I consider myself a socialist. Half of my childhood I grew up in the GDR. After first ten years of my life the country merged with “West-Germany” to become what is today known as Germany.
While showering today I was thinking about my university’s lectures for e-marketing. The following thought emerged: “What I despise in capitalism is its one-dimensional motivational structure.”
Explanation: Everything in capitalism seems to focus on accumulation of wealth.
Sure, you’re free to set your own goals. But you have to be free to do so. Free from fulfillment of every days necessities. In my experience: to achieve such a state of mind you have to have acquired some wealth and are to be crushed by a crisis. A crisis in a broader sense, like the death of a loved one or a depression.
Furthermore by setting your own goals you are in no way required to diverge from the majority. If you’re a simple person you could come to the conclusion that acquisition of wealth is the meaning of life and live a happy life thereafter.
I grew up with a different glimpse at the meaning of life. I’ve never accustomed to the “get-rich-attitude” and I’m still estranged to it.
So. In what kind of society do I want to live? I don’t know for sure.
Perhaps in one where it is acceptable to work for a greater good without being rewarded through wealth.
Perhaps in a society where personal wealth isn’t desirable.
Perhaps in a society where the rules for success cannot be gamed so easily because “winning” is not a goal.
Perhaps in a society where we do care for the costs of “winning”. Currently humanity is consuming a great proportion of its substrate just to fuel the individual fight for wealth.
Perhaps I’m just a bit annoyed in struggling for a high-score I can’t possibly achieve, while so many positive alternatives lie discarded in a corner.
For myself I found this purpose in maintaining public infrastructure. But secretly I hope others could choose a similar path.
Note: While forging this thought to this presentable form it dawned me that the game Factorio does not have a currency. I spent a substantial amount of time in-game.
Exclusion: I’m aware that – to my knowledge – all socialist and communist societies have been authoritarian and therefore had some very despicable aspects. This is not what i want to discuss here. Authoritarianism is not a necessity for a primarily social society. (Godwin in … 3 … 2 … 1)