Laying in bed I leaned over to look out the window; the plant beside my bed was sitting there. I examined the branches and I saw that the longest branches had strategically moved themselves closer to the light. And not just closer, but they had oriented themselves in such a way to maximize the full upper side of the leaves themselves.
Having studied economics in the past, I considered this as the maximization principle. Where people without any concious effort are trying to procure the best situation for themselves (whether money, health, happiness, etc.). I thought it was very curious that this little plant was doing exactly the same.
If a plant has this natural instinct, doesn’t everything? Now can’t you consider Capitalism as this same instinct in nature? And if you can then you would naturally be able to understand and appreciate the effects of a Capitalist market on such natural things as humans.
You work all day to move your leaves closer to the sun.
This should be the tag-line in the “Capitalism for Dummies” book. I think we can all see how this makes sense and even if you are more inclined to subscribe to the liberal media’s view of greed and corruption, consider this… plants grow, and as they grow they block out other plants. If a plant wants to survive it has to be the biggest, strongest or smartestplant it can be.
So the comparison to nature and how it works, “the survival of the fittest” should be mirrored more closely in the US market. Ford, which you could consider an incredibly large sick cow (or maybe a mile wide and 6 foot tall rotting deadwood tree) needs to be weeded out. They have technically failed and we are forcing this company to go on by feeding it nutrients through it’s veins.
Keep this idea in mind when thinking about monetary policy, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions. It is a very simple and effective way of seeing nature at work.
Are you the beautiful ancient redwood? Or the dandilion in the weeds?