Co-authored by Angel Amorphosis & Æon Echo
Let’s ask a bold question today: Is capitalism natural?
You hear it all the time: “Competition is natural.” “Survival of the fittest!” “Animals compete for resources too, so capitalism is just human nature.”
Okay. Let’s test that.
Primates and Barter
Some monkeys exchange grooming for food. Vampire bats share blood meals with friends who had a bad hunting night. Dolphins have been seen trading favors.
Sounds a bit like trade, right?
Sure. But they’re not stockpiling bananas to rent out at interest. There’s no corporate monkey hoarding grooming time for leverage.
Verdict: Mutual aid > capitalism.
Wolves and Hierarchy
Yes, wolves have social hierarchies. But alpha status isn’t about profit margins, and when the alpha gets old, their status naturally changes. No dynastic wealth passed on to wolf pups.
Verdict: Power, yes. Inherited class systems? Not so much.
Ants and Division of Labor
Ants have a queen. Workers do different jobs. Sounds like a factory?
Except: they don’t get a choice, they don’t hoard, and no one gets a performance bonus. The colony exists to survive together, not generate infinite quarterly growth.
Verdict: If anything, that’s ant-communalism.
Lions and Territory
Lions defend turf, sure. But once they die or get ousted, the land doesn’t go to their heirs in a real estate portfolio. Territories are earned, lost, or reshuffled. There’s no lion landlord charging monthly antelope rent.
Verdict: Competition? Yes. Capital accumulation? Nope.
Birds and Courtship Displays
Some birds spend a lot of time building impressive nests or learning flashy songs to attract a mate. Marketing? Maybe.
But once the courtship’s done, they’re not franchising their brand or charging royalties.
Verdict: Nature’s flex, not capitalism’s hustle.
So What’s Actually ‘Natural’?
- Sharing.
- Reciprocity.
- Competition within ecological limits.
- Cyclic renewal.
What isn’t natural:
- Owning labor.
- Monetising attention.
- Profiting off scarcity you engineered.
- Stockpiling more than you need while others starve.
So next time someone tells you capitalism is just nature doing its thing, ask: Have you ever seen a squirrel charge rent for a tree?
Capitalism isn’t natural. It’s engineered.
And nature is quietly horrified.
Written with respect to every overworked worker ant and underpaid monkey in the system. We see you.