What’s more important: preaching or living capitalism? By capitalism, I refer specifically to a free-market, laissez-faire version. I’ll explore this question through a story.
The story of two friends
Nika is my closest friend from Students For Liberty. We met during LibertyCon 2024 in Washington, D.C. In many ways, we share similar views, values, and understandings. However, we differ in one crucial aspect. Nika is more of an extrovert — he enjoys meeting new people, engaging in conversations, taking initiatives, and actively solving problems. He embodies an entrepreneurial spirit.
I, on the other hand, am more of an introvert. I prefer reading, thinking, writing, challenging ideas, researching, offering alternative interpretations of individual liberty and capitalism — you know, nerdy stuff.
I’m so nerdy, I developed a methodological tool to assess — or more accurately, provide insight into — society’s capacity for social change. It’s based on public opinion and operationalized through two models: the Overton Window of political possibilities and the Ideological Carreau.
I say that so I can say this: When I explained the concept to Nika, he just looked at me and said, “Bro, you’re a real philosopher.”
Entrepreneurs or intellectuals changing the world?
Of course, introvert/extrovert doesn’t really matter because what’s important is the gradual transformation of the world into one that is freer, more prosperous, and more peaceful.
But I think this is a dilemma that DOES matter and IS interesting, philosophically: What is more important, preaching or living?
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Practitioners will say: Obviously, living capitalism is more important. The market is a discovery process, with entrepreneurs and people who are living and breathing capitalism as the motors of the process.
Through this lens, even pro-liberty intellectuals might be seen as meek; as unwilling to act; as not putting their money where their mouths are, so to speak.
However, consider it from the other side: Intellectuals’ perspective is that they are the Atlases of social change, sharing the ideas of freedom and laissez-faire economics, and changing the hearts and minds of people. They might say: To live capitalism, you need to comprehend it and thus preach it. Besides, businessmen inevitably become crony capitalists — great friends of the state.
Who wins: the entrepreneur or the intellectual?
Neither of the two sides is entirely correct, and fragments of truth can be found in both. Living capitalism is the very essence of a free society. Being an entrepreneur is about grasping the opportunities that freedom provides.
On the other hand, being conscious of the moral and economic benefits of capitalism, and being capable of disseminating the ideas, is essential if one wants to move communities toward more freedom.
Also, being an entrepreneur implicitly preaches capitalism; entrepreneurs lead by example. Likewise, preaching requires a certain entrepreneurial attitude and a certain rebellious spirit.
Positive-sum game
I conclude: Nika and I both adopt aspects of both personalities; he should become more of a preacher and thinker, perhaps by following Thomas Sowell’s lead, while I am trying to become more of an entrepreneur and a practical human being.
Our friendship and the whole dynamic of preaching and living are, ultimately, a positive-sum game; the first strengthens the second, and vice versa. Put another way, every Lennon needs a McCartney, and every McCartney needs a Lennon.
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This piece solely expresses the opinion of the author and not necessarily the organization as a whole. Students For Liberty is committed to facilitating a broad dialogue for liberty, representing a variety of opinions.
