Mark, All systems of government/commerce/etc. engage in social engineering, are you suggesting that the Soviet (failed) government was the only one?
Absolute, unregulated market-driven capitalism is the ultimate in social engineering, by doing nothing to regulate anything you will have very predictible (and disasterous) results!
Let's see...., I can make $100 in the next 10 minutes by stealing all of the antiques in your house and selling them to the poor people down the block for firewood. Sounds good! 
When everyone is allowed to behave with only their own self-interest in mind, "if it makes $$, it flies", well, let's just say that we have a different idea of utopia. And the relative value of Circuit City.
BTW, I like my gadgets and cars/bikes/etc. just as much as the next guy, even most conservatives.
