The Truth about Money and Capitalism “It’s our behaviors with money that can get us into the biggest trouble or lead us into the biggest success”(Ramsey 2011) This is a quote from financial guru Dave Ramsey, and it speaks directly towards how money and capitalism can be our greatest triumph, or our biggest downfall. Capitalism has been getting very bad press in our country lately. The pursuit of wealth and riches has been demonized by the current administration, and by the media covering fringe groups such as the, “Occupy Wallstreet” movement. Competition and work ethic are being replaced by hand outs, and entitlements and Americans being told that being rich is a bad thing. They are being told that winning is a bad thing, and that the rich of our country owe us something. I believe that this attitude is dangerous, and that it discourages people from working hard by putting up false barriers that separate us from the attitude we need to be successful. Capitalism doesn’t corrupt our character like many of the talking heads on MSNBC would have you believe, it simply reveals it. Money is amoral. It doesn’t care what you do with it. It doesn’t make any judgments about whose possession it is in, and it doesn’t care how it gets spent. Mr. Ramsey is a financial coach and founder of a class called, “Financial Peace University”. In this class Mr. Ramsey compares money to a brick, and this is a perfect comparison. A brick doesn’t care if you throw it throw a store window, or build a hospital for children with it. The hands that control the brick influence what it is used for, and the hands that money is in have the same affect. Winning is being discouraged in this country, and having money is winning. They are handing out participation ribbons in all sports, and making sure that every kid gets some kind of a trophy. The line between succeeding and failing is being blurred into everyone being equal. Everyone is not equal, it is reality and people need to know that, especially children. Not everyone is destined to be a professional athlete, or a rock star, but everyone does have the ability to create success in their world, though the definitions of success clearly change from situation to situation, and from person to person. Capitalism is essentially a game of moneymaking. The winner is able to maximize his profits and win the game. Now, this doesn’t mean that