materialism: a refutation

Given a present day scenario when two men are stranded on an island with only two apples; what would be the most possible course of action that can be undertaken by either individual? Would one kill the other for the sake of a prolonged survival, or would they share the apples instead for the better or worse outcome of a mutual fate?I believe it is most likely that both men will fight to the end instead of opting for mutual survival. Disregarding any discourses over the ethical aspect of their action; a more insightful light could instead be shed upon a discourse on causality that led to the assumed course of action.

Is humanity inherently selfish or is selfishness deterministic?

Everyone is born into a capitalistic system whereby it is ingrained in our societal code that survival of the fittest is an unquestionable dogma that best maintains the harmony of our world. It is a harmony that is only apparent to the smallest number of people who live on the luminous end of an imbalanced global wealth distribution spectrum; whereas others on the dark side suffer from the mysteries of inequity in a world where everyone was born Equal.

Why is it ever so difficult for men to give than to take more than they need? I believe our economic system of governance thru capitalism perpetuates our greatest global evil- Poverty. It is the greatest evil because it also holds the simplest solution, one that can only remain as Utopian as long as we live and continue to be manipulated by greed, selfishness, ignorance- human (in)values that are perpetuated by capitalism. To solve poverty, everyone simply just needs to give. The whole concept of “I will rather teach you how to fish that to give you my fish” would not work because people are just so downright poor- they don’t even have a river to fish.

Alas, I am guilty of criticisms that lack any substantial constructivism. I admit, I can’t suggest a better system than Capitalism. To hell with the Commies, Screw the Socialists, Fascism is dumb and the Anarchists are just too unorganized to do anything. There is not a better system that the failing one we have in our hands.

Humanity is deterministic. Therefore having a capitalistic system that can only encourage people to be selfish and then have this group of people live in this system will only create a vicious cycle whereby the poor will remain poor and the rich can only get richer.

We need a change. Someone has to change. Living in an imperfect system does not translate into having to be complacent and live with imperfection.

Someone asked me why I reserve resentment towards rich kids. I hate rich kids because most of them live in a cocoon comfortably cushioned by Louis Vuitton, so much so all of them think that the world is a perfect place to be. They will continue with that mentality out of lack of motivation which I do not blame them for because their parents never taught them the suffering of earning money, or the fact that other people are suffering in sweat shops to make their Prada’s whatsoever.

Alas, who am I kidding? I went to bed comfortably in my French Connection pajamas last night.

We will all be guilty of not making a change for a better world when we can just by making an effort to remind ourselves to be selfless towards everyone around us.

But no, we will go on living in our ridiculous routine lives in a vicious sick cycle carousel. We will continue to work our asses off to buy an automobile, then a house, then get married, save for our kid’s college funds, get an SUV, get a swimming pool for our new house, pay off our loans and the get a bigger loan for that country club membership and convertible to ease our mid-life crisis, then renovate our house to accommodate our kids who have grown up to be just like us.

Oh no, I have just charted my entire life, and quite possibly the lives of everyone else in the world.

What happened to our dreams of living in Africa and helping the local community build their own house and irrigate their land? Screw that, I have shed my tears while watching Discovery. Whatever happened to giving some money to help local charity? Urm, I need to save up for my new convertible. What is so wrong with not giving? Nothing, no one gave me anything when I needed their help anyway.

Yes, humans are pretty amusing. We always put ourselves before others, and worse we do not see what is wrong with that. Yes, if that truck was going to crash into that dumb kid- You are indeed obligated as a human to save him.

I make it a point to never get rich. All self-righteous Christians can go fuck themselves in the ass for all I care, but I certainly see now why my homeboy Jesus emphasized on how Wealth can screw people over in the ass with both their fists.

Everyone dreams to not be part of the system but inevitably lose their focus and the next thing we know, we are 65 and have not done one bit to make the world a better place. And I am not even over-stretching our capacity to helping African kids, give them a break- those kids live with lions, they can handle themselves even without our help and in time when they actually decide to stop killing each other, they can then take over the world, impaling us to death with their spears.

Charity begins at home, as the cliché goes. If everyone were to take their eyes off their PDAs for one second and be on the look out for everyone else, no strings attached, the world will be a much better place to be a minute from now.

I sincerely believe we do not have to live in big houses, wear branded clothes, drive turbo-charged cars and attend fancy balls. This is an illusion of need masterfully crafted by the owners of MTV, LVMH and other luxurious abbreviations.

What we do need is the willingness to go beyond ourselves to offer help to strangers whom we have not met in our lives. If the world was mine, I’d decree that everyone work in the Ronald McDonald’s House for one month of their lives. You don’t have to risk getting your limbs blown off while on a Red Cross voluntary mission at Afghan minefields or Iraqi battlefield, if you do not want to, but everyone has to head towards Ronald McDonald’s House for their lives to be changed and deviated from the numbing simplicity of materialism.

Alas, the Sweet Invincible Ideals of My Youth.

I can only hope that I won’t die without my neighbor next door ever knowing my name before he reads my obituary.

- Corporate America, cursed is thy Fame.