Is Individualism the Root Cause of Greed and Selfishness?

Or Is It a Byproduct of (Corporate) Socialism? An Essay

What Is an Individual?

Many believe that today’s rampant greed and selfishness are direct consequences of individualism. Disconnected from church and state, this mindset would lead to an 'every man for himself' mentality with extreme consequences. Critics often view capitalism as the root of all evil, attributing modern global issues—such as climate change, inflation, racism, and inequality—to individualism. They argue that these problems stem from (white) privilege and capitalism, advocating for greater political, economic and social equality, even if it means sacrificing personal freedoms. This desire for equality or even equity can be enticing for powerful governments and large corporations that are all too willing to capitalize on these sentiments.

Before hastily labeling individualism as the culprit, it’s essential to define what an individual is. An individual is simply a person who stands out from the crowd. The key characteristics of an individual include self-development, self-determination, and independent thinking. Such a person does not follow blindly but chooses their own path, forms their own opinions, and takes responsibility for their choices and the consequences. An individual generally does not seek power or feel the need to impose their ideas on others, believing instead that everyone should decide for themselves what is best for them. Ironically, these traits seem to be less prevalent in society today.

The Loss of Personal Responsibility

And The Impact of Government Overreach

In my book "Coddled Children," I argue that the greed and selfishness prevalent today are negative byproducts of socialism. In Western Europe, the government has progressively taken over more responsibilities from citizens since the rise of the welfare state post-World War II. While it is valuable for the government to provide certain collective guarantees, such as a basic pension or support during adversity, excessive government intervention erodes the sense of community, mutual solidarity, and personal responsibility. This shift fosters a mentality of "every man for himself and the state for us all." When setbacks occur, people nowadays tend to look to the state for solutions rather than finding their own. As we grow old, become ill, or need help, we increasingly rely on social workers and agencies instead of family or neighbors. When we encounter challenges, we rely on others to resolve them for us, gradually increasing our dependency with each instance.

Corporate Socialism: The Alliance Between Big Business and Government

As society fragments and polarizes, the government expands, attempting to compensate for the lost sense of community with imposed solidarity. This form of solidarity often translates into increased bureaucracy, higher taxes, and reduced public services. However, this imposed solidarity primarily affects the general population, not large companies and politicians who protect each other through subsidies, special tax structures, and revolving-door employment.

Distinguishing Corporate Socialism from Capitalism

While unchecked capitalism can also lead to greed and selfishness, it fundamentally differs from corporate socialism in terms of responsibility. A capitalist society has a self-correcting mechanism:

1. Competition: There is significantly more competition, forcing companies to innovate and constrain their profit margins.

2. Equality Before the Law: No company is favored over another; every company must comply with national laws and meet all obligations.

3. Consequences for Mismanagement: Mismanagement, fraud, and deceit are more likely to result in bankruptcy, mitigating the impact of crises.

In contrast, corporate socialism completely rearranges the economic landscape. Under this system, large companies enjoy various tax benefits, granting them an unfair competitive advantage. The level playing field diminishes as these corporations buy out or outcompete smaller businesses. The economy shifts toward a plutocracy dominated by a few "too big to fail" corporations. The market's self-correcting power disappears; if a large company nears collapse due to mismanagement or fraud, taxpayers are expected to bail it out. The billions in profits made by these companies vanish into the pockets of managers and shareholders through exorbitant payouts, excessive bonuses, and stock buybacks. Politicians and big companies no longer face the consequences of their actions; these are systematically passed on to citizens and small and medium-sized businesses, which in turn struggle to stay afloat.

The Disparity in GDP Growth

This trend is also reflected in the development of the gross domestic product (GDP). Although GDP continues to rise in Western developed countries, the benefits are increasingly less noticeable for citizens and small to medium-sized businesses.

The Labor income ratio illustrates the percentage of GDP allocated to employee and self-employed compensation in three key sectors. These percentages have been on a downward trend for at least twenty-five years.

Conversely, companies now account for an increasing share of the gross domestic product (GDP).

High profits in an increasingly concentrated market indicate a significant decline in competition over the years. Large corporations have seen their profit margins more than double, and in some cases, increase fivefold over the past thirty years. However, these profits do not benefit the broader economy or its citizens. Instead, a substantial amount of money is siphoned out of the 'real' economy, ending up in the bank accounts of a limited number of very wealthy individuals.

Socialism for the Rich, Capitalism for the Rest

Corporate socialism differs from capitalism by favoring large corporations over free market forces. In this system, a few large companies dominate the economic, legal, tax, and political landscapes. These corporations leverage substantial political donations and influential lobbies at supranational organizations to secure significant legislative and tax advantages. Consequently, they pay considerably less tax than citizens and small to medium-sized businesses. Moreover, large corporations are often first in line for subsidies meant to combat climate change or mitigate crises. An extensive revolving door has developed between major corporations, central banks, politicians, and supranational organizations, with mutual support through favorable legislation, generous donations, and lucrative positions.

Growing Inequality and the Burden on Citizens

This dynamic leads to growing inequality. Citizens bear a heavier tax burden to cover increasing government expenditures while facing high inflation due to unconstrained money creation. At the same time, they receive less in return because the government cuts back on services and channels taxpayers' money into 'major projects.' As a result, fewer citizens can afford to buy homes or sustain themselves on their incomes. Subsidies and tax measures intended to protect against growing poverty inadvertently lead to increased dependency on the government, eroding autonomy and independence.

Bureaucratization and Legal Hurdles

Increasing bureaucratization and legal complexities make it harder for citizens and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to navigate the myriad regulations. In contrast, large corporations can easily create additional departments to comply with these often contradictory rules. This scale increase in both government and large companies stifles independence and innovation, leading to stagnation. As both entities focus on risk reduction, they grow closer, leaving citizens and SMEs with fewer financial resources and options to remain independent.

The Future: A New Serfdom?

Ultimately, we may reach a point where citizens, akin to serfs, can only work for the government or large corporations, with all capital concentrated in these (supra)national entities. Our jobs will be strictly defined, and our thoughts and actions closely monitored and controlled. We are told, "You will own nothing and you will be happy," but it remains to be seen if this will truly lead to greater happiness.

From Corporate Socialism to a Globalist Totalitarian State

What we are witnessing today is a shift towards 'stakeholder capitalism,' where the same large corporations that were bailed out from bankruptcy just a few years ago are now being positioned as our new protectors. These mega-corporations are expected to guide us through social and ecological changes with a gentle yet compelling hand. This is why we see multinationals prominently participating in Pride Month, hiring diversity managers, making politically correct statements, promoting woke and gender ideologies, and championing anti-racism. All these actions serve to distract from the fact that these corporations significantly contribute to the very crises we are currently facing.

This strategy is remarkably effective. Progressives and left-wing parties, in particular, support this globalist Marxist agenda without realizing that their own freedoms are at risk as well. The diversity of thoughts and opinions that once enriched our societies is being replaced by a drive for uniformity. The goal seems to be not just equal treatment, but uniformity in thoughts and actions. Having the 'correct' opinion is increasingly valued over the accuracy of the information that forms the basis of those opinions.

Our leaders capitalize on this by declaring that 'enemies among us spread misinformation and threaten our democracy.' They argue that the only way to protect our democracy is to censor these perceived threats. New legislation targeting hate speech and online abuse is quickly enacted, but this cannot conceal the fact that our space for dissenting opinions is shrinking, and information is being increasingly censored before it reaches us. Unnoticed, we are moving towards a society that increasingly dictates how we should live, think, and behave.

How Can We Solve This Problem?

The current plutocracy is ultimately unsustainable. Stagnation inevitably leads to decline, followed by instability and eventual ruin. Historically, many empires have peaked and then imploded due to arrogance and overindulgence. This period signals that we are at the end of an era where unbridled growth, exploitation, and greed are unsustainable in the long term.

We stand at a crossroads, with two possible directions:

1. We blindly follow our current leaders, risking a future in a totalitarian state or theological autocracy.

2. We take control of our lives and decide for ourselves how we want to live together.

To pursue the second, more hopeful option, we need to adopt a different perspective and take proactive steps, which I will outline below in three parts:

1. Stop Participating in the 'Divide and Rule' Tactics

Our current leaders and media portray our countries as deeply divided, with good people and bad people distinguished by political party affiliations. We are divided along lines of race, identity, gender, age, sexual preference, income, climate, and religion. This political identity and fear-mongering distract us from real problems such as uncontrolled immigration, high inflation, declining living standards, and the degradation of our environment and public services.

By seeing each other as humans first, focusing on our commonalities, and respecting our differences, we can recognize that we are all in the same situation. Whether white, black, thin, fat, smart, stupid, young, old, straight, or otherwise, we have all been impacted by the consequences of corporate socialism gone wrong. To avoid becoming state slaves, we must unite and fight back. A good start is to stop demonizing each other, and instead, begin listening and engaging in meaningful dialogue. If we want to improve the world, we should first examine and change our own behavior.

2. Don’t listen to what they say, observe how they act!

One of my favorite sayings that I will repeat forever:

Actions speak louder than words

Every day we are bombarded with political statements, lavish promises, and speeches filled with good intentions and attractive words. But what are these really worth? Can we take billionaires who avoid taxes seriously when they argue that taxes should be increased, or are they suggesting that only our taxes should be increased? Should we believe the Martha’s Vineyards of this world when they say there is room for more immigrants, as long as they don’t come into their own backyard? How seriously should we take wealthy individuals and politicians who 'play communist' with our hard-earned money? Perhaps it is time to stop listening to their words and instead focus critically on their actions to base our choices on.

3. Making More Informed Choices

If you always do the same thing, you will always get the same result. If you do nothing, nothing will change. It is past time for sitting back and letting others solve our problems. We must find the courage to speak out respectfully and take responsibility for our choices and their consequences.

The most damaging belief is that one is a victim, incapable of taking charge of their own life. DEI, WOKE, affirmative action, and other similar movements suggest an assumed inferiority. They imply that someone, because of their skin color, background, or sexual orientation, cannot build a valuable life on their own. This is the ultimate insult. By positioning yourself as a victim or allowing yourself to be treated as such, you surrender your own power and give others control over you. Powerlessness is the easiest way to gain control over people.

We must not forget that we still live in a democracy. Are its foundations being undermined? Absolutely, and in many areas. But we do not yet live in an autocracy, theocracy, dictatorship, or totalitarian state. We can still remove bad leaders by voting. What we need to do is stop accepting lies and deception and be willing to make different choices. We need to let go of our fears and simply ask the person who has become the ultimate enemy in our minds: What exactly do you mean? Let’s talk.

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Are you intrigued by the above? I have written a compelling novel **Coddled Children** about our potential future if we continue on the path we are on now. It’s currently translated to English and will be available in a couple of months.

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