Article: The banal evil of predatory capitalism

Many left-wingers decry the evilness of corporations. Yes, they're often evil, but not necessarily in the black-and-white way that left-wingers often portray them. The evil is mostly a banal, bureaucratic evil that arises not, typically, from any malice towards others so much as from uncontrolled greed.

On the other hand, some actions by politicians and corporations are evil in an active, non-banal way.

1. Examples of economic evil

It's well-known that drug gangs are a serious problem in many countries, including Columbia, Mexico, and Afghanistan.

The U.S. has its own problem with drug gangs that extort money, corrupt the government, and kill innocent men, women, and children.

The North American drug gangs go by the names of Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Roche, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, AstraZeneca, Abott Laboratories, Merck, Bayer, Eli Lilly, and Birstol-Myers Squibb.

These drug gangs are backed up by an extortion racket known as the health insurance industry. Major players in this space include United Health, Wellpoint, Aetna, Humana, Cigna, Health Net, and Conventry Health Care.

2. The banality of economic evil

The strange thing is: the management, employees, and shareholders of these corporations don't regard themselves as evil. Nor do the management, employees, and stockholders of military contractors. Nor do the tens of millions of Americans who have 401k plans that invest in these corporations and that support the corrupt system.

Nor do the corrupted politicians that make the laws and regulations that support the system.

You see, most evil is banal, and nearly everyone has blood on their hands.

Everyone's just trying to get by, make a buck, and protect their children, their homes, and their lifestyles. Live the American dream! Pursue happiness!

People are starving, crying, and dying in America and overseas, and yet many people horde money.

Do people really need $10,000,000 to be happy?

Many left-wingers like to decry the evilness of corporations. Yes, they're often evil, but not necessarily in the black-and-white way that left-wingers often portray them. The evil is mostly a banal, bureaucratic evil that arises not, typically, from any malice towards others so much as from uncontrolled greed.

You see, I'm hesitant to use the word "evil", because it's too easy to vilify one's enemies. And people contribute to evil in passive ways -- like by owning stock.

He who is without sin throw the first stone.

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