There were so many times when I wished I was dead in the “perfect” world we had 10 or 15 years ago, that my views on what we now call “the crisis” might have, at least, the value of originality. I don’t claim to be a guru of any kind, I’ve been lonely most of my life (but no drama; more details here), and I know that my opinion is only one in a list with 6,500,000,000 items.
Under such impunity, I’ll state it clearly: I think the main reason for “the crisis” is that we have been acting like swine.
I don’t have the exact data, but I read somewhere that 2000 was the year of biggest WORLD economic growth EVER. The problem with economy is that it works through cycles, so after the big wave, sure as gravity, comes the big splash.
I must admit that, when the first signs of weakening came by, I even thought to myself “cool, poor conditions boost creativity, now people will react, become more conscious, we’re going to see some funny changes in this unfair, greedy, hypocritical first world of us”.
But…er… Didn’t seem to be the case. I’m still waiting for those changes. It wasn’t the case, clearly. And that’s why I think we’re losing the opportunity. Here’s the way I see it:
The situation: “howdya, you see, you have come to this state of misery because you acted like swine”
People’s response: “OK, we get it. And now, could we please get out of this situation AND keep on acting like swine?”
It is not precisely a dream proposal, so here we are, stuck in the middle of disaster with a (morbid) smile in our faces. Scared to death of any possibility of change. It is as if the Titanic crew, noticing that the ship is sinking, decided that their only chance is improving their skill at making holes in the hull: “Faster! More holes! We’re going down!”
I don’t want to look harsh on this, in fact most of people have been trained into their swine condition. Helplessness is a state that has been deliberately promoted by most of institutions, public and private. With huge success. The result is that most of people live in search of “symbolic daddies” to solve their problems: a good leader will take charge. Our organization should think about it. Until then, there is nothing I can do.
This is linked to a severe moral disease in our days, a greatest hit in our list of “inconvenient truths”: everybody feel entitled to rights, but nobody feel they have obligations. I’ll repeat this again and again in this blog because I think it is a key element of our condition, and yet nobody ever want to consider it. But it is necessary: rights and obligations are sides of the same coin, so maybe the state of generalized idiocy we’re in has to do with it. There is a lack of balance that must be corrected somehow. Each and every one of the 6.500.000.000 members of the crew must become individually responsible to one’s obligations in all fields: socially, morally, towards the environment, towards each other, towards oneself…
A simple 0.1% rise in the assumption of individual responsibilities would have important and positive consequences in this world of us.
All of this requires a kind of analysis that swine are very little inclined to do. It is easier (though useless) the “gimme gimme gimme” mentality. OK then. Someone will take care. Just take a look around and see how well that system is working by now.
The rule of thumb is universal, but, at the same time, dealing with one’s responsibilities will mean something different for each of us. Take a look at the thing you fear the most, and then start to write your escape plan. If that is too hard to do, start by figuring out how to reduce fear to operative levels first.
If I dare to deal with the issue with such clarity is because you who read have nothing to do with swine. Of course you don’t. Swine don’t read, and, even if they did, according to a certain experiment, 85% of persons, when asked, consider them above the average. So tell me, what have you done for yourself lately?
Related posts:
There’s nothing wrong with being a freak
The key, if you ask me…
Nacho and the primal forces
Sick (but not tired)
One quote and two warnings
