I've never assumed that capitalism is bad, but capitalism is a means to an end, not an end in itself

Well put. I don't think capitalism is bad, either, but crass commercialism for the sake of itself (and the revenue) always makes me retch. The good thing is, you can usually see it when it's happening.

Even though I dislike it so much, I'm not sure whether commercialism for its own sake is necessarily bad. I don't think making money and garnering mindshare (even if it's the mindshare of the world's lowest-common-denominator cattle) is inherently evil. Although I'm sure aspects of it can be. If it crowds out true art, I suppose it could be. But I don't think Jim Davis is on a mission to rub out art or anything.