Capitalism can't solve climate change, end poverty, or keep us alive. So what comes next? Not one big system, but two parallel economies that will make a transition possible.
Josh Allan Dykstra tackles the question everyone's thinking: if capitalism isn't working, what do we do instead? His answer: build an exit ramp.
This week we're exploring the Two-Economy Solution: The Commons (for everything required for life) and The Market (for everything else). One governed by economic democracy where you get a say in what you build. The other? Let capitalism keep making weird, fun stuff!
What you'll discover in this episode:
*The Four Big Freakouts about replacing capitalism (and why they're myths)
*Why the "free market" is as real as unicorns doing Pilates
*How capitalism restricts your freedom more than you think
*Why "government inefficiency" might just be generational trauma from institutional decay
*Where innovation really comes from (hint: it’s not corporations)
*The Two-Economy Solution: The Commons + The Market
*What belongs in The Commons (if it's required for life, it shouldn't be for profit)
*The Requirement Scan: a daily practice to break capitalism's spell
The uncomfortable truth: You have the "freedom" to spend 40 years doing work that drains you because rent is due. The "freedom" to go bankrupt from medical bills. The "freedom" to work on whatever capital wants — nothing else. Individual agency under capitalism is Henry Ford's line: "You can choose any color car... as long as it's black." We vote on how our country is run. Why can't we vote on what to build with our work?
The optimistic rebellion: We don't need to overthrow capitalism today. We need to see it clearly. Practice "The Requirement Scan" daily: Is this required for life? If yes, why is someone profiting from it? Healthcare. Housing. Food. Medicine. Noticing everything that’s been privatized breaks the spell!
This episode will help you see the exit ramp for capitalism and understand what we need to build next.
The article on his web site:
What Do We Do Instead of Capitalism? (The Two-Economy Solution)
The podcast (audio recording) on his podcasts' web site:
What Do We Do Instead of Capitalism? (The Two-Economy Solution)
The video on YouTube:
What Do We Do Instead of Capitalism? (The Two-Economy Solution)
Timestamps:
00:55 - Recap of “Why Capitalism Is Bad” (Episode 11)
03:18 - A quick word about belief systems
04:19 - Freakout #1: “But what about the free market?”
06:27 - Freakout #2: “Won't this take away freedom and agency?”
08:33 - Freakout #3: “Won't everything become inefficient and bureaucratic?”
13:44 - Freakout #4: “Won't innovation die?
15:04 - So, what do we do instead? The Two-Economy Solution
16:01 - The Commons: If it's required for life, it shouldn't be for profit
18:56 - The Market: Let capitalism do what it does best
21:05 - The Optimistic Rebellion: “The Requirement Scan” (your daily Rebel practice)