Thursday, May 8, 2014

Pondering Markets

I wish I could explain the thoughts in my head in a clear manner. I feel like I had some profound ideas about the free market vs the shared market (I say shared, you can say socialist -- I prefer the sound of shared, since sharing work loads and resources is the end goal). I know if I try to explain those thoughts they will sound so elementary. But I'll still try to give you a brief overview.

First, the goal of a free market is liberty ... but a free market would never liberate me. I (and many others) do not want a free market, so by default a free market would be a forced market -- defeating it's entire purpose.

However, if we look at the few times in scripture where Zion (or a shared market -- yes, I went there) was created, it is easy to see that Zion's inhabitants were free. Yes, the people of Enoch were persecuted, but creating Zion was a choice -- therefore the shared market they experienced was one that granted liberty, and the ultimate gift of translation -- or being taken home to Heaven where they are being preserved for the Second Coming of Christ -- how awesome is that?!?!

Now, I'm not arguing socialism (my ideal shared market) is the way to Zion. I am not arguing that. I'd never argue that. My profound thought was actually that the two markets are both markets of force. As long as one person isn't willing to fully participate, they are markets of force created by a government using force. Even more ironic, proponents of both markets will promise you that their market will give you liberty while simultaneously meeting all your needs and yet they fight bitterly over how evil the other's ideals are.

Now, I've always understood some of these ironies -- like that Ayn Rand's end goal mirrors Karl Marx's end goal, or that neither market would ever work unless everyone vested in it had a pure heart and good intentions -- but the ironies just struck me a little harder and a little deeper this week, in ways I can't adequately explain. Maybe by sharing my brief overview you'll ponder markets (and Zion) a little deeper this week as well.

I suppose my end takeaway is that neither market matters. Which market works best doesn't matter. Create Zion and the goal of both markets will flow naturally. Poverty and suffering brought on by the selfishness of man will end. Liberty will reign. If only politics were that simple, eh?

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