Every study of science and nature have rules or laws. The 1st of Newton’s laws of motion is “Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it.”
The 1st Law of Thermodynamics is “Energy can be changed from one form to another, but it cannot be created or destroyed.”
The 1st Law of Greedy Bastards is “Greedy Bastards are Greedy Bastards.”
Now this sounds like a truism and not worthy of much thought, but that simple statement has far reaching implications.
Many leftists and progressives like to point out that capitalism is full of mean-spirited people who are out to make a quick buck. People who don’t care about other people. In other words, capitalism is full of greedy bastards.
Perhaps this is true. In fact, I’m quite sure there are a lot of greedy bastards filling the ranks of companies throughout the United States. People who wouldn’t hesitate to stab their best friend in the back in order to get ahead. People who are perfectly suited to make it in the dog-eat-dog world of multi-national capitalism. I’m sure there are some wonderful, caring people as well, but have no doubt there are a lot of greedy bastards.
So perhaps I should change my mind about capitalism and free-market economies. Perhaps we should move (more) to a command-and-control economy wherein a group of civic minded citizens would direct us on what to produce and to whom the products should be given. With fair-minded leaders at the helm, poverty and hunger would disappear. With vituous saints running the show and holding power, we would all truly live in a kinder, gentler society. It would be Utopia.
And then that 1st Law kicks in. You remember the one: Greedy Bastards are Greedy Bastards. Being greedy, they will gravitate to where the power is. They will be drawn, like patchouli stenched peaceniks to a Chomsky book signing, to the seats of power and position. And being bastards, they will start back-stabbing and finangling their way into those positions of power.
And then those greedy bastards will be running the whole show, not just their company.
Back when the greedy bastards were just running their company, you always had a choice as to where to take your business, by-and-large. If you felt Wal-Mart was the devil incarnate, you could always shop at Target. If Target was the target of your ire, you could always take your business to K-Mart. Thought all corporations were evil? Well, there is always the farmer’s market and the local thrift store.
But when the greedy bastards are running the whole show, you no longer have an alternative. You are stuck with the greedy bastards no matter what you do. And because they are greedy, they demand more and more from you. And because they are bastards, they will exact harsher and harsher penalties when you don’t comply.
There is a corollary to the 1st Law of Greedy Bastards: Useful Idiots are Useful Idiots.
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