Capitalism, the big lie
Oh, the mantras: Work harder, success is everything, plan each minute of your day for maximum productivity, compete in all areas of your life -- even against yourself -- to achieve your "personal best." And why? Shareholder value. The folks who hold the most shares in the companies we all give our money to. In exchange, we get the food, the plane ride, the piece of jewelry, all marked up so the profits go where again? To the shareholders. Mind you, this is somewhat hypocritical because I am invested in the stock market, but what else is there? What if all businesses were ethically run non-profits?
According to Statista, the top 10% owns 70% of all wealth. Meanwhile, those in the 90% own the remaining 30%. And don't get me wrong, it's not necessarily the wealth I want, though we're all programmed to want that and beaucoup bucks would be okay if it didn't have the karmic load of everyone exploited along the way, but I'd like the freedom it provides -- she ponders, as her 18-day end of year break comes to an end and it's back to the corporate tech job come January 4th. Basically, I'd like it if no one had to consider that there is a thing called money. But the class system likely runs deeper and those invested in being better than others is what, Darwinism? A utopian society we are not.
If you're watching Station Eleven, you're getting a dose of post-apocalyptical nobody-got-nothin' in action. I'm not down for that that scenario, though if we don't mask up and get 100% vaccinated, it's anybody's guess. Remember: polio nor smallpox created herd immunity.
When capitalism came about during the 17th century, makers became producers, hiring people to produce the goods with materials they acquired (downstream wholesale pricing exploitation got it's start there no doubt). They paid others to produce the goods, which were sold at a profit. Queue the eight year old kids working in the factories for too many hours. Hence, the early spawn of people like Jeff Bezos and Nike and Apple and fast fashion and all the things that make civilization creepy and lacking of a moral compass. Note: I have an iPhone, yes. Living in line with your values is a bitch. Bring in the profits from owning and controlling the means of production, or the delivery of services, and hello millionaires and billionaires, pronounced as Bernie would say it. Yes, Bernie, the one who should have run with Hillary -- they would have won -- and Trump would never have been elected and had the chance to open his veritable Pandora's box of hate and chaos. Who ever thought abortion rights would be threatened? But that didn't happen, and now we have Biden and god only knows what we'll get next.
Anyone else getting this from the collective unconscious: Hillary is thinking the fourth time is a charm.
I'm going to try to unload all of this angst before the new year. Somehow I think 2020 and 2021 have created a new me, though, and this may be what we have now.
If this rant can be saved at all, I'd invite you to dive into thoughts on Rest on Instagram - just look up the Nap Ministry.
I have a feeling my pace of work next year may be somewhat adjusted. An image from the Nap Ministry's page, taken by Charlie Watts.