In the cathedrals of mammon
& sanctuaries of avarice
few things are more sacred than
the postulates of Adam Smith.

Crafty capitalists understand when to cooperate or compete
and constantly seek more ways to achieve -
weighing risks with potential gains
considering consequences
before taking aim.

Far-sighted capitalists understand
affluence involves more than cash at hand.
Yes, they care about assets
and long-term futures
as well as momentary demands.

Laughing profit is never a one-way street -
it is based on mutually screwed benefits
that ignore eco-rape or class-induced hate
as long as the system spews out
earnings that seem great.

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Hear the author read this poem.
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Copyright (c) 1997, 2006 by T Newfields. All rights reserved.
www.tnewfields.info/AmeriSong/cap.htm

Terri:	Strange . . . this poem starts out as a paean to capitalism but ends up parodying it.
Tim:	We should accept that every system has its own limitations. Attempting to apply one system to fix all problems never works. Human behaviour is too complex for a single system.
Ted:	That sounds disturbingly anti-intellectual. Even though errors may well be an inherent feature of any system, we should commit ourselves to a scientific examination of social phenomena . . . incomplete knowledge is better than no knowledge.
Tim:	I'm not entirely sure. When we admit that we do not know, there's room for discovery and learning. Yet when we become overly confident of our knowing, as many intellectuals do, most of our so-called research becomes a one-sided attempt to bolster assumptions.