Television

A few weeks ago we’ve (Artun & me) decided to chuck the TV out of our ‘Poem-Palace’ (also just our shared house, we have a writing wall you see). I believe this to be a reasonable decision in a time where news has the entertainment value of the average small-city circus clown and 90% (and I think I’m being modest here) of the news is coming from one of the three major ‘news-agencies’.

So yesterday, when I was at my dad’s place, waiting until he finished work, I flipped the TV on, hoping for some Ray Mears on National Geographic (it has some good things this TV thing), I came by CNN.. And, although I believe in kindness and compassion being two of the basic values of life, I could not help but to want to throw the ashtray towards the moving images on the machine. The screen kept on flashing the following messages towards me:

World in Recession

“the Road to Recovery?”

First of all, any of you who has ever had 3 lessons in economy will know that capitalist ‘market’ economies tend to be cyclical, so we’re always either on our way to recovery, or recession, making the question mark VERY bloody unnecessary. This in itself leads to the idea that economic downfall is quite normal every 4 to 8 years. I personally find it hard to believe that companies should make multi-billion euro profits and create a society in which people are employed based on the ‘wind of the day’. But I’m drifting off.

The CNN broadcast was continued by an item on the German car industry which was ‘booming’ with a 20% increase in sales in the first quarter of this year already! I got all exited about the seemingly positive news until the following:

“The German government has decided to implement the “Scrap-Bonus” meaning; they give people a €2500,- ‘bonus’  to bring their cars (over 9 years old) to the scrap yard and get €2500,- when buying a new car.

In itself, really kind of miss Merkel. The problem, in my humble opinion is the following; Cars whose production (and use) was massively environmentally damaging in the first place, are being torn apart to be replaced by cars that were produced in the same manner, with, ok, slightly improved, damaging elements still in place. Although the EU support for the industry was issued under severe environmental regulations, there are in no way in place or executed yet.

Let me put one thing straight, I’m not against keeping jobs, helping out people, or any of these kind of arguments. What I am opposing though, is the continued Cradle to Grave attitude of leaders on the highest level of our political world. There is no thinking, environmental problems have been around for over 2 decades now, and still these kinds of regulations are being implemented. Why don’t these people see (I’m sure they see, but why can’t they act upon it?!) that the ‘financial’ world is build on a bullshit mechanism which is ruled by the richest 12% of our world deciding every single aspect of the lives of those who they employ (or rule?). To illustrate the ‘balloon’; The top 3 richest people in the world lost 63 billion, which means that in total all billionaires lost 1.4 trillion. I mean, imagine your house entirely empty, now, fill it up with all the money stacks that would fit your house, and now, POEF, it’s gone, including your house.

Seriously, we’re talking about stuff that does not appear, is based on whim of the day activity and most of the time, the most ‘profitable’ ones are highly unethical, destroying the planet and creating a bigger divide between have’s and have-not’s.

And it’s pissing me off.

And stop whining about this fucking crisis too, see it as an opportunity to make a stand for yourself, get yourself your own company, finally, take a chance with your own ass, instead of relying on others to take them for you. In the end you’ll pay for their mistakes as well. (look at government bail-outs…)

To end things on a positive note; Help out a stranger today, see someone in your city with a map, looking for something, help ‘m out, show them your hangout, buy them a beer, have a conversation with a complete stranger, there’s always something to learn.

Have fun!

Love & Peace,

Len