Saturday, May 23, 2015

Nobody Owes You Nothing


Gonna stick my neck out here. In my opinion, one of the biggest problems in society today is the recurring belief that people owe people something.
They don't.
Unless there is a direct and evidenced relationship, one person to another, or society, hopefully by means of a demonstrable majority vote of those choosing to vote, has made it so, then, to put it ungrammatically, no-one owes you nothing. Get over it.
We are not born equal. Personally, I believe in a political philosophy that works for the greatest possibility of ensuring equal access for all. But that is not a right that is guaranteed. And you have no right to take it out violently on others if it is not fully achieved.
Historically, attempts to impose equal outcome have never worked. Attempting to do so merely creates new imbalance and tension, which always ends in tears.
I deeply regret that, as a society, we have become so consumed (literally) by envy and anger. Transfixed by the antics of those who have celebrity and possessions. Yearning for what they have. Bitter if we have less.
The result is a spiritual void. Which we fill with all manner of distorted faith. Or violence.
I have friends with left-wing views in the UK, who completely misread the mood of the UK electorate in the recent General Election, and genuinely were surprised that the election was won by the Conservative Party.
They now compound their misunderstanding, in the election of a new leader of the Labour Party, by pretending to themselves that they will win next time if only they can further stoke the fire of envy and anger.
The election was misread, even by talking heads on the right, because, as even Iain Dale, prominent right-wing commentator, admits today, very few in the media could believe what the polls were telling them.
Which was that the British people have become short-sighted, selfish and uncaring. If they're ok, they don't give a fig about anyone else. And they'll vote for the political party which says it's ok not to have to worry about those without.
Same goes for the US. Which is why we have Republicans in charge of so much.
So. What is the answer?
Take a deep breath. Take a good, long look around. God is a bloody comedian. No-one without a sense of humor would have designed this world.
Accept that we are born the way we are. Enjoy who we are. Try as hard as possible to find a way to design a life that expects no more than who we are. Enjoy it. And attempt to rely on others as little as possible.
It's why I left the rat race. It's why I believe it is so futile either to depend upon or to punish rich people. They are who they are. It is why I force myself to enjoy my days. Smile at the sun. And go to bed with a laugh in my throat. Always.