The Golden Rule Rewritten: He Who Controls the Surplus Makes the Rules (Power Comes from Owning What You Create)

From Grateful Ed's Medium

[Image Credit: Canva]

You know that feeling, right? You’re working hard, getting things done, but that sense of making headway just isn’t there.

It’s not just your imagination.

Ever wonder why others gain more, even when you provide the value? What’s the deal with that? Because they own the surplus.

Today, the real wealth lies in surplus.

Surplus Is Power — And You Already Produce It

It might not be obvious, but surplus is all around you — the extra money generated from your work, those hours you put in without extra pay, and even the information gathered from your online activity. This dynamic leads to a concentration of power rather than a distribution of it.

Just like landowners once ruled by owning land, and factory owners grew rich by owning machines, today’s corporations control the surplus of value and set the rules the rest of us live by. Workers create the surplus, but don’t own it.

And that’s the problem.

Why Ownership Matters More Than Effort

We’re told if we work hard, we’ll succeed. But, no matter how much we strive, individual hard work is undermined by the hoarding of surplus at the top.

In today’s surplus-driven economy, what we consider valuable has expanded significantly — it’s not just about money anymore. We now recognize the considerable value of data, the power of our collective attention, and the impact of combined individual contributions.

And right now, it’s being monetized without your input. Studies on corporate profit share show workers’ slice of the pie has shrunk, even as productivity climbs [source].

We aren’t failing to produce. We’re failing to claim ownership.

So, How Do We Take It Back?

[Image Credit: Canva]

We stop playing defense. We go on the offensive — together.

That means pooling our nickels, dimes, and dollars to build what we want to see: worker ownership, cooperatives, and new systems that share value instead of hoarding it. These models already exist — and they work.

We may not have the surplus now. However, we’re not powerless. We can invest, develop, and actively participate in shaping the systems we operate within.

They own it.

We want it.

Together, we can.

The Core Message: We Need to Redefine the Rules

Gaining control of the surplus empowers us to shape the rules. That’s the new Golden Rule.

So what’s next? The process of creating something that’s ours begins with us bringing together our collective power: our money, our intellect, and our shared momentum.

It starts now.