Penguins Targeted As Next Source Of Cheap Labor

Cute little things aren't they? Who doesn't like penguins? But the worlds penguin population is in mortal danger and it isn't from global warming. While many people argue about the validity of climate change, penguins are concerned with something more daunting than the melting of their homeland... Capitalism! Let me explain. We have been watching a steady march towards a capitalistic world since the mid 19th century. One of the things that makes capitalism tick is a cheap work force. Europe and the United States sorta got the ball rolling using slave labor, the ultimate in cheap labor. But then Lincoln freed the slaves and the corporate types had to look elsewhere. Enter our friends south of the border. People who would do an honest days work for an honest hours pay up here in the good old US of A. But then the unions entered the picture and demanded that people actually get paid a living wage in exchange for working every day. To combat this we had this idea that if we located our factories down there, we could make even more money. Soon factories all over Latin America were roaring to life making goods for our consumer driven society paying their workers as little as $2.00 a day. But that was not a low enough wage to ensure the big profits that we needed in our 401K's and stock portfolios so the Wal-Marts of the world went looking elsewhere. Besides, after a while those workers demanded to see their wages go up, sometimes to as much as $10.00 a day. So we turned our eyes upon that vast untapped employee resource, China. It was perfect. Far enough away and mostly closed to the press and those pesky human rights people that wages looked to remain low for years to come. The perfect capitalistic marriage, insatiable desire on the part of the west and unlimited low wage resources in the east. But wait, China is changing the equation. They are investing heavily in Africa. Is this because they have figured out that eventually their own lowly workers, like those here and in Latin America, will soon see that the promise of an honest days work for and honest hours pay won't work there either? Could it be that China has looked at the world and surmised that the only workers left to be exploited live on the African continent? I mean even a few bucks a day is great when you have nothing. Perhaps soon, instead of everything here in the US saying "Made in China" it will say "Made in Nigeria, Ghana, Burundi," or some other country over there. All this has got me to thinking. There's only one continent left where capitalism can look to for cheap labor. Antarctica. So you penguins better start organizing now, because we'll be coming for you soon. Nothing comes between a good capitalist and cheap labor.

Capitalism and Christianity

There are not many things clearer in Christian theology than the idea that God is creator of all. Perhaps right along side this is our understanding that in order for God to be fully Lord, and not just Savior in our lives, we must turn everything we have, wish, desire, or hope for over to Him. This is beautifully portrayed in a little homily by the now deceased Presbyterian Pastor Bob Munger, “My Heart, Christ’s Home.” Munger takes us on a journey of our heart, envisioning it as a home, walking us through the many rooms until he comes to the hall closet. It is there that he posits Jesus beckoning us to give Him even that still dark grimy area many of us fiercely protect at all costs. Jacques Ellul, noted French theologian, in his book “Prayer and Modern Man” attacks the classic empty praying hands image of someone waiting for God’s filling. He asks if it isn’t more biblical for someone to come to God with his hands full, and give everything to God, thus emptying himself. Clearly, the teachings of Christianity lead us to understand that what belongs to God is His, and what belongs to us, is His also. We are taught, and readily accept that for a strong relationship with Jesus, we must give all that we are, and all that we have over to Him, and live in trust, that he will love, provide for, and take care of us. I bring all of this up to shed some light on an issue, and because of the encouragement of a blogging friend o' mine, Tao. There has been a lot of talk lately about the United States becoming a socialist nation under Barack Obama. We have also heard that we are a capitalist nation founded on Christian principles. But let’s look at the main pillars of capitalism. Capitalism, according to Wikipedia is “an economic system in which wealth, and the means of producing wealth, are privately owned.” In short, what’s mine is mine, and what is yours is yours. Plain and simple. Except you cannot square this in general, and private ownership in particular with biblical faith as it was understood and practiced by the early Christian church. Clearly the theological teachings of serious scholars, and the practices of the early Christian community, as evidenced in the Book of Acts, stand against these main tenets of capitalism. Now I am not necessarily advocating socialism as a reasonable alternative, nor denigrating capitalism as a workable system. I am merely pointing out that it is hard to make the case for capitalism as Christian based, as some are trying to do. It may indeed be a great system for acquiring wealth and prosperity, but let’s not claim it is somehow rooted in Christianity.