We're the Only Species That Has to Earn the Right to Exist

We spend endless energy debating capitalism vs socialism, left vs right, Musk, stocks, and all that noise. But what if the real problem isn’t the specific system we live under—it’s how we see our very existence?

Think about it: we're the only species on Earth who trades menial labor, mediated through an abstract invention called money, just for permission to exist, belong, and thrive. Somehow we've convinced ourselves that existence itself isn't enough; we have to perform a transactional dance to earn validation and acceptance.

People argue competition is "human nature" because that's all we seem to see. But consider the conditions we've created—we've made belonging negotiable, something to be earned through meaningless work. Our great ape cousins, who share complex social dynamics, conflict, and affection, don't put conditions on being part of the collective. Their belonging is unconditional, intrinsic to their existence.

Transactionalism has funneled human potential through a ridiculously narrow corridor. The price we pay for simplifying our social bonds into measurable, transactional exchanges is staggering—creativity, joy, and authentic connection get squeezed out.

Maybe instead of endlessly tweaking our systems, we should step back and challenge the assumptions beneath them. What would our world look like if existence, belonging, and dignity weren't things we had to constantly earn, but something we all inherently deserve, just by virtue of being alive?

Edit to clarify: I'm not arguing against effort, contribution, or meaningful activity. Instead, I'm pushing against the notion that our basic existence and belonging should hinge on the performance of culturally imposed tasks, disconnected from genuine survival needs and intrinsic meaning. The critique isn't of labor itself, but of transactionalism—an artificial construct we've mistaken for the natural order of things.