Utopias

Tonight we feasted on excellent home made pizzas in the home of our friends Jonah and Billie. Jonah made veggie pizza with olives, mushrooms, and jalapenos. As a certified carnivore I was missing the scores of pepperoni, but I really did like it. It was a great night.

I do want to briefly share a bit of a conversation we had. Billie is writing a book on Happiness to be published next year. She brought up an idea that is fueling some of her book - related to economy and equality. Her idea is that capitol could be distributed among all people. Each person should contribute something toward making things better. One is a doctor. Another has an idea. The next person teaches. The next person creates. No matter the value of their contribution, each one is paid a wage.

I get into more conversations about socialism in San Francisco... It's rooted in a craving for utopia, a perfect world. One definition of Utopian Socialism calls is "an economic system based on the premise that if capital voluntarily surrendered its ownership of the means of production to the state or the workers, unemployment and poverty would be abolished".

I agree with the longing of socialism. But there is a gaping hole that can't be solved this side of eternity. The biggest problem with socialism is that it's based on misplaced faith. It's faith in people. Faith in government. It's not rocket science that power is always abused. Socialism puts way too much power in the hands of a few. For all it's inherent problems capitalism doesn't grant absolute power.

The world is currently attending to reform in our financial systems. I'd like to see a source that reports on the responsible handling of capitol and power. In spite of how it seems, it is going on. And we need to learn to handle money, capitol, creativity, time, and power much better. I definitely need to. And I am. Thank God.