Introduction to Sociology: The Lorax1 & 4

The aspects of capitalism that I personally appreciate are the ideas of a free market and the idea that anybody can bring their goods to the market place. I appreciate the fact that in a capitalistic society, there is the opportunity for people being able to compete in the market with products, letting consumers choose from among the lot that which they think is best for the cost. What I find worrisome is that capitalism can lend itself to unrestrained greed and complete disregard for everything that is external to oneself, as Dr. Seuss shows in The Lorax (jefonty, 2013). The Lorax teaches the zero-sum game paying Once-ler that “unless” the latter “cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” In other words, in order for capitalism to be applied safely in society, individuals and businesses in the marketplace have to show respect for nature, the environment, and each other—otherwise greed and corruption will simply push out whatever good was being accomplished in the first place.

The problem with getting those in power to listen to the message...

In fact, the power structure is organized around a very small, intricately woven group of wealthy elites who would not listen to a Lorax because they are engaged in a zero sum game that will allow them to wield total control and maintain that control so long as they themselves are not harmed. Since the planet is big and wide and resources are abundant (and the ruling class is small in comparison), the members of the power structure assume that they may spread out as they like and continue to operate like the Once-ler without fear of meeting the same fate. They may escape the effects of such a fate as they will be sure not to harm the area in which they live or seek to retire—but others around the world will surely suffer from their exploitative and destructive pursuits of profits before all else. And that is the main danger that Dr. Seuss warns of and that Domhoff outlines in his discussion of the problem of the power structure as it exists today. It…