Since we are splitting hairs, see if you can go along with this. Let me set it up and show you.
Personal standing in the group is Capital that can be parlayed into markers.
Markers have become Money. Money has good and bad outcomes. Since there is a common coin, there is a common value to goods and services that are set by the "brother of barter", auction. And public auction, in it all it's forms, housing market, govt services bids, all the way to Ebay, is the way value is set. BTW, it is the only way real value can be determined in a money system. But, it can get subtle and tricky. I see everyone here is aware of that. The giant $$$ at play can lead to somewhat out of control. And, also, quite shocking abuse.
But, largess and credit and a market economy, leads to consumerism. Since WW2 we see Consumerism. It is a kind of auction gone a bit wild, and it is very hard to say who is driving the bus, the producers of goods or the consumers. And it fights itself into insanity. The Marketing/Press the Elections/Advertising, the Info Overload and the pitiful tyranny of opinions is what we get to see here.
A most detestable state of Commercialism.
It's Commercialism we all hate. We love Capital Standing among our fellows, even here on this board. And trading Capital for makers and more markers is economy, not an -ism.
So, don't get mixed up as to which is the Golden Goose. 1) you can't kill capitalism. It's not an -ism. It doesn't even exist like that except as a kicked dog for Marx, Lenin, and Mao. Every -ism needs an enemy. Every -ism wants to try this purely intellectual push of the lower classes into a much worse situation, than they had.
Aye, I mean Commercialism and it may well be the worst -ism, yet. Follow me?
