Sunday, October 30, 2011

Moving on Back... to the Dark Ages...

Lately, it seems to be very fashionable to call those who are against corporate corruption and those who wants things to be more fair a socialist or communist. I don't understand why everything seems to be so extreme and black and white with this groups, but I guess it's all projection. More importantly though, you can't be a socialist AND a communist. These ideals are mutually exclusive. The fact that you use those 2 forms of government interchangeably shows how little you understand about government structures. Get your name calling right.

I am not one for socialism or communism not because I don't like their ideas. I think all forms of governments are good on paper and as an idea. However, humans are not built this way (or perhaps just not today's humans) to make socialism or communism work. People today will not accept equality and hence these governments will never work. Not because it was a bad idea, but humans are intrinsically flawed to follow those ideals.

So today we have capitalism. Like socialism or communism, humans are incapable of a pure form of society. Humans are intrinsically unable to follow any form of society in its purest form because we have natural desires that doesn't fit in well within a society. Human have things like greed, lust, envy, etc., that makes them break any rules of a society. Hence, humans have built rules and regulations to guard against ourselves to make capitalism work. This has worked well, and it is with these safeguards that we've been able to grow within this society.

So why is it that so many people today are pushing us to go back to a Feudalistic form of society where you have a small group of the rich (kings, queens, royalty, etc.) and the rest of the people who work as serfs and peasants for them? They seem to be fine with 1% of the population owning the majority of the wealth and power in society. They seem to be fine with allowing those with wealth to change laws to benefit themselves. They seem to be fine with the fact that those in government work for this 1% instead of the 99%.

We've gone down that road and have rejected it. For thousands of years we lived in this feudalistic culture and it has lead us nowhere. A few lived ridiculously lavish lives while everyone is left with the scraps. We tore down these ideas and built a new world where we believed in letting everyone have a chance at a good life. We made things fair through education so that all children have a chance at a good life regardless of who their parents were. We created a society where we looked after each other equally and not by some title. This is the type of society we have fought so long and hard to create.

What's amazing is that the majority of those who are pushing to move backwards in society are the people that will become the serfs and peasants in their new world. Do they think they will be thanked by their new lord? Do they think betraying the 99% will earn them favors by the 1%? what's more amazing is that you may be fine to play that peasant role, but how do you live with yourself knowing you've condemned your children to these roles? No matter how hard they work, they will never have a chance to better themselves. You have given all the power and wealth to a few and they have no intention of giving that up. What will you do then? Revolt again for the very society you help to tear down?

Like a spoiled child who doesn't understand how good they have it. These conservatives/libertarians scream for an individualist society. Little do you know that while you think you're arguing for more freedom, you're tightening the noose on your neck.

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

What I've Learned from Reading Manga

I know most people will dismiss this as childish. How could an adult possibly learn anything from Manga/comic book?! Isn't it just for children? Well, despite what you may think, I have learned a lot about life from these stories and I think it would be good if people did as well. Perhaps I'm just reading more into it than is there. Whatever the reason, the message in my head is clear and here they are.

(In no particular order)
  • You should always work your hardest to be strong. If you're not strong (whether physically, mentally, socially, or even economically), you will not be able to protect the innocent or the ones you love
  • No matter how strong you think you are, there will always be someone bigger, badder, and better than you. Always strive to be better
  • If you choose the right people to trust and believe in, they will go to the ends of the world with you
  • Taking advantage of the weak is not power. Power comes from being able to stand up and protect the weak
  • Believe in your friends and those that you trust, but most importantly, believe in yourself. Find the strength from within
  • Always believe. Even when the odds seems overwhelmingly against you. Always believe you can succeed
  • A life without honor is no life at all