Capitalism is not "Free Enterprise." That is the lie told to control the opposition. Confusing those things is what you are intended to do. It is how the PTB control the conversation about pretty much everything. Please see my comment below.

We've abstracted it too greatly and too many generations have passed since the initial idea.

Currency is a representation of a ratio between energy and desire we say things like production and demand.

But the source of all value is from another humans mind and energy applied over some time to create something or perform a service.

Other humans can want or desire this service or product and the level of their want can measured in objectivr units of currency instead of subjective things.

Capitalism allows humans to alleviate other humans pain or solving problems and I return absorb some of the units of they have spent their energy accruing.

Unfortunately. Things like financial interests banks and the federal reserve printing these units without real restriction has diluted and opened what is intended to work as a closed system.

However, capitalism, currency, and even the legal system are things we have created that serve as an abstract proxy in the western world to substitute direct and immediate violence and disincentivise the primary of strategy of simply using force to obtain things. This allows for innovation and incentivoses humans to problem solve to create things that alleviate pain or generate value by improving efficiencies as the quote states.

Anti-capitalists are fools and should be careful what they wish for.

It does not take money to make money although it can help.

The first step - that will always exist - is that one can always utilize there physical body to provide a service for the elderly who's physical body is wearing down.

This is mutually beneficial and allows anyone to obtain capital. Clean the homes of the elderly. Provide food for the elderly. This will always be an option.

Slowly utilize this capital in order to educate yourself. Explore interests and talents you have. Educate yourself broadly. Read books, attempt things. Thus step can take some time but there is no rush.

Once you find something you are very passionate about and is something people have a want or need for begin narrowing down your education to just this topic and begin ascending vertically and narrowly rather than broadly.

Learn enough to create or generate a service of value. I always appreciate mechanics or handyman, again this will always be a need because a fact of life, much like the human body that wears down over time, so does everything. As you learn about something like mechanics just as an example maybe as you become more educated in it and take on more work you may discover if you are smart that you enjoy more abstractly, math or engineering. Maybe one day you wake-up and instead of wishing to repair you wish to create.

This is good. Now utilize you capital you have accrued from repairing to thinking how you can create.

Once you can create something people want you will be able to obtain capital indirectly.

Once you are able to make capital indirectly as well as make capital actively, use your capital to increase your efficiency by making it easier for you to create or by teaching others to create and repair.

Give capital to others to clean your home and repair your things. Perhaps you have the ability and knowledge to do it yourself but now your time is better spent on creating more things to help humanity, or training others to benefit humanity at scale. Also. Don't forget it is mutually beneficial for you to provide someone some of your capital for them to clean your home as they may have little and the only thing they can provide right now is their labor. This is a fair exchange.

Continue like this on and on.

When you see others entering each stage provide some capital in exchange for what they provide. When you see someone in need of capital with no skills find a use for them. When you someone with a budding skill, exchange your capital they can hone their skills for you. When you see someone learning to create and repair provide them capital for the resources they need to create and repair in exchange for some benefit of their creation. When you see someone training others to create and repair and provide value provide them capital so that they may do this for you friends.

Eventually you will have such an abundance and have helped so many that at a certain point you will have forgotten why you needed capital in the first place. You have eaten all this time you have been clothed and sheltered all this time, you have gained friends and loved ones, mentors, and students throughout this path, your life is full.

Did it start because you wanted money? Or because you wanted to help?

Who knows anymore.

There are many paths to take but the issue we have with capital in America is no one sees any path clearly. It's not about the currency. It's not about the capital. It's about alleviating suffering. Creation. Iteration. Innovation. Generation. Mutal benefit. The scaling of the human mind and energy, interconnected by all of our skills and experiences working together trying to improve this indifferent world to bring humanity more comfort, more joy, less suffering. But like so many things our hearts betray us, we lose sight. You don't want money. You want safety and security and love, respect, a full stomach and a warm bed, a purpose, knowledge. You can obtain all this by learning how to obtain money in an ethical way. But don't lose sight.

Don't let the world today blind you with its complexity.

This all comes from somewhere good.

Edit: to any few who have read this and are sparked, I am saying nothing new. But only rambling about something our society needs to be reminded of more than ever.

Please direct attention to - https://iep.utm.edu/smith/#:~:text=Adam%20Smith%20is%20often%20identified%20as%20the%20father%20of%20modern%20capitalism.

Read; The Wealth of Nations (1776)

Spend a few days.