Emotional vs. rational: Our economy's stymieing dichotomy By Urma Saor Margadh

What makes an economy fair, and free? How this question is finally answered hinges heavily on one of the economies most unpredictable components: we the people. In early September, I sat down with Aaron R. Lema, an economic realist and author. In mid-January, he had published the details of a new emotional/rational economic model. An economic model he believes will unscrew humanity and improve capitalism. The new economic model Lema puts forth is Humanatapilism, pronounced Hu-MAN-ah-TAP-il-ism. Humanatapilism combines the best aspects of our humanity with the effective aspects of free market capitalism, to create a new economic model. Humanatapilism's primary achievement, as I soon realized, is its effective coupling of the emotional and rational elements of economic issues into an easily understood and followed economic model—a feat our current economic models have yet to achieve. So, in this emotional vs. rational dichotomy we operate in economically, with we the people wanting a fair—and a free—economy, how is humanatapilism going to UN-stymie the economy and become the new economic model? The first hurdle humanatapilism must clear, as Lema points out, is that "We the people have come to believe that the task of creating and enforcing the rules of our economic behaviors falls upon those politicians we have elected, and not upon ourselves. And this belief, it causes most of our current economic troubles. He goes on further to state, "The solution is very simple, when we the people start to accept personal responsibility for our economy we will be able to build a new emotional/rational economy." I quickly rebutted this solution with the old cliché, "That's easier said than done." And I defended my rebuttal with the following. The second hurdle humanatapilism must clear, one I have observed over the course of numerous economic discussions, and one I sated boldly, is that "Many people do not understand what their governments role is in their economy." For this problem Lema turns to Milton Friedman, and his answer as to the role of our government in our economy, "The existence of a free market does not of course eliminate the need for government." Friedman stated. "On the contrary, government is essential both as a forum for determining the rules of the game and as an umpire to interpret and enforce the rules decided on." Lema then begins to expands on Friedman s explanation of the role of our government in our economy by stating, "Once people know the role of their government in their economy, and that they, the people, truly control that role, then they (the people) can begin to build an emotional/rational based economy." I agree people should know the role of their government in their economy, but sadly, to many people nowadays just won't take the time to educate themselves on the matter. The final and largest hurdle humanatapilism must clear before becoming the new economic model is that people are both emotional and rational when it comes to economic issues. How is that a problem? Lema gives this explanation: "Unfortunately, those people who are primarily emotional about economic issues view the people who are primarily rational about economic issues as narrow minded and uncaring. Similarly, those people who are primarily rational about economic issues view the people who are primarily emotional about economic issues as narrow minded and whinny. And those people who are projecting their primary view of economic issues onto others...cause many, if not all, of our economic troubles." For the people projecting their primary views of economic issues onto others Lema offers this insight: "All the emotional people need to realize is that a rational person's black-and-white view of economic issues is helpful; it provides clarity and gives us a sense of direction for the economy. All the rational people need to realize is that an emotional person's non black-and-white view of economic issues is helpful; it reminds us that our economic issues are made up entirely of people, and this should give every one of us a sense of direction." Once again I blurted out the old cliché, "That's easier said than done." Getting people to adjust their primary view of economic issues or getting them to recognize others people's primary views of economic issues, I have found, it's damn near impossible. So how do we the people restore personal responsibility to the economy, educate our fellow citizens as to the role of their government in their economy, and build an emotional/rational economy suitable to the majority of people's emotional/rational economic views? You create a better economic path for people to follow, or as Lema puts it, "Create a better economic path for people to follow, make it simple enough for them to build upon it using the own emotional/rational approach to economic issues, and the economic problems we face today will become a distant, albeit bad, memory." Now that's an economic path I, Urma Saor Margadh, would be willing to follow. I encourage all to read Aaron R. Lema's published work, "Unscrew Humanity & Improve Capitalism, Humanatapilism, Part Deux," and then look for your opportunities to apply the information found within to help build this new, emotional/rational based economy. This is Urma Saor Margadh's first contribution to Enter Stage Right. © 2014, Urma Saor Margadh Home