Capitalism

From most of you who have heard from me, you would have heard about the hypocrite that I am: buying things while telling you how much I am against capitalism.

I can only tell you: my stance hasn’t changed, and it isn’t my preference that I have to engage in capitalist transactions. Except, I don’t go overtly bourgeois: I don’t buy iPhones, eat dessert with every meal, get a drink every meal, spend substantial amounts every time I go out, and do everything fun and thrilling that you think of. My stance is that: since I am against capitalism, and in the short term nothing much can be done since there are quite a substantial amount of people who find quite some joy in stuffing money up a certain body part, I can only ensure that I don’t promote the practice, and that I don’t exacerbate the condition of those suffering the negative effects of capitalism.

What an excessive preamble. Let me now list my contentions with capitalism; but I will now make it clear that this post will be divided into 2 parts to be published separately; in this one I will attack capitalism as a whole; in the next I will lambaste and make fun of the practices of the burgeoning middle class.

My contentions with capitalism are as such:

• Money is not real joy.
• While some may enjoy, many others suffer.
• There is poor justification; “survival of the best” is an utterly fallacious excuse.

Well I can’t seem to list the whole lot of them off my head now, so I’ll just start the rant, and let you pick up some of them along the way.

Now let us just examine the invention of money. I once read somewhere that money was something that “increased convenience” – in the short term, and in a narrow scope – definitely. Definitely better than barter trade, when you have to bring a cow along and carry an entire cartload of squawking chickens back.

But what’s the problem here?

You see, there comes a point when human intelligence goes so high, it suddenly starts regressing; it appears to be progressing, but in reality, it regresses. The invention of money is the perfect example of this regression.

Our brains figured out a way to solve the problem of inconvenience – money. But then, our brain became sick and tired of having things that continually run in our direction, continually allow us to succeed – that we had to think of something that will, most of the time, run away from us, make life more fun, and make life more excruciating for others.

We find happiness in that.

It is money we find happiness in, and it’s our own sanity, our own happiness we’re playing in. Dare you claim that a hard, callous coin and a wrinkled, moldy note can give you happiness?

Well some people say yes. Most people do.

And that’s a problem. Happiness does not exist in taking; it exists in giving, in doing things that you love.

But before you rebut me, let’s just go analyze why money makes people happy.

What does money do for you?

You use it to buy stuff, duh. But beyond our primary needs, people splurge on eye candy like jewelry, good but useless food, and a lot of other useless things. Apparently, you find happiness in this. Look at a member of the middle class in Singapore – someone getting richer by the day. She (sorry) goes into a Prada outlet, buys a fur coat, goes somewhere else, splurges on more stuff – she’s missing the question – will she still be happy 50 years down the road? On a rocking chair, unable to move anywhere, only able to sit by the window of your mansion, will be putting on that leather coat, stroking it with the same endearance, and thinking that you’ll die with no regrets? On your deathbed, will your last words be about regrets for not getting any new branded stuff?

Rhetorical – but I’m going to answer it – NO.

That’s why I’m quite hesitant to progress forward in the education system of today. More than enough people tell us, that money is important, hence study well, then get a good job, live a happy life. Well ignoring the fallacy here, most people will agree with this line of logic, and go on studying hard like hell, and get really good grades – but what they become still remains to be seen.

But for a while let’s just assume that they do take up a rich job.

Will he be happy?

I don’t know. Maybe he is.

All that I know is that I won’t be – if I’m not for that job.

Becoming a doctor is something that all too many people want to become – I’ll be frank, I’ve thought about it, people have told me about it, I’ve considered it, but I only have something to say – if I’m not a sciences person, yet I’m forced into medical practice, I won’t enjoy a single bit of it.

At this point, I’m very liable to deviate into conformism, something I’m very much against too, so I’ll stop here, and round up about this point.

My point is, stop being blinded by the capitalist environment around us. Find in your heart, what you really want to do, instead of following what has been load out for you.

Listen, the heart does beat.

**

End of part one, now I’ll go one talking about the negative effects of capitalism.

Now people have always talked about how capitalism increases people’s competency, because it is something that advocates the survival of the strongest.

I will fly into a rage and scream that there was NEVER EVER A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD IN THE FIRST BLOODY PLACE.

Will thou survive in the African wilderness if I throw you there with nothing but a photo of George Bush?

Survival of the strongest, yes?

Those who give the argument live in a vacuum. MSG 1.00, strongest of the pack. Monthly salary >10K, strongest of the pack. Bulldefecation, people. Bulldefecation.

Why degrade and discriminate against the poor and “weak” in other countries, when in the first place, there was never a level playing field, and you were never once better than them? Capitalism is something that advocates the continued exploitation of the poor; the rich continues getting richer and fatter, while the poor continues working hard to no avail. This is a system that will continue breeding spoilt brats of the burgeoning, richening middle class.

While you buy another dessert, someone dies at your doorstep.

Think again before you spend.

I guess that pretty much all I can afford to release here. The next part on practices of the middle class awaits.

**

A summer solstice of memories
The longing sun, the creeping darkness
A fading shade, of the growing softness.

**

Fire rainbows

A flaming mirage
High in the sky
As bright as the sun
As sweet as a lie

**

If I feel like it, I will post a short story in the next blog post.