Ideologies are mind-killers, all of them, because they are all (severely) flawed. The ideological labels which are so frequently parroted in our societies are terminology which has lost all meaning. This begins with the fact that our political/economic ideologies are not practical blueprints for creating and managing economies (and societies).

These ultra-popular buzzwords are the theoretical models of philosophers. With philosophy (and philosophers) now banished to the lowest rung in the world of academia, how can the work of philosophers be regarded as the (supposed) epitome of political and economic wisdom, in these same societies?

The other reason why these political/economic buzzwords do much more to confuse than enlighten comes from the fact that most of the people who bandy about these terms have little-to-no idea of what these theoretical models actually represent. Nothing illustrates this principle better than the grossly-abused buzzword "capitalism".

As always, sound analysis begins with definition of terms. What is "capitalism"?

a) Capitalism is competition.

b) Capitalism is free markets.

c) Capitalism is a system of equal (economic) opportunity, an inevitable byproduct of having free markets and competition.

What do we see in our own, supposedly "capitalist" systems?

We see the opposite of competition. We see economies which have been almost entirely carved-up into the domains of a handful of mega-oligopolies.

We see the opposite of free markets. We see markets where a single, financial crime syndicate marches these markets (collectively) higher and lower, like some gigantic, synchronized yo-yo. Bubble and crash. Bubble and crash. Every eight years.

We see the opposite of equal opportunity. We see an economic system where the deck is ridiculously stacked in favor of engorging the oligopolies still further, and throttling small business and the individual entrepreneur.