Capitalism is Going to Have to Recreate Itself

You could argue that capitalism in general and free markets are premised on the fact that when you harness your selfishness you can be more successful.  That’s Libertarianism.  You could say it’s free market capitalism.  And I think it’s a pretty good reading of human nature that when we’ve done collective governments around the world it didn’t work so well. So harnessing selfishness has its advantages.

For my worldview of justice, and my faith background, this has its limitations.  And I feel like we’re in a period now where capitalism is going to have to recreate itself because that selfishness works to an extent but it does leave people behind.

My faith is probably the inspiration for the work that I do in politics and in Public Squared.  And the belief is simply love your neighbor, it’s really nothing more complicated than that. I feel like the Christian Church in many ways is dead, a dying institution because it’s lost that.  And I’m working with social entrepreneurs around the world at a new level of consciousness that’s taking on the planet and we’re going to need this inspiration to take on the challenges of the world.  It’s very ecumenical and it’s very exciting. 

60 Second Reads are recorded directly from experts in Big Think’s studio. 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.