Informationalism: Capitalism and the Free Market

Here are the definitions of Capitalism and Free Market from www.dictionary.com

Capitalism: "an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations, esp. as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth."

Free Market: "A market economy based on supply and demand with little or no government control. A completely free market is an idealized form of a market economy where buyers and sells are allowed to transact freely (i.e. buy/sell/trade) based on a mutual agreement on price without state intervention in the form of taxes, subsidies or regulation."


How does Informationalism react to the system of Capitalism? The goal of Informationalism is to create an environment where the ability to acquire new information and distribute it freely is maximized. Acquisition of Information and its efficient distribution has a tone that is similar is structure to Capitalist Ideology.

It is here that we come to a unique situation. Capitalism and Economics in general deal with the scarcity if materials. These materials are generally real in the concrete sense, whereas Information is something immaterial. It is possible to transfer ideas through language and other media in many formats. But, the ideas themselves are of immaterial form.

For all intensive purposes it is not possible to exchange one person’s idea to another in its complete sense. The differences between each individual mean that they interpret Information in ways that are personal. Perhaps the understanding of the meaning and laws behind the falling of a rock are almost the same for me as they are for somebody else. However, without actually being the other person, one can never understand with exact precision the ideas within the mind of another.

This is how we bring Information into the material world. It's not that another realm like our own exists, and for that reason we cannot perfectly acquire the information. It is the high probability that we are part of this world. Therefore, we must use symbols to interpret the interactions within our mind, which cannot currently be perfectly understood because of the lack of technology to do so. Even so, I think it is highly improbably that we can ever know the mind of another without being their mind. To evaluate the mind of another, even with highly advanced instruments, still leads to our own bias, because we are our own individual.

So when we talk about the acquisition and distribution of Information, we are actually talking about two things.

The first is creating an environment where new ideas can manifest within individuals. The second, to ensure that the symbolic approximated medium of transfer for the Information can be readily accessed and freely distributed.

It is here that the conflict with Capitalism appears. Ideal Capitalism involves the private ownership of the means of production. In a Capitalist system, it appears not to be wise to share your information. It encourages innovation initially by rewarding those with unique ideas which allow for the better production of desired goods.

The first assumption here relies on the desires of the individual. Capitalism wishes to meet the desires of the individual as long as that desire does not conflict with Capitalist ideology. What does this lead to?

First, Capitalism does not take into account that individuals are not always rational. If individuals wish to engage in activities that are species destructive, but not immediately destructive to Capitalism. Capitalism is focused upon the individual. It neglects that fact that the individual dies.

Capitalism promotes holding information private that could be to the benefit of the species. This is because it is driven by profit, and not by the desire to acquire and freely distribute information.

It deals in the free market, where supply and demand are supposed to be met efficiently. But it assumes the irrationality or the greed of the individual will be held at bay so that a diplomatic pricing scheme can be established. It also fails to address the question as to whether or not the product in question is of any use.

With Capitalism it is possible for a population to become fixated on material goods that are actually destructive in nature. The Free Market and Capitalism have no remedy for this. For example, here in America the current working and economic standards are forced upon the businesses by our government. What results is a futile power struggle between the abuses of two greed based systems.

How can Informationalism help?

By opening up the mediums of Information, it removes the corrupting nature of the capitalist system. The informatialist system is also not fixed on individual profit, it is focused upon gathering important information that will improve and ensure the continuation of the species.

It does not ignore the self-interest of the individual. Informationalism encourages competing with ideas. It makes the assumption that individuals alone cannot win in the discourse of ideas.

If a man discovers a wonderful technology, but hides it’s from the world, what good is it really? Perhaps he can acquire wealth?

Wealth is only important to individuals. If there are no individuals, then there is no wealth. Therefore, the only way to maintain wealth is to maintain individuals.

So, it would appear that the only way to maintain any form of Capitalism is through Informationalism.

Competition is important for the survival of the species. The cultivation of the individual is also important for the survival of the species. But Capitalism assumes that competition and the individual are more important than the species.

I believe I have shown that you cannot separate them. To talk about competition or individuality without the species is simply fallacious.

So should competition and the individual be less important than the species?

Again I say that they cannot be separated. We cannot choose one over the other. If one is not allowing the individual to produce ideas, then they are not acting in the interest of the species. If the individual desires to stop the flow and acquisition of information, which is not in the private sphere, then he is not acting in the interest of himself or the species.

What about this private sphere?

I spoke not long ago about the need for a private sphere for the creation of Information. This private sphere is crucial. I will go into it further when I talk about the symbolic human world in conjunction with species-useful and individual-useful information.