The capitalist and consumerist ethics are two sides of the same coin, a merger of two commandments. The supreme commandment of the rich is ‘Invest!’ The supreme commandment of the rest of us is ‘Buy!’ The capitalist–consumerist ethic is revolutionary in another respect. Most previous ethical systems presented people with a pretty tough deal. They were promised paradise, but only if they cultivated compassion and tolerance, overcame craving and anger, and restrained their selfish interests. This was too tough for most. The history of ethics is a sad tale of wonderful ideals that nobody can live up to. Most Christians did not imitate Christ, most Buddhists failed to follow Buddha, and most Confucians would have caused Confucius a temper tantrum. In contrast, most people today successfully live up to the capitalist–consumerist ideal. The new ethic promises paradise on condition that the rich remain greedy and spend their time making more money and that the masses give free reign to their cravings and passions and buy more and more. This is the first religion in history whose followers actually do what they are asked to do. How though do we know that we'll really get paradise in return? We've seen it on television.
Health care and education are too important NOT to be left to the free market.
Creativity can only be anarchic, capitalist, Darwinian.
I'm fascinated by how ethnic communities have assimilated into massive capitalist environments.
Fascism is nothing but capitalist reaction.
Warhol was questioning the capitalist society.
The worker is the slave of capitalist society, the female worker is the slave of that slave.
I unabashedly, unashamedly, unequivocally support the explosion of entrepreneurs in the capitalist system.
My claim is that we do not have a market economy, but a capitalist economy.
