# The Pain of Equality and Capitalistic Organizational Systems By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2024-08-09 Many people choose to sit on the fence regarding work, which is highly uncomfortable. These individuals work within an organizational system defined by capitalism, at-will employment, and meritocracy, which are the opposite of the ideals of equity and equality. In many ways, this fence-sitting behavior has defined America from the very beginning. On one side, detailed capitalistic economic plans were crafted, and on the other, we state that "all men are created equal" and extolling the virtues of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We are so used to the inherent contradiction that most Americans never consider this cognitive dissonance. If nothing, it proves the fantastic ability of humans to exist and thrive in states of paradoxical beliefs. Take that current (and maybe future?) AI overlords. If one believes in equality, one believes in treating everyone the same. Yet, most organizations reward people with pay and promotions that are decidedly different. Those who perform the best get the most, at least in theory. If one believes in equity, one considers that individual needs vary and some need more or less than others. Yet, most organizations treat those who perform poorly without more support or training to make them as good as the top performers. Instead, they get remedial training and are quickly coached to exit the organization if not fired. Most of those sitting on the fence fight against their organization's capitalistic system, which is suboptimal in all directions. The system is "at its best" (at least in theory) when it rewards high performance and punishes those who cannot evolve and adapt. Organizations are left mediocre and dysfunctional by floundering on managing the top and bottom. Additionally, the system is not designed to support equality and equity ideals. Those who need more don't get it effectively, and no one is treated the same due to the hierarchical nature of the system. If one continues to believe in equality and equity while operating in a capitalistic organization, one will continue to experience a nagging pain. There are three paths forward if one wishes to remove the pain. One could fully embrace the capitalist organizational system and abandon equality and equity as absolute theories of truth. This does not mean one becomes a total asshole, but many will become this. One still has the agency to be a good person. An alternative approach is to fully embrace the equality and equity ideals and design a new organizational system based on them. Many may think these new organizational systems cannot compete with the capitalistic ones, but plenty of counter-examples exist that don't include full-blown communism. There are infinitely many organizational systems, which all have pluses and minuses. The third option is to remove the fence and synthesize something entirely new. This is likely what many on the fence are trying to do without knowing it. However, one must sit on the fence for a very long time for it to fall. It is much more effective to dismantle it intentionally. #### Related Items [[Pain]] [[Equity]] [[Equality]] [[Capitalism]] [[Organization]] [[Management]] [[Performance]] [[Systems Thinking]] [[Communism]]