The Choices and Consequences of Our Age

Book excerpt: There are winners and losers in a capitalistic society, but capitalism does not choose who is a winner and who is a loser. The winners are those who have the right idea, sacrifice their time and money, take risks, work hard, and have a little luck and help along the way. The losers are those who rarely dream of the impossible, waste their time, spend their money foolishly, lack the courage to take risks, and fail to dedicate themselves to achieving the rewards of their efforts. Winners should receive the greatest returns for their investments and the greatest of rewards for their endeavors. While wealth may be distributed unequally, it results more from an unequal dedication to acquire this wealth. That is not only right, but it is fair. At the heart of capitalism is choice, one of success or failure, saving or spending, and work or recreation. Capitalism is a system that allows a person to choose whether he or she wants to be a winner or a loser. Today, too many have chosen the latter and display the unbecoming traits of greed, jealously, and envy toward those who have chosen the former. While insecurity and instability may pervade this countrys economic, political and societal institutions, success can still be achieved by those who look forward rather than backward, who avoid the disadvantages of the past to take advantage of the future. In The Choices and Consequences of Our Age, youll learn that its still possible to achieve success through hard work, sacrifice, and self-reliance.