Thursday, April 21, 2011

Atlas of Sherwood

Is there a Robin Hood somewhere out there? Perhaps a modern-day Internet highwayman stealing from the digital Sheriffs, giving to the less-fortunate residents of digital Sherwood. Hacking financial institutions in order to pay people's bills rather than stealing from them. That is one hacker I would be willing to give my passwords and account information.


Do not misinterpret, as I believe in free market capitalism. The problem is the selfish hubris of corporations and politicians, at every level, that makes it ever harder to defend it. Outrageous fees for services (what is the cost to them for me to print on my printer using my ink and paper???), prices on products skyrocketing with no end in sight and legislation that burdens more than aids. Simply to garner more profits and taxes for them from us.

What is the alternative though? Feudalism, communism and socialism are no answers, their evils well-documented by history. Capitalism has done and created great, unimaginable wonders for humanity. Yet, it too has its evils, economic hardships as devastating to lives and livelihoods as any war. To quote Ferris Bueller – “Not that I condone fascism, or any -ism for that matter. -Isms in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself.” 


Is there an –ism still to develop that can progress humanity beyond such a dichotomy? A product always has a specific shelf life, as capitalism itself dictates, particularly if another comes along to corner the market.

©2011 Steve Sagarra