Chapter 14 Salvaging Capitalism

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do
something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse
to do the something that I can do. What I can do, I should do. And
what I should do, by the grace of God, I will do.”
(Edward Everett Hale {April 3, 1822 – June 10, 1909} American
author, historian and Unitarian clergyman.)
“Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to
be broken.”
(Warren Buffett, from “www.brainyquote.com”)

Chapter 14 – A New Face for Government
The cures that can salvage capitalism and save democracy in the
process are conceptually very simple, but for a government to put
them in place, and/or for Capitalists with the moral persuasion of
Adam Smith to put them in place will take a concerted effort. …

Download the chapter with forward and author end notes.

Click to access chapter-14-salvaging-capitalism.pdf

Chapter 15 – Responsible Corporations

Get both chapter 14 and chapter 15:

Click to access chapter-14-and-15salvagingcapitalism.pdf

Do you ever wonder why we have so much argument, and so little discussion these days?

I think it is mainly because we don’t see the whole picture, and feel the need to defend our position, in a very “territorial” way.

It’s as if learning more and actually understanding more would somehow diminish our own sense of worth.

The last two lines of this classic poem sum it up well: “Though each was partly in the right, And all were in the wrong!”

So how could the argument have been easily solved? And do we all, on occasion, behave somewhat like these learned men of Indostan?

The Blind Men and the Elephant
John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887)

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
“God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a WALL!”

The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, “Ho, what have we here,
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me ’tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a SPEAR!”

The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a SNAKE!”

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee
“What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain,” quoth he:
“‘Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a TREE!”

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: “E’en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a FAN!”

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a ROPE!”

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!

Living in this world can be complex and downright dangerous at times.  There are lots of funny things going on around us that cause us the blahs.  
One of these is a disease that seems to affect all media communication called “Spin”.

Spin is widespread and is communicable like any disease, that is, people exposed to Spin often both get the disease and transmit it unknowingly to others. It is possible to develop a level of immunity to Spin, although new strains seem to show up with regularity, especially in election season – which itself appears to have grown like a massive tumor to 365 days a year (except in leap years).

“Spin Doctor” tries to track some of the more dangerous varieties of Spin, give you tools to recognize the symptoms, and help immunize you against infections by this dangerous virus.

Strangely enough, even the term “Spin Doctor” is a form of Spin – Bafflegab.   Doctors are supposed to cure us – right?  So why call someone who makes us sick a doctor?  I guess it is because they  “doctor” bad ideas to make them look better – sort of like cosmetic surgery.   I would prefer to call them Spin Masters,  because their intent is to control the way you think.