"That's Capitalism!"
This week I saw someone post a quote: "When the rich steal from the poor, it's called capitalism; when the poor steal from the rich it's called violence."
That's not quite right, I thought. So I counter that when the rich steal from the poor it's actually called central banking. When the poor steal from the rich it's called voting.
This made me recall my last days in New York several years ago. I had a loose group of barfly acquaintances and a few of them were an especially obnoxious brand of socialist. During one conversation about the ills of the world, one of these acquaintances just kept labeling everything he didn't like as "capitalism".
The failure of wages to keep up with inflation? "That's capitalism." The lies that led to the Iraq invasion? "That's capitalism." The clubbing of baby seals? "That's capitalism."
It would be years before I became a Facebook regular and saw various popular memes, like the one with the Inigo Montoya character from "The Princess Bride" which would have fit the situation. It contained Inigo's famous line to Vicini: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
I will not offer a full-throated defense of capitalism in this space, nor will I delve too far into semantics. But it seems to me that people with a collectivist bent ascribe a lot of state evil to the freedoms of the marketplace. Capitalism, you see, is ultimately anarchism that accepts private property as natural and inevitable. Capitalism knows nothing of the state monopoly on currency known as central banking that creates the transfer of wealth that results from currency inflation. Capitalism doesn't stifle competition, privatize profits and socialize losses the way the state's coprporate license does. Capitalism doesn't create profit out of war's destruction the way the state does.
It is a testament to the thorough indoctrination and reality warping of the state's monopoly on schooling that people associate freedom with the harm caused by the state's coercion. Freedom has been framed and the inhabitants of the Western World have fallen for the false story. I'm not sure there's any convincing them or any salvaging of the situation. We can still keep trying to illuminate the dim minds of the brainwashed, but always remember that most of our energy is best used in insulating ourselves from the inevitable fallout of the world holding onto its delusions about the glory of the state.
Regards,
Gary Gibson
Editor, The Dollar Vigilante
Welcome to your Sunday. Another week of chaos and disarray in a world that seems to know no other state. Fear not dear TDVers, for we have the answers you're looking for.
Here’s what we wrote about this week…
MONDAY, April 22
The Paper Precious Metals Market Precariously Close to Diverging from the Physical Market
Jeff Berwick on the deviation in the gold paper and physical markets.
“How is it possible gold goes down $200 in the paper market while there is almost no supply available to buy around the world? Last I checked, dwindling or completely absent supply against steady and increasing demand means higher prices, not sudden price drops. Quite simply, the paper market is being manipulated one way or another. Whether it's nervous speculators or the more likely collusion of banks and the federal government, there can be no mistaking that the deviation in the gold paper and physical markets this last week is a major event for The End Of The Monetary Systems As We Know It.”
TUESDAY, April 23
From New York to Boston, They Thought They Were Free
Jorge Gato on the myth of freedom in the aftermath of the Boston bombings.
" Economic indicators are dire, from the lowest recorded PC sales in history to record food stamp numbers and everything in between. The international financiers have artificially manipulated the precious metals to a level not seen in thirty years. The Pentagon is agitating Asia in an attempt to position itself between the Russians and the Chinese, having already stationed troops at the Red Dragon’s underbelly down under. The Chinese also claim Washington is experimenting with biological warfare on the continent, while back home in the USSA anthrax floats about to the droning background news coverage of Boston’s domestic terrorism.”
WEDNESDAY, April 24
Redmond Weissenberger on the misappropriated hatred of the wealthy.
“The abundance of “rich-hating” in today’s Western culture has reached disgusting levels. Wealth is no longer seen as a sign of virtue and hard work but as a symbol of exploitation. For all his problems (wishing to “run” a country being at the top of the list), Mitt Romney was right when he said there exists a mindset of “victimology”. No matter what brilliant entrepreneurs bring to the market, they are demonized simply because they earn much more money than the average Joe. This has lead to a growing sect of businessmen who find it necessary to tell the public that not only do they not support the system that brought them immense wealth, but they support government regulation to make things more equitable.”
THURSDAY, April 25
Dear Slavey: Spercial Edition Part 2
TDV's resident advice columnist, Slavey, is back. Slavey’s columns appear monthly in TDV Homegrown. For more articles like this, please subscribe to Homegrown here.
"Realize you're living in a police state where a lot (a LOT) of people have guns and aren't afraid to use them (especially the police), so watch where you go and when you go there. Get a long deadbolt lock for your door and a peephole so you can see who's knocking. Stop thinking that anywhere in the US is like it was in the 1950s no matter how rural. Don't ever open your door to someone unless you know who they are. Get to a gym – be fit so you can run if you have to, and maybe even take a self-defense course. Lock your car doors always and carry a whistle so you can freak someone out if they seem threatening and perhaps they'll leave you alone. And in the big cities, don't walk down quiet streets alone late at night. Walk with a friend or drive."
FRIDAY, April 26
Feedback Friday – April 25th, 2013
In this week’s Feedback Friday: Lizards and security of resources? A must read…
SATURDAY, April 27th
The Weekend Vigilante April 27th, 2012
Jeff Berwick is back in Acapulco Bay, and updates us on his goings on in his always entertaining and informative weekly address to TDVers.
TDV VIDEO
Have a look at our wide array of informative videos featuring interviews, opinions, and analysis on TDV’s media page.
TDV SERVICES
Don't forget, TDV is much more than a newsletter. We also offer many of the solutions to the problems we identify in the letter to help people internationalize their self and wealth to protect themselves from The End Of The Monetary System As We Know It (TEOTMSAWKI). Check out all our services designed to help you gain more freedom in your life here:
Remember, if you have any questions, concerns, or issues with what you've read on TDV, write us at: tdv@dollarvigilante.com.
Thanks as always for reading or subscribing!
Managing Editor
