We live in a society that promotes oversimplification and absolutes. Many of us were raised with the entertainment of superheroes and villains. The superheroes are always good and just and the villains are purposely acting with malicious intent, often for the sake of being bad. Everything is viewed as black and white, strong and weak, big and small.
The reality of the world is much more nuanced and complex. There is rarely a single truth or a categorical right and wrong. This can be off putting because it is not easy. It is so much simpler to say that if you are not good you then you are bad. It is much more challenging to accept that we all have many different traits and inclinations and that perspective is important.
The good news is that people, as complex beings, are also able to comprehend complex ideas. We can hold space for multiple conflicting thoughts and feelings simultaneously. Rather than thinking in terms of either/or, we are able to say yes/and. I can feel annoyed by a call from a telemarketer and also recognizing that the caller is not setting out to irritate me and is just trying to earn a living.
Thanksgiving
I initially wrote this essay the week of Thanksgiving, a time of year when the topic of complexity feels particularly significant. I do celebrate Thanksgiving and enjoy the day dedicated to family, food, and gratitude. I have been celebrating this holiday my whole life and value the tradition. I value having a holiday focused on appreciating the abundance in our lives.
I also recognize that this is a holiday created by a colonizing people from their point of view. I understand that Native Americans were treated brutally by colonizing Europeans. The traditional story of Thanksgiving has the English and Indigenous people coming together for a feast to recognize the bounty of the harvest. There is minimal documentation of what actually occurred and it is all from the point of view of a white man. What we do know as fact is that, at a point following this “first Thanksgiving”, the land of the Wampanoag and all Indigenous North Americans was then stolen by the colonizing white settlers. We do know that white colonizer used multiple tactics in an attempt to exterminate Native Americans.
Even if we were to accept the white people’s story of Thanksgiving as fact, a single cooperative feast is vastly overshadowed by attempted Genocide.
I recognize these atrocities and mourn the loss of life, land, and culture suffered by the indigenous people. Yet, I do still celebrate Thanksgiving. I value the tradition within my own family and heritage and celebrate it as a holiday centered on community and gratitude. This is very uncomfortable. It would be much easier for me to say that the colonization was in the past and we should just let it go. It would be easier for me to believe in a white washed version of history so that I could celebrate without qualms. But, I also recognize that what is easy for me is an attempt to invalidate the pain and trauma inflicted upon others. Instead, I am trying to hold space for both my own tradition and the harm experienced by Indigenous peoples. This is emotionally complex.
I am attempting to allow these two ideas to exist simultaneously. We all have to decide for ourselves how comfortable we are holding space for both things and at what point the harm done overtakes our ability to appreciate the holiday. Maybe at some point, my views will change and I will find that the origin of Thanksgiving makes it impossible for me to celebrate the holiday. Welcoming complexity means we need to allow room for multiple conflicting ideas. It also means we need to accept that our opinions and points of view grow and develop.
I recognize that as a white person I can never comprehend how Native Americans feel about Thanksgiving. I will continue to do my best to listen to what Indigenous people say surrounding this holiday (and many other matters, of course). I also recognize that Indigenous people are not a monolith, even within a specific tribe. As many different Indigenous people as exist, there will be that many different views and opinions.
Capitalism
My work in financial planning also involves significant complexity. Financial planning as a discipline is complicated, but considering finances within societal context is even more intricate.
Over time, my personal views are becoming increasingly anti-capitalist. I believe that capitalism, patriarchy, and white supremacy are all interwoven into the current structure of our society.
Capitalism is an economic structure in which people and corporation own capital and the means of production. According to Wikipedia, “Capitalist Culture promotes the accumulation of capital and the sale of commodities, where individuals are primarily defined by their relationship to business and the market.”
Our society is based upon a hierarchy in which money begets money and power becomes concentrated in the hands of a minority who strive to retain that money and power at all cost. Capitalism is built upon a foundation of competition rather than cooperation. Capitalism relies upon productivity culture and individualism. It is every person for themselves. Our value is dependent upon how hard we work and what we produce.
The myth of capitalism is that it all comes down to skill and hard work and that we each control our own destiny. The reality is that wealth and power are handed down between generations and there was never a level playing field.
Patriarchy and white supremacy are intertwined with capitalism. The skills that are valued and monetarily rewarded in western, capitalist societies are those generally attributed to white men. This should be no surprise as the United States and other western, capitalist countries were all founded by white men. The rules were created by white men. Adam Smith, the 18th century author and economist who is frequently referred to as “the father of capitalism.” was a white man.
How can a system that was entirely created by members of a single demographic be considered fair to all? Particularly when the system is about competing with and besting one another.
In our society, if you want to advance professionally and build wealth, your actions, mannerisms, etc. must adhere to certain standards. Unsurprisingly, we are told that the personality and skill sets we must obtain are those generally associated with white males. You must have an “executive presence” which is code for “act like a white guy.” You must be forceful but not loud. The only emotion you can express in anger. Everything should be based upon data and logic, with no room for emotions or intuition. “Soft skills” are considered inferior.
I have many ideological issues with capitalism. It is a system created by and for white men. Capitalism does not respect many of the values that I hold in highest regard. Values like community, cooperation, honesty, transparency, communication, and kindness are not the values of capitalism.
Financial Planning
Financial planning is based within and upon the existing capitalist structures. When preparing a financial plan I am using my knowledge of the financial markets, the legal system, the tax structure, and the insurance industry. All of these are part of the capitalist financial system. Financial planners provide advice with the goal of helping clients to earn and retain the most money possible while working within the confines of the set structures. Those with access to professional advice (financial planners, accountants, attorneys) are generally better able to navigate the existing systems to their own monetary advantage than those who are unable to afford assistance.
I find this to be hugely problematic.
I am working to help clients uphold the system that I oppose. I am helping clients who can afford my services rather than those who most need help.
Reconciling Contradictory Truths
This is where we return to the topic of complexity. How do we operate within our current systems while also acknowledging the harm done and striving for change? How can I, in good conscience, practice financial planning while recognizing that I am not serving those with the greatest need?
I wish I had an easy answer.
One thing I do know is that I, as an individual, am unable to completely change or fix the system. It is not possible. I could choose to reject the system and find a new career. Realistically, however, there are not many careers available that do not uphold the capitalist, patriarchal, white supremacist culture in which we exist. And we all need to survive and thrive, even within the current systems.
What I have decided instead is to use the knowledge that I do have in a less conventional way. I can use my expertise in traditional matters, but employ it in different ways. I can share my ideas with different types of people.
So many people do not trust the existing structures. They don’t feel safe entrusting their finances to a white guy working for a multi-billion dollar corporation. My goal is to make people feel safe and gain confidence in a space outside of their comfort zone. I believe that I am unlike the typical financial advisor and this allows me to relate to individuals in a different and much needed way.
By necessity, my clients all live in, and navigate, the existing financial system and societal structures. In the United States we have a very week social safety net. We can fight to make these resources stronger. We can also, in the meantime, look for ways to help ourselves and each other.
Everyone needs to make the decisions that are right for them. Maybe someone doesn’t feel comfortable investing in the stock market, but is okay looking for tax breaks. What is important, though, is that people have the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions. This means understanding the societal implications of your actions. This also means recognizing the personal financial ramifications or your actions.
I appreciate that my clients are feminists with ideologies similar to my own. These are the people I want to see with money and power. The more money and power that is held by those of us who do not belong “the mythical norm” (Audre Lorde) the greater opportunity there will be to change the existing systems. This is why I have assumed my “spot on the wall” (Kelly Diels) helping women and other feminists to understand and manage their finances.
I am still learning, exploring, and defining the ways to navigate financial planning within our capitalist system while maintaining my anti-capitalist values. I don’t expect that this process will ever end. I am still exploring my existance as a white person who has lived my entire life on stolen land. We are surrounded by these complex topics for which there is unlikely to ever be a resolution. Instead, I am seeking to expand my capacity for recognizing, holding, and honoring multiple contradictory truths and appreciating the richness of the complexity.