The Biggest Price of Economic Capitalism

We all know the industrial revolution as the cornerstone of the progress of mankind. The era before the revolution is considered to be similar to ‘the dark ages’ by an average person. The people who lived prior to the revolution are thought to have a close resemblance to cave men. Industrial revolution, or industrialization for short, is the term used for the development of industries in the Britain, which quickly spread throughout Europe like a fire, and eventually to much of the world.

Industrialization has propelled humanity to enter the age of capitalism, or what many people refer to as the age of progress. All the luxuries, be it computers, laptops, smart phones, internet, or thousands of other gadgets we have today are all, undoubtedly, the gifts of capitalism. It is a common perception that industrialization and modern capitalism are the best things that have happened to humanity. Or are they? Are all the claims regarding the indispensability of capitalism actually true, or is it a two sided affair?

A basic principle of economics, also a gift of capitalism, is that everything has a price. But what is the price of this…this progress? The price, apart from our mother earth and the huge number of social and economic problems the majority of humanity faces today, is the very thing that makes us human-our essence. Allow me to buttress my claim. The modern capitalist system gives the model of human freedom. Freedom is among the first impressions that pop up in our minds when we hear the word ‘capitalism’. But think for one moment, are we really free? Are our actions not governed by the governments, corporate giants, religions or traditions? Are our thoughts not shaped in conformity with the society? A deep analysis of these questions brings us to the conclusion that humanity, today, are no freer than a slave. The only difference is that humanity, today, ‘feels free’ and so is being guided without force. The treacherous term of ‘slavery’ has been replaced by a more acceptable ‘corporate slavery’.

The present capitalist system also has no room for individuality. People, today, are supposed to have predictable tastes, preferences, interests, routines and choices. Conformity is considered as discipline in today’s world. Equality passively implies sameness. The ones who try to maintain their individuality, who try to go against the flow are called heretics, and are often the focal points of criticism of the ‘disciplined’ masses.

Humanity has become materialistic in today’s capitalist world. We love money more than we love humanity. Everyone appears to be in a race for wealth nowadays, for happiness is assumed to come with consumption today. The more you own, the happier you’ll be, is today’s philosophy. Hence, the aim of life is to maximize consumption by accumulating more and more wealth. But the irony is that people still say that they are not ‘truly happy’, in spite of owning all these luxuries. It is because owning an iPhone is not the key to happiness. True happiness comes from giving and not receiving.

No freedom, no individuality, no happiness, no ambition, no love, no transcendence, and the list can go on and on. This is the life of today’s ‘modern’ man in a nutshell. Is such a price actually worth the computers, iPhone and money we get in return? This question can never have a definite answer, for this matter is indeed opinion based.