Capitalism is a lot like high school. Nobody really wants to do it, but we suffer through because it's the only way to get to where we want to go. Make no mistake, the faults of our educational systems are a direct result of corporations dictating the standards of our society, but that's a topic for another day.

Where I really see the parallels is the experience of each one. Personally, I became a little obsessed with my own diverging views. Between spending all my time studying things that weren't important to me, and trying to appeal to people whose opinions I didn't really value, eventually I just couldn't get myself to care. My grades fell, which just made me even less motivated. I hated the system and in turn, the system hated me back. I was proving my own point that it could fail someone who was perfectly capable of doing well.

I know I sound like every other annoying privileged teenager that we all love to hate. But think for a moment why that person is always shot down, and who they're shot down by.

The difference is that high school is just four years, but capitalism is something we have to participate in forever. What I had stumbled upon is the fact that it's very hard to succeed in a system that you hate; in fact, it could be impossible. This seems obvious right? And yet we live within an economic system that has created one of the most atrocious wealth gaps in history. How could we not hate it?

Our economic system is a feedback loop. Money creates money, and the more you have, the faster it grows. Huge corporations back political candidates that reduce regulations and taxes, which allows them to make more money and keep buying elections, all under the guise of "trickle down" economics.

You can hate capitalism and the political system all you want. But at the end of the day when you need to put food in your stomach, there is nothing more real than the dollar. Sure, you could tell yourself that you won't participate, please let me know how it goes. But you wouldn't be helping yourself or anyone else, and you definitely wouldn't be changing anything.

At the same time, we all have a desire to be successful, to be comfortable and make our lives better. This desire is good, it's valid, it is a sign that you are alive. But trying to succeed in a system you hate is a recipe for cognitive dissonance. It can feel like you are giving in, perpetuating the problems, or just selling out.

Is there a way to sidestep these feelings of hypocrisy, get out of our own way, and pursue success with a clear conscience? The answer is simple but it's one that nobody wants to hear. Those who "win" make the rules. If we want to change them, we have to win too.

The problem then becomes how not to change yourself in the process. Not everyone can afford to support the businesses that align with their values and that's okay. But for those of us that will one day be faced with the choice of higher profits or fair wages, I hope you remember what it was like to live paycheck to paycheck.

The system won't be changed by people who have been supported by it their whole lives. Reawaken your inner angsty teen that is confused and unsatisfied with the way things work, but instead of just complaining about it, take action.