The Village: Capitalism and the Community of "I"

We are raised to not think outside ourselves, to ignore the unhoused person asking for food, to avert our eyes at the sight of struggling families desperate for medical care. The United States and similar capitalist Western cultures have cultivated a mindset of “not owing anyone anything” and of watching out for yourself above all else. This seems to remain true in closer-knit groups like family and friends as well as in larger community bodies. We have created a culture where support and care must be earned rather than given willingly.

Family Dynamics

This individualistic mindset is most stark in US family dynamics compared with other countries. Children are expected to move out at eighteen and make their own way in the world; elderly parents are to live on their own or in nursing homes. Compared to other regions, love in the Western world is inherently conditional.

This difference can be seen in addiction studies and the way people struggling with addiction are discussed in places like the United States compared to somewhere like South America. In many countries outside of the US and other late-stage capitalist nations, it is common for parents to care for their children well into an addiction, even going so far as to procure illicit substances for them to ease the effects of withdrawal. However, in the US it is much less common to see care in this form, and parents whose children are struggling with addiction often choose not to be involved in their lives until they get clean or to separate from them entirely. 

Everything and anything seems to have a layer of reciprocity. Nothing, not even care, can be given without the promise of something in return. 

Larger Communities

Even more than in family dynamics, the “me first” mindset extends well into larger community bodies such as cities or counties. Many people are unable to see beyond their individual needs into what might be good for their neighbors or other community members. 

Amendment 3 proposed on Florida’s November ballot would make sharp cuts to property taxes. This amendment is popular among many voters, with the general belief being that less taxes are always beneficial. However, the reality of this amendment is a decline in county funds and the destruction of community infrastructure such as public libraries and food programs. Regardless of the consequences caused by the amendment, many voters are unable to see beyond the money they will save.

"Communities" across the United States barely seem to exist; volunteer organizations lack funds and members, and most people don’t even know their neighbors, let alone well enough to chip in when needed. Most people are completely unwilling to invite inconvenience into their lives for the sake of others' benefit, not for friends, and especially not for strangers. For many, the idea of paying a bit more each year for the sake of the country as a whole, or even just their own county or state, is completely inconceivable.

Capitalism as the Cause

The root of this thought process is capitalism. In capitalist nations, every person is raised under the impression that every aspect of life is about what can be earned; everything is reciprocal, and everything should benefit the individual.

Our culture shames individuals who take "government handouts," and the American dream has always been the complete financial independence that can only come from "hard work." In a country where the majority of people will never see any amount of the wealth promised by this dream, it has become hard to think beyond the self. However, the only way to make systems better is to care and to break out of the idea that nothing is owed to anyone. In reality, we owe each other help and care simply because we are human, and there doesn't need to be more of a reason than that.