Ah, this was a lovely read. So much complexity to this. This is all pretty much true, but then does that not mean that people are at fault? I've been one for touting the model of giving everyone x amount of money to survive, and those that want to earn more have the ability to do so, but your article raises a few damn good points. If everyone is given x to survive then I'd expect the value of products would rise accordingly, making people no better off than they previously were. Some good thoughts there.

Communism will always fail because I don't want to be earning the same as someone that puts less effort than me into the economy. That would de-motivate me significantly, as it would others I expect. Most things be rendered valueless. Why work when there's no reward? Unless, of course people are intrinsically motivated to do such, but achieving that, today, is hard. You would also need a robust propoganda machine to keep people believing your bullshit.

I'm not a believer of the zero sum fallacy, there's always opportunity in everything. Nothing is saturated. I also don't believe that immigration steals jobs. I've worked with quite a few amazing foreigners and they've had to pay 60% tax, so to me, they add some serious value to the economy.

Can't say I agree with you on happiness though. I feel happy, not all the time of course, though! We're going through a house move right now and the wife and I are at each others throats, but generally, life is good. I have no issues with myself. Perhaps you're right when I think about it. Happiness isn't like it is in the movies; a constant journey through fields of bright flowers and sunshine, it's a comfortable settling, a groundedness with the world, and when anything bad comes my way I am able to deal with it.

I do believe that society is flawed, though. Far too much emphasis is put on being rich where we do very little to help the poor. I don't know where you live, but here in the UK we hear nothing about what's happening in third world countries, yet I expect it's nothing good. Genocide and war. We've become a world that cares passionately.. for 2 seconds.. from the comfortability of our own armchairs. Yet not even abroad, when we look at the backalleys of our own streets, if we look close enough we'll witness a life we aren't aware of. I can't get my head around how 1% has 80% of the wealth and there are some people with no shoes and have to fight for their food every day. I really struggle with that.