohol.
It seemed so selfish to encourage others to eat unhealthy food and to drink in excess. “Why”, I thought, “Would we want to hurt members of our own community”? Won’t we all suffer if society is plagued with hypertension or alcoholism? No one else agreed, but instead felt it was an effective business plan.
Like the body in the above example, if some organs become ill, the entire body suffers. And, this is what you experienced in L.A. The homeless and addicts not only harm themselves, but society in general, not intentionally, but as a consequence of their condition. As a result, the U.S. has a number of cities, such as Detroit, St Louis, New Orleans, and Baltimore, that are rated among the most dangerous in the world.
Like the body in the above example, if some organs become ill, the entire body suffers. And, this is what you experienced in L.A. The homeless and addicts not only harm themselves, but society in general, not intentionally, but as a consequence of their condition. As a result, the U.S. has a number of cities, such as Detroit, St Louis, New Orleans, and Baltimore, that are rated among the most dangerous in the world.
What when wrong? Well, traditionally certain checks and balances prevented the capitalist system from being overly destructive. However, these have pretty much been brushed aside, and the US economy has become a free for all – and the result is endemic homelessness fueled by drug addiction, mental issues, and depression.
It is has also resulted in a culture where elderly parents are kept in care homes, as well as creating no-go areas in cities, alarming suicide rates, and a planet that is burning.
As there is a lack of understanding of interdependence, authorities don’t take the initiative to support homeless addicts to address their underlying issues and to regain their broken lives.
Instead, they take a punitive approach and incarcerate them – a method that has not only totally failed to address endemic addiction, but exacerbated it. Strangely, this system has been adopted around the planet with a similar lack of success and high financial cost, yet it continues to be the favoured method.
So, to repeat the question – what has gone wrong? The system has gone wrong. Instead of creating a social and economic network that nurtures communities, encourages co-operation, and engenders compassion, many countries have allowed the idea of free enterprise and individualism to spiral out of control.
In turn, this has fractured society and caused increased levels of violence, substance abuse, and homelessness. As someone commented, the West has created a form of bacteria that is consuming its creator.
What can be done? Well, the entire world economic and social system needs overhauling. However, with so many powerful people with vested interests in maintaining the present structures, it is unlikely to happen until global warming and a break down of social structures force a change. It is a sad prediction, but unfortunately one that many experts share.
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