Dispelling myths about anti-capitalist financial planning
Myth #1: I’ll tell you to give all your money away
Sometimes, people worry that because I don’t like capitalism and wealth-hoarding, I’ll tell them to give all of their money away.
I am not going to tell you to give all of your money away!
In fact, I’m not going to tell you what to do with your money at all. I trust you to make your own decisions with your life and your resources. We’re all on our own lifelong journeys of discovering and re-discovering how we want to show up in the world.
I don’t think you should give all of your money away and become a martyr. Anti-capitalist financial literacy and financial planning supports you in creating financial stability for yourself, and then sharing that stability with others.
Myth #2: I’ll judge you
Often, people worry that I’ll judge them for having money, for not having money, for money decisions they’ve made, for avoiding money, or anything else they’re feeling uncertain about.
I am not going to judge you!
You are a human being. You were born into a capitalist world, with whatever mix of privilege and oppression you were dealt. You’ve always made the best choices you could with the financial, educational, social, and emotional resources that you had at the time. I have yet to meet someone who is 100% emotionally unaffected by money (especially the people who claim that they’re not emotionally affected by money).
I only want to give you the information, tools, and support that you need as you continue to do the best you can with what you have. I never want to judge you or shame you.
Myth #3: Hating capitalism means you should avoid money
Many of the people I meet have been avoiding money as much as possible, because they feel like money and personal finance are antithetical to their values.
Money is not inherently capitalist.
Capitalism is an economic system that separates an owner class of people from a working class of people, so that the owner class can exploit the working class and the planet’s natural resources. Because of that system, money is hoarded by the owner class, and is scarce for the working class. But it is capitalism that creates the problem, not money.
You can choose to use money in more anti-capitalist ways.
You can get clear about what you want in your one wild and beautiful life, estimate how much money you need for that, and refuse to keep more than what you need. You can share money with other people - both as a giver and a receiver. You can bank with a credit union. You can join the fight for reparations and for land back. You can be intentional about where you’re willing to spend or invest your money. And much more!
Myth #4: It’s not smart to bring anti-capitalist values to personal finance
Naysayers will claim that you’ll go broke and wind up destitute if you don’t do money in the mainstream way (earn as much as possible, invest in whatever makes the most money, don’t give too much money away, etc.)
My goal is not to have the most money, my goal is to have the best life that I can have.
My life would be infinitely better if humans around the world were able to live free of oppression. My life would be immeasurably better if everyone in my country (and the world) had easy access to high quality healthcare. My life would be better if the people in my immediate community were all looking out for each other. My life is better when I am able to make intentional decisions in my relationships, my home, my work, my health, and with my money.
There’s no guarantee that “winning” capitalism will ensure a good, or long, life.
Of course we need money because the current world requires that we pay for food, shelter, healthcare, and most of our other needs. But pursuing only money at the cost of connection, fulfillment, or working together to make a better world for all of us - that’s not smart at all.
