The Show Must Go On
Dear Kate,
Last night I questioned the narrative of how a pandemic could "rob" a human being of anything, and suggested to listen to a story is to question it too, a human quest, to sound out and work over how we make sense of life, how we put our stories together. "We are the stories we tell ourselves."
"Capitalism is bad for us," this seems to be the message I heard in our church this past weekend, not unlike the statement we read yesterday, that "the pandemic has robbed me of a full high school experience..."
Capitalism is a system of economic production, and if damages have been done in its name, they were done under the auspices of, obviously, human participants in this system. And who are these bad people? It was suggested that they are rich and powerful, and mostly hidden from the view of us common people, and thus, ironically enough, is to say there's not much we could do about them - and it, "capitalism" that is.
This narrative is framed the exact same way the youngster spoke about her being "robbed" by the pandemic: the damage was done, irrevocably to victims in the past, stubbornly to those at present, and it is up to us to stop the destruction from now on to hopefully eternity.
Yet we woke.
We woke yesterday, to a rainy but brilliant as usual Monday morning. And we decided to live the exact same way as before. Bad news was announced, good ideas were suggested, but life, as it is and, as far as we can see, shall forever be, will need to go on.
A spell was cast on us, much has been spoken about it, yet it has not been broken, more like our helplessness and indifference reinforced.
It is a spell indeed, for it is not without its charm, or else why so spellbound we are? Those favored "participants" in "capitalism" are, after all, not that hidden at all, their agony not how the system wasn't good, but not good enough for them, not favorable enough to them as of yet. They want a bigger piece of pie that is promised to the most competitive participants.
So here let me spell out the words, the magical formula intended to trigger a magical effect, of our fascination with this enchanting system of "capitalism." Please add to this list. I didn't consult any webpage or writer, but simply picked them out of thin air just now. They, the words, are everywhere, after all.
1) As suggested with the metaphor of pie, there is only a limited amount of good things in this world. Scarcity the economists call it. The bigger piece you get means a smaller piece for me, if anything leftover at all. The goal then, of course, is to not only end up with a big piece, but to keep ending up with a bigger one than the day before; after all, my assumption is that you are planning day and night to kill me for my share. I need more, just in case, for the love of my family and all, you know. It's just prudent and pragmatic, nothing personal.
2) It's a zero-sum game, and my goal, excuse me for being honest, is to make sure you will end up with zero in all my dealings with you. I don't think I will get it (exploiting you thoroughly and ending up with 100%), and it doesn't make me feel good either if I do get it. But the aspiration needs to be there. Many reasons for it: I don't like to see myself ending up with less than the day before, just hated it like a plague to see the scale, the meter, the animated pie-chart moving the wrong direction. Also, I shall never forget, you are out to kill me, too. I will buy you something when you need it; but don't tell me to stop dreaming for your demise.
3) Greed is good. I am sure you heard that before, probably this morning, told to you by the magical epiphany in the mirror. To want more keeps the world turning. To not produce is to have less, for myself and to pass around, thus bad for everyone and everything. The moment you stop wanting more the world stands still and for no good reason. You better do something if the desire of your heart is not running around like a headless chicken. Wash your car while you are trying to figure out your next move. Spot clean your kitchen; there's always one you had missed.
What other assumptions do you live by today, charmed and all, favored and wishing for more? Add to the list please. Do try it for fun. Here, let me start you off with another obvious one, and you fill in the details of your personal experience, speak about the "robbery" that was done to you and how you are trying to undo it by robbing back. Here it goes: "If you don't take care of yourself, no one is going to take care of you."
And then read these words, and hear ourselves, how far we are from God, hiding ourselves in a deep, dark place:
Yours, Alex
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