Is capitalism inherently rotten, or do we just let it go too far? It can be hard for Americans to think critically about capitalism. If you want to know what water is like, don’t ask the fish, the proverb goes. Capitalism is the water we drink, the air we breathe. It is our state religion. It is how we trade our labor for the goods and services we can’t live without (and many that we can). But we can’t solve our leading environmental and social problems without wrestling with the system that employs most of us and takes almost everything we produce from raw materials to finished products. Workers get a raw deal, greenhouse gas emissions ruin the climate, species go extinct — and capitalism doesn’t care. That’s our job.
In this section, we explore some of capitalism’s most absurd conclusions, from the loading docks of big box stores to mountaintops where tires are burned to birth Bitcoins, even to the sidewalks of Kensington. We also explore some tweaks, corrections for the system and even a few grand alternatives. We hope you come away with new realizations about capitalism and imagined overhauls — and, most importantly, keep your head above water.
