Living into Our Heritage by Removing the Smoke and Mirrors

Capitalism grew out of the Scottish enlightenment that sought to describe a moral philosophy of life.  Among the giants of this movement was Adam Smith who sought to understand the flow of wealth (Capital) among the Nations.  His book, The Wealth of Nations, sought to describe the ebb and flow of labor and capital that, in turn, created economic relationships.  His primary goal was to suggest ethical ways to shape that flow of wealth and labor. 

At the dawn of the 19^th Century, others coined the word “capitalism” to point out the brutality of the economic systems of their time.  These Socialist were more interested in an economic system that served the purposes of equal and fair distribution of wealth.  What has become lost in the ensuing Capitalist/Socialist debates is that both of these systems grew out of a Moral Philosophy movement that sought to observe both how the real world worked and understand the moral imperatives in those economic relationships.  Observation of reality and the ethics of life were the stock and trade of both.

In the years since, the public discourse has shifted away from a discussion of “what is right” to “what works for me.”  Very often the latter is couched in the language of a moral imperative.  This shift has required smoke and mirrors to twist the meaning of their words in order to turn the tide of public opinion. 

For example, the discredited idea of “laissez faire” capitalism has become “Trickle Down” that is built on the false notion that enormous profits for those who hold capital will trickle down to the labor force in the form of more jobs and higher wages.  This has been the economic gospel since the Reagan Years.  Unfortunately, there is no evidence of any significant trickle down.   However, since observation no longer served the purpose of the supporters, they turned to Smoke and Mirrors couched in moral imperative language.  This has made been accomplished by recasting “Greed” as the more acceptable “self-interest.”  We were told to vote our “self-interest” as a moral civic duty.  The “public good” of Smith’s writing has become “the private good” of trickle down through the use of the smoke and mirrors of political rhetoric.

However, it is important to recognize that the Right is not the only group to employ smoke and mirrors.  The Left uses their economic policy of social democracy to push for more control over the lives of the people.  While they proclaim a noble goal of Healthcare for all in their universal health care policies, they also attach many “nanny state” policies that limit the individual’s ability to take responsibility for their health care.  For example, they seek to deter smoking by raising exorbitant taxes on tobacco.  Often described as “social engineering,” such regulations only serve to limit the freedom of the very people they say they are seeking to liberate.  Many on the Left cannot separate their passion for the “public good” from the desire to force people to be “good.”  Again, smoke and mirrors are used to shape the public’s perception of the major partys’ intentions and policies.

What is to be done?  First, we have to accept that we do not accept the false reality that is being shoved down our throats by the Right and the Left.

Turn on the fans of observation to blow away the smoke.  Look at the world for yourself.  Stay awake and watch what is happening to real people.  Talk to folks unlike yourself and listen to how they are doing.  Observe and learn.  Challenge those who perform a sleight of hand with their words to redirect you from how their policies are really touching people’s lives. 

And then break the mirrors of illusion that are hiding the reality.  The old idea of “doublespeak” has never been more popular.  Refuse to give others the power to interpret what you see.  Talking Heads on TV are very dangerous.  They can “spin” the good into evil and the evil into a good.  When a talking head starts telling you what a policy or event means, turn them off and spend some time learning for yourself.  You are smart enough to learn from unbiased sources and making up you own mind about what a policy of event or action in our world means.

There are several “culture wars” going on at the same time in 2018.  There is a war being waged by the wealthy to steal as much as they can before they get caught.  This is not about social change or anything other than greed.  There is a war being waged by the left to take away the rights of people to make a mistake and grow through their choices.  “Social engineering” has had only limited success.  This is all about social change at the expense of individual liberty. 

By blowing away the smoke and breaking the mirrors, perhaps “We the people” can guide the American experiment through the troubled waters of the present.  We will find a way to navigate the ship of state between the rocky shoals of liberty and the public good to find a new day!   In doing so we will live into our heritage as children of 1776.