Posts Tagged ‘wealth

30
Nov
22

Being Over- Is Wealth and Potential

By writingbolt Leave a Comment
Categories: Confessions of the Rabbit Kind and Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

*****

I was just watching an episode of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and I heard Jerry Seinfeld say he’s always over-thinking things (before he said Jimmy was the sort of guy who’s always positive, in so many words). And, it sent my mind spiraling down a rabbit hole of introspection.

I hear that term so often…over-thinking. I do think quite a bit. I do analyze, question, theorize, suspect and…too often, unwillingly criticize (and do not enjoy it nor what comes as consequence). But, I refuse to submit to the finger-pointing and judgment that likes to think “over-” is a bad thing…because, if you look hard enough, I am sure we are all over-something.

[But, let it be known, my over-thinking is a by-product of perpetually being under-something, as well, at the same time. I am under-fed in terms of social interaction and general good luck. As much as I like to think I’m a good guy, my misfortunes send me reeling, withdrawing into a quiet place where only my thoughts can sustain me. So, yeah; I invest most of my energy in thought. And, for those who benefit from that thought, you should be/feel welcome. It’s my gift to you. Respect it. Don’t abuse or mistreat it. It’s not a party trick or stage show for your amusement and critique. I’m not your entertainer, your butler/maid or ATM of therapy.]

Over- is another way of saying wealth…isn’t it? And, it’s also, likely, a synonym for potential.

If you need a good example of how the above equation works, look at the most common understanding of wealth, money. When you have a lot of money, you’re rich. What is money? Money is potential energy/fuel/resource to acquire/buy/spend or employ (others) to achieve some desired goal. It’s not food but it can get someone to make/bring you food, sometimes. It’s not water or anything that can cleanse your being. It’s potential energy.

But, how often do people say…

“You’re over-rich.”

or

“You’re over-earning.”

I don’t think those words have ever been uttered or written…until just now. [Yaaay. I’m a first. Woo.] Or, was something rather similar used in A Christmas Carol? About Scrooge? I’m not sure. Someone look into that for me. 😛

If you sat five people together and compared wealth of hair, unless they were all balding, you might become aware of how one of the five is envied more than the others for that person’s wealth. They have the most hair…maybe too much hair. It’s not too much hair. It’s just MORE than YOU have.

Do you look at a tree, which produces an abundance of seed and leaves, or a dandelion, which turns gray and casts its seed out into the air, where it annoys anyone with allergies…and say, “Hey, plant! You’re over-seeding!” [Do you even notice your neighboring trees and flowers, if you’re not already so consumed by your buzzing, radiating technology and vain affairs?]

And, what about the pine trees that drop sooo many needles which burn the grass under their branches, leaving reddish-brown barren soil. Do you suspect the grass ever kicks up a fuss and says, “Yo, pine-face! You’re over-shedding! You really burn me up!”

The trees have a wealth of something. And, what they produce isn’t always appreciated. Who really enjoys raking leaves or cleaning out gutters clogged with what trees produce?

Yet, it doesn’t stop us from planting and favoring trees for their aesthetic beauty or, if you have any common ecological sense, the clean air and atmosphere they help produce. You wouldn’t even be walking the planet, right now, if there weren’t, at least, enough plants to hold it together and stimulate an atmosphere worth breathing. And, anyone who uses wood or other plant materials in their crafting (or home construction) would be crawling on their knees and turning to shady, unnatural plastic or metal crafting if they didn’t have the blessing of trees, those otherwise obnoxious overly spawning obstacles of fauna. You’d be mining your planet dry until the ground crumbled underfoot.

But, if you have a small-minded outlook, an impoverished, negative outlook, you might be annoyed by the trees and flowers. I know I hate allergy season and can get quite angry at the plants when they turn on me, when they get in my way of enjoying life. Yet, that’s life for them. That’s their nature. They are what they are and produce what they do. Is that so wrong? Or, are they just getting in *my* way?

Wealth isn’t necessarily bad. But, if you lack the same wealth, you may become annoyed/agitated. And, if you have to be around someone or something producing a wealth/abundance of something, it might crowd/suffocate you. It might dwarf you and make you feel endangered.

——-

Truth be told…if one person/being holds all of something and doesn’t apply/spread it, somehow, it would be a devastating monopoly of that resource. So, there is a point where wealth IS too much…when it looks more like greed or insatiable hunger. But, that wealthy being won’t realize the mistake until it’s too late…until life ceases around them and they have to flee in search of other shelter (on another planet, perhaps).

And, as I said of myself, if I am over-thinking, it’s a by-product of lacking something else. It’s an imbalance, in a way. But, until I can find that better balance, I have that wealth of thought…which isn’t necessarily bad.

An apple tree can have a surplus of fruit and fall over from the weight. A buxom beauty can feel slowed down by her wealth of breasts. You can relieve the apple tree by picking some apples and putting them to good use. And, I suppose, you could perform surgery on the buxom beauty to lighten her load…but, personally, that seems like a crime of nature to me. [Yet, why would any higher power give a woman more bosom than she can carry? And, what is she supposed to do with that wealth?]

I don’t hoard my thoughts. I share them, frequently. And, too often, they are not appreciated in a way that reassures me.

Just as having a wealth of money isn’t necessarily bad…if you eventually put it to good use. A big vault of money is just a waste of space. And, the most generous person who is able to throw money around isn’t really helping the world, either, because it’s only fueling that term “economy” which was designed to create some kind of order, putting out the desire to riot and rebel against authority…even though money still does just that; it’s always a matter of distress and potential rioting. So, in a way, all monetary wealth is an illusion and waste of resources…which is why you see so much buzz about virtual/digital currency, versus paper and coin. But, is that really going to solve the problem of quarrels over monetary excess/wealth and poverty?  No.

I could spend another hour or more and pages of space on how those with wealth are prodded to give, to be charitable, to spread the wealth, to market themselves, etc. But, I won’t.

——–

The same can be said of anyone who is wealthy, or abundant, in something. And, though they are wealthy, that doesn’t mean you have to be annoyed by them…but we are. Why is that?

It’s that ancient seed someone planted that stirs the pot of the “haves” and “have-nots.” It’s the seed of strife and conflict, never satisfied…because, if that seed ever fully blossomed, the world would probably self-destruct from the *wealth* (or surplus) of want. The world would claw itself apart until nothing but crumbs were left. The evil weed would have succeeded in eliminating all viable soil. Nothing more would grow. The planet and all of its assets would cease to exist.

If you’ve ever heard an old line about money being a root of evil and/or idle hands being evil’s plaything, is it possible that’s just a variation of that itch that comes from the “have-not” weed? Is it possible all of human distress comes from some big, menacing pot of gossip regarding what one has and one does not?

…Wait. Look at what I just said. What one has and one does not. The latter part…what one does not. If you do not, you’re not doing (something). When you’re not doing something, you’re idle. When a car idles, it’s not going anywhere and may be losing fuel/resources if the lights are on or the engine’s running. But, if that car is lit and/or running, it still has resources and the potential to do something. Is that bad? Or, should every car always be driving to the limit every second of its existence?

If every car was on a road driving itself dry, what would you say?

That’s a lot of noise, pollution and traffic. Right? You’re sure to find yourself in a sea of vehicles. It’s too much. Well, at least, it’s more than the rest of the world has…the part of the world that isn’t overrun with vehicles and their mad drivers.

If you’re not doing something, some would say you’re wasting time. Others would say you must have a wealth of free time. They envy you because they use their time some other way and feel, in some way, distressed by their lifestyle, by their choices.

Those without may be over-something, as well.

If you worry too much, you exhaust your stamina and go hungry…or hangry. [But, worry is a form of thought…so that might fall into the wealth of thought and may be cautious thinking others just don’t appreciate/understand. Still, you need to stay hydrated and fed (when you’re worrying).]

If you work too much, you could do the same or seriously injure/cripple yourself. [Okay. Now, there’s one instance when over isn’t wealth. You cannot have a wealth of labor if it results in disability and/or lingering misery. So, what do you call that (then)? Or, is that a wealth of labor which isn’t properly distributed/applied? Is that misused labor? You could say over-working someone is giving one person too much work; the workload needs to be distributed among more workers/helpers. Similarly, you cannot be a lucrative producer of merchandise with just one customer, even if that person is the only person on the planet with all of the money. What kind of business is that, if only one person on the whole planet steps forward to buy something? And, what stops that one person from taking over your business so they don’t have to spend any money? But, you might suddenly say you no longer feel like producing anything–in the face of such an overwhelming financial force–and leave that customer wanting, oblivious to the influence, the power of their own wealth.]

[And, breathe…]

So, you see, all of you who have ever been told you’re over-something. You’re not a bad person. You’re not over-anything. You’re just more than the person or people near you, like that pine (or EVER-GREEN) tree burning the soil at its root with its own “sweat.” You’re just wealthy (and sweaty). And, aren’t you lucky. We all are…somehow, I’m sure.

‘Too bad we can’t all accept and work together with that. Blame the weed. Just think of what we could accomplish if we didn’t waste so much time and energy pointing fingers at everyone’s wealth with an unpleasant taste in our mouths, with acid or venom on our tongues.

———-

If you encounter someone who is over-something or has a wealth/surplus, don’t just point a finger or complain. Find a way to balance that individual. Prop up that overloaded fruit tree so it can continue feeding us all. Give that buxom beauty a better undergarment to support her figure so she can move comfortably. Help that “scrooge” put his or her money to good use. [I said good use. Not good-for-you-alone use.] Let’s balance our world and spend less on “over-time.”

If you find me over-thinking, what can you do to help put my thoughts to good use, to make me feel more productive and full of purpose? How can you balance my “excess” of thought and “lack” of productivity? I can tell you, right now, you’re barking up the wrong tree if you only tell me what I’m not doing, talk about selling myself or yank me out of my comfort zone without adequate support/reassurance. But, if you come forward and see how your ideas can mesh with my ideas and produce something we both approve, you’re the stuff of legends, my friend.

11
Nov
22

Response to That hopeless feeling…; Ask Carolyn (Hax)

By writingbolt Leave a Comment
Categories: Responses to Ask Carolyn Advice Columns
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***

Ask Carolyn (Hax) column originally titled “That hopeless feeling is the depression talking.”

Depressed is someone (not sure if they are a man or woman and don’t want to presume too much) married to a woman who they fear will throw a fit if D. confesses to being overwhelmed and depressed, as the spouse previously did (presumably from what D. says). This isn’t the first big bout with depression (and anxiety, I’d wager).

Carolyn covers most of the bases and provides an outlet for seeking therapy. And, for once, I am not totally opposed to the suggestion(s).

However, one little bell keeps ringing in my head, a familiar sound that I think I’ve heard in my own life.

There’s a second letter regarding a Show Stopper, who has earned a lucrative job upgrade and is at odds with less wealthy friends who miss their nose-bleed-seats companion at various events/shows. I don’t have much to say about that, but I’ll address it, briefly, in the end.

———–

Depressed, your wife is an emotional loudmouth. Am I right? When she reacts, she gets LOUD and rubs your delicate nerves the wrong way. But, instead of being confrontational, as some would do, you withdraw and whimper. I know that sounds bad…but just be honest with yourself. You cower and withdraw rather than bark back and defend yourself. You don’t want an argument/fight. If your wife “worries,” she is going to make you feel worse when she starts stuffing her face and making a bigger, scarier picture out of everything you wish wasn’t so troubling. She sounds an alarm when anything “bad” happens. She’s like salt in a wound when you “worry” her, not a bandage or cooling solution. Right?

It’s possible you’re being overly sensitive and doing what Carolyn says, letting the depression speak for you. [That was a pretty darn good metaphor she gave about the depression being like an organism or entity possessing you, directing you. Ooh, that felt good to read (for this metaphor guy).]

[I just saw a case of a “hoarder” on a reality-TV show in which his wife hasn’t been in the space occupied by his cluttered collections in 14 years! She has left him to his habit and avoided part of their home for more than a decade. Talk about not touching a tender matter with a ten-foot pole. Now, there’s a couple avoiding a time bomb. I guarantee one or both of them is afraid to talk and overwhelmed by something. The reality-TV show don’t care much about the reality…just making money on TV spectacles.]

However, IF it’s not JUST the depression talking…if your wife is of the “tough-love” and “independent” mentality that wants each of you to pull your own weight…if she doesn’t feel any need or desire to be the nurse in your times of need…what kind of a partner is she? [I mean…we just determined if she was one or the other. I’m just spitting out words as I breathe to relief my own internal stress.] And, did you know all of this when you married her?

You’d like her to be more gentle and comforting. Am I right? But, she’s not like that…for whatever reason. [I could be here all day analyzing the possibilities.] And, she wants you to “man up.” Right? But, you currently cannot “man up” because you’re stuck in quicksand, sinking into despair. You want her to throw you a vine and help you get out…but she’s the sort who is inclined to say, “You got yourself into that mess; you gotta get yourself out!” She’s willing to go “halfsies” with you, but, right now, you’re not even close to half. And, you cannot entirely blame yourself, unless depression and anxiety are crimes of neglect on the part of the possessed party.

You’re in a tough knot, D. I’ve felt like you when dealing with my own “friends” and family. I’ve been down your dark, troubling road so long, I still feel like I’m stuck in the mud and flailing to stay afloat. No one is really free or willing to come to my aid. I have to get myself out of my messes. And, while I cower and fail to do that, my body and health in general is suffering.

When you say she will be upset because you don’t tell her sooner…exactly how SOON are you supposed to inform her of your condition? The first moment you feel glum? Are you two not openly communicating about your daily feelings/state of mind? Is that so strange or wrong? Well…not strange, because plenty of couples seem to be failing at communication. And, that…is definitely wrong. It’s not good. But, it’s sadly common.

If you are not quick enough to convey your distress, that is a “step” you COULD work on…like right now. Face that fire she throws at you, one more time. Why not? You’ve been through this before, right? So, “man up” and take one more hit from the fire dragon you married. Then, once you get past that battle (and, surely, you can survive the fight), be quicker on the trigger the next time you feel crappy or troubled. If you’ve never done it before, try telling her the first day you feel uneasy about something. Say, “Honey? I’m not feeling so good about ___.” And, if you want to talk about your feelings (you should), invite her to talk somewhere comfortable.

But, you’re right. If you go find a therapist without talking to the wife, first, she is bound to throw a fit, again. You’re in that position where getting care is just as troubling as sitting with the problem, not because care is necessarily too hard to find (and we haven’t even touched on your financial/insurance status, which is sure to play a part in this situation), but because the people you have to live with are like pets that don’t want to go to the vet. She will kick up a fuss, tear the house apart and rattle your bones as if you can do nothing right and she cannot stand the fact you’re less than half the person she married, right now.

But…you have to tell her SOMETHING…eventually. So, if you DO seek therapy, tell her that’s what you feel you need to do, and have a little courage in yourself to admit that. You’re not her child. You’re an adult, her partner, her equal (even if you’re not feeling or acting the part, right now). If she cannot respect you for admitting a course of action, even if you could have had a better track time (as if you were a runner in the Olympics trying to shave tenths of seconds off your record time), then assess the relationship. Right now.

I suggest group therapy over single-person because then you don’t have to feel alone with your concerns and just might find someone else going through the same despair, who can then compare notes with you to reach a solution you both can appreciate. Also, group therapy might be more convenient if one-on-one therapists are “booked up.” I suspect the more clients a therapist can see, the better; so why wouldn’t a group dynamic be more convenient/available than one-on-one, in which the therapist has to schedule individual hours for a dozen? clients.

If you can stomach it, bring the wife along and see what the others, including the therapist, think of your situation with her. You might want an outside perspective on the relationship…even though, truly, you two should be working all of this out on your own. If you two were a well-oiled unit, situations like this wouldn’t break the bank or rock the boat; you’d face them together and get through this. So, what is preventing that teamwork?

Food for thought. Don’t let my words add to your troubles. Hopefully they help, somehow.

——–

Now, as to the second letter of this column….

I’ve written my thoughts, twice, and they already feel too long/wordy.

Carolyn pretty much said all of it, in as many words.

Show Stopper, if you value those friends, you’ll compromise and take turns with “posh” and “poverty,” if they are so poor. Isn’t that obvious? What other solution did you expect? Someone telling you to dump those friends or expect them to come up to your level all of the time?

If the “cushy” job costs you your friends, which is worth more? Which is easier to replace?

Yet, if those friends are truly “offended” or otherwise so strongly bothered by you offering to upgrade their accommodations, once in a while, how are they ever going to be comfortable with you, ever again, if you remain at this new financial status? You could take a “lower seat” with them and be unable to control yourself when you say something “posh.” That might bother them, too. What then?

[I know myself; I am not comfortable when someone wealthier than me says or does something that makes me feel poor. Nor do I want to feel pressured to “tip generously” or otherwise spend more just to come up to another person’s level. It might not even be a financial risk, but I feel endangered by spending more than what feels comfortable and/or fair.

And, once it happens, the rest of that time together is a wash. It’s no good. I want out and to get back to my comfort zone…and probably never speak with that person, again. I don’t want to feel like a miser/penny-pincher or penniless bum, especially in public, where the slightest glance or raised voice can paint me a spectacle.

Yet, if I go into a meeting, knowing the person is wealthier and choosing to be with that person, I must accept that, once in a while, the difference will arise, somehow. I have to make myself comfortable with that…or choose not to be with that person in that particular situation (not always, because there may be more private instances in which we can cohabitate and be near-perfectly comfortable, together).]

One might also ask…has the new job had any impact upon the person you are and/or have become? Are you different, now, when among those friends?

If you are comfortable where you currently are at and cannot get any “lower” because it would mean breaking off your angel wings, then, by all means, wish those mortal friends well and find solace in your new heaven with fellow angels. You’ve…er, evolved. And, surely, you can find fellow evolved individuals to call friends? [There’s always the chance one or more of your “lower” friends could find a financial lift, too, and rejoin you.]

If, down the road, you find yourself looking back, wondering what happened to that lot, well, then you have a tough choice, a sacrifice, to make and a road of atonement to pave.

[Oh. Gee. I still feel wordy. But, I’m stopping here…now. Knowing me, I’ll come back and edit this a few times, anyway.]

14
Feb
22

Staging Super Bowl LVI in the Black

By writingbolt Leave a Comment
Categories: Concerns and Alerts and Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

****

I tell you this with nearly 100% certainty; Super Bowl LVI (56) was staged. Staged how you say? No, I am not referring to stages like the ones topped by those hip-hop “legends.” I mean staged as in the whole thing was a promotion and campaign for “Black Lives Matter” and the L.A. Rams. The Bengals were just guests in the arena, or, maybe, the lions in a three-ring circus. And, yet, this isn’t new. I think most of these big games are, somehow, staged and set in some team’s favor.

——————————————————–

By the way, the stages were cooler than the performances, in my opinion. The strongest component of the sampler, sadly, was Eminem, the only “white” guy in the group. His performance of that infamous song from his movie, 8 Mile, which I thought he had once said was part of an identity he was leaving behind, was perfectly paired with a rare opportunity for two football teams. In fact, that song might as well be a Super Bowl theme. But, I don’t think the parts about parenting and financial struggles are all that appropriate.

Not including Mary J. B., the other “talents” seemed ignorant and careless at a time when the world is being force-fed constant concern over a deadly virus. A club crowded with flaunting “hoes” and cloned men boxed together so tightly in an attempt to make a cool formation; not smart, right now. The desperation of wealthy extroverts is apparent…and apparently putting everyone at risk, making all those Jurassic Park and zombie apocalypse movies more of a reality; ‘spare no expense.

The lack of caution carried over into every interview before, during and after the game. Reporters standing very close to the players, staff, owners, whoever; it didn’t matter. No one cared; you’d think it was 1992 instead of 2022. The whole scene reminded me of the Heston classic, The Ten Commandments, when the naughty people partied and abused the most beautiful woman on holy ground. SOME people had masks but carried them on their chins; fewer folks actually had masks over their faces. If no one is reported sick in the following weeks, either a vaccine mandate worked (and everyone at the game got a temporary dose at just the right time, which seems miraculous and unlikely) or our fears are truly inflated and enflamed by television.

——————————————————–

When the Milwaukee Bucks won their recent basketball championship, they had an expensive “pad” already built at home, waiting to be put to good use. Had they lost the tournament, what would have happened to the posh estate? Oh, let’s not even dwell on the grim possibilities for the city…because they won! Right? It was in the bag! No. I think it was very secretly arranged…and staged. Oh, the wonders that mighty dollar can achieve…for a team that gave up its purple to look more green.

Now, the L.A. Rams host a Super Bowl in a newly furnished stadium, costing over five billion dollars…with the “man of the year,” Mr. Charity, on their team, given a spotlight…along with a few Hall-of-Fame legends who were the first black men to play football, also given a spotlight…and the families of those who no longer are able to play the sport, also given a spotlight…and a star defender seeking a coveted prize, given a spotlight and place on the team logo whenever NBC goes to commercial, while the Bengals flash images of their lean, rookie, WHITE quarterback…and you just try to tell me it wasn’t all staged. How could the Rams possibly lose? [But, if you saw some of the camera shots the Rams’ head coach received, you’d think he was rather nervous about losing…until it was in the bag.] It’s almost like the talk about China covering its back in the Winter Olympics by featuring the very people some voice concerns about sparing from further harm. If you doubt the Rams’ right to winning, just look at all of the money and perks put on the table for the world to respect. Throw in a few sad, abused animals seeking your monthly donation of twenty bucks, and the package would have been complete.

[Sadly, the team with the largest number of “black” players, during Black History Month, the Bengals, did not win…even after one dirty play that should have received a penalty. Well, I guess losing the game is a penalty. And, why is it every big game has to have that one dirty play that could spoil the whole victory? But, in this case, it didn’t spoil victory…for the team in the favored, heavily sponsored and recently furnished seat. Had the Bengals not made that foul play, could they have won? We’ll never know.]

Topping it all off, you get “the Rock,” Dwayne Johnson, to introduce the teams, wearing a shade of purple which looks closer to the Rams’ blue than the Bengals’ orange and giving greater emphasis in his voice when speaking of the former. [I detected the difference.] And, during the rather weak game which might as well have been played in a snowstorm (for the lack of points put on the board and the number of mishaps that occurred), we see both star quarterbacks fall to the ground, grabbing their “wounded” legs, making very painful faces…only to get back on their feet and play like pros a few minutes later. Hmm. What does that remind me of…oh…I know…WWE wrestling. Someone might as well have hit the quarterbacks with a “steel” chair. Puh-lease! Injured my foot. The only injured person was Odell B., Jr., who looked like he had been stripped of the right to play and his pride in favor of letting Kupp take all the glory…because…let’s be honest…the shaggy white guy got the job done in the end. Isn’t that just like Tom Brady and his pal “Gronk?” Oh, no, wait. It’s not; the Rams have Reggie White…I mean…Aaron Donald to praise, as well. Thank goodness it wasn’t just two white guys getting all of the credit…in a staged championship…where plenty of wealthy faces can be seen and share in the excess. No one can say an Aaron or a Donald failed to get the job done. [Is that going to rally Trump supporters?]

The best commercial–for Salesforce–was being aired days if not weeks before the Super Bowl; so I can’t include it in the lot of possible “hits” but give it credit…though I know nothing about Salesforce. And, the ad, as poetic as it is, doesn’t define the company, similar to most insurance commercials, in which we get an amusing scene but little to no content to justify an interest in investing in the companies. Plenty of good intentions but no clarity regarding how the company assures/provides them; I could just as easily say I am pro- every noble cause on the planet and then commit some scandalous crime with your financial contributions and labor, unseen, simply because I pleased you with my good intentions. Amusement does not equate personal security/safety.]

The Uber Don’t Eats ads made one thing rather clear. The company you trust to deliver good food today could easily send you something not good to eat tomorrow when they buy out some other company or dip their toes into other non-related businesses to boost profits (greed spawned from fading leadership/responsibility leaking opportunities to ambitious fiends). We need to be mindful of companies like Uber Eats and not just turn mild amusement into blind compliance and financial support. If we just laugh and use those “services,” we contribute to the next big monopoly to send people into space in rockets shaped like male genitals and replace human workers with robots until only a select few actually have the financial resources to enjoy life on this planet, while the rest crumble under the illusions of televised advertising and “fast” convenience.

I was surprised the Bengals even made it to the Super Bowl. How did that happen? Was that…arranged, too? Considering they were there in the year of the (Water) Tiger, in terms of Chinese astrology, how perfect would it have been for them to win the thing? But, as I’ve read about tiger years, you have to expect some shocking disappointments. And, this Super Bowl was one.

[And, the Bengals’ head coach? Don’t ever wear that black cap, again. That looked stupid. You could barely see the “B” because the whole thing was black! That’s not your team logo.]

Commentators; I’ll say it again; they suck. They predicted big things for the last game between the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers. But, they didn’t have a clue about snowy weather in the Midwest. Point predictions were WAY off. Now, being closer to their own homes, they simply predicted the Rams as the winners, no point spreads given (unless you count that confusing talk about betting pools and who got what square). Well, one chose to back the Bengals, but he looked like the sad, odd white loser in the group, anyway.

And, who needs someone pointing out statistics like the odds of winning a coin toss and losing the big game. Why do we bother watching if we predict the winner from the coin toss?! Who won the toss? Oh. Okay. Game over. Pay up. We don’t need to sit through all of this. Let’s go hit the club and spread germs, instead. I’d rather party with Charlize Theron and Jennifer Lopez.

I chose to back the Bengals for a number of reasons, one being I like tigers and thought it was cool how the quarterback came from a town called Athens (being I’m a fan of Greek mythology and, particularly, the goddess Athena who won a contest to claim rights to Athens, Greece). But, I guess, none of that matters in a contest of riches and racial exhibition. You’ll never see me sport a set of Rams horns (at least, not yellow and blue). You’ll beat them, next time, Bengals. Just don’t spoil my support.

12
Jan
22

The Life of an Artist Is Cursed; Artists Are Cursed

By writingbolt 28 Comments
Categories: Concerns and Alerts, Confessions of the Rabbit Kind and Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

****

The life of an artist is a cursed one. Let me be more specific. An artist who draws, paints or creates sculptures has a cursed life. Performing artists (actors/actresses and musicians) might also fall prey to curses. But, there is certainly a difference. Only artists who give their time, talent and heart to tangible works seem to share a miserable bond.

Performing artists go through an excessive amount of fuss and labor to make something supposedly worth thousands and/or millions of dollars soon after creation; but the value of the work sharply declines with time. Sure; some props/souvenirs and/or autographs might retain some value. But, the original performed creation sort of gets dusty and loses its appeal.

If you are a lucky artist, you don’t strive for perfection; you simply enjoy your craft. Perfectionism is a chronic disease that pushes artists, including me, to invest more time in a project than what is necessary, compounded by unnecessary distress and other health issues. A little voice consistently tells you to do better, making you doubt yourself and your abilities. I imagine some–the happiest–artists are immune to this; they can easily craft and sell or barter with their creations because they don’t fuss over details; they just create the way some plants produce fruit. You might get some deformed tomatoes, but the plant isn’t complaining about its output.

A lucky artist also worries the least about the demise and/or safety of their work. Someone like the infamous Robin-Hood-of-art, “Banksy,” must have a rather thick skin. They put their work on a building, without permission, and there is no guarantee it won’t be removed or replaced. [Of course, with all the good press, lately, there doesn’t seem to be much reason to worry about losing any artwork, amazingly. And, surely this prompts other younger artists to paint walls in their area, most likely with less success and far less reward.]

The best way to be an artist is to create from the heart without any concern for what others think and say, letting your creation fall and crumble where it may. I think Picasso tried to do that, moving from house to house, leaving heaps of creations behind. But, how many of us can afford that? And, isn’t that a tragic investment? All of that money for supplies and time that could have been spent earning retirement income (a disturbing concept of the present world) or sharing memories and experiences with other people…devoted to solitary crafting which can only, potentially, guarantee a passing pleasure from the effort. It’s sort of like exercise, you either positively or miserably power through it to achieve some uncertain benefit and then cope with the consequences, whether those include injury or just require cleaning up a mess of sweat. You don’t frame your sweat or muscle tone and put it on a wall for all to admire; you just create it to feel good for a moment. [I guess that sort of living, creating and letting go, is like casual sex. It’s not about procreation and achieving some higher purpose or status; it’s just a passing good feeling which might be similar to a drug high/buzz.]

Regardless of that, if you are a fellow artist, you and I spend so much time creating things that don’t necessarily bring us enough wealth and resources while we are still living. Instead, if our work survives our own demises, it suddenly goes up in value and becomes wanted. You might think nothing about some artwork you currently have sitting in a corner or bad box. But, when you die, even your worst doodle could suddenly be given a value that would make your head spin. [I’ve seen people discuss the value of horrible, poorly drawn doodles by famous artists like Picasso, and the shock hurts my full head.] Also, such artists invest the very money they need to afford their lives to buy more supplies to make more art which, again, may not bring them any financial or other assistance until they are already dead.

This sort of life is like giving everything to a charity that doesn’t achieve any noble good. And, what good does this life achieve/provide? Why wouldn’t the artist see his or her work achieve a positive difference in their lifetime? Why can’t their creativity be applied to something of noble value while they are still breathing and able to appear at a celebration of that work? Instead, artists die all too soon, and other people become hasty and competitive about acquiring their creations at ridiculous prices. Where is the merit or respect in that? Kids? The moral of the story is…art creates madness and is just as tragically wasteful as the mass packaging of modern consumerism/commercialism.

I’ve spent nearly half of my life fawning over goddesses of Greek mythology, particularly Athena, who is said to be a goddess of the arts. But, what if that power or influence, her legendary skill with strategy, was used to deceive humankind? What if instilling, stoking creative talent is a curse to make mortals suffer in exchange for the prayers and offerings that keep a goddess alive? [Just like some say Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty and passion, having an association with Ares, the Greek god of war, could stoke the fires of violence, including mass murder, which sort of depletes the awe one might expect to feel when thinking of such a beautiful goddess.] There have been countless tales of people being induced into trances to squander their lives, submitting to and dying from addictions. That’s a sort of blackmail; isn’t it? [No offense intended, Athena; I still adore you…I just am not sure I can trust you, right now. Maybe there IS something to being associated with snakes that should be concerning.]

It’s no wonder why some parents get mad at the kid who wants to be an artist. It’s not just about not making a big salary; it’s a costly passion that resembles a slow suicide. And, no wonder Van Gogh became crazy enough to remove an ear for a girl who didn’t fully accept him.

This is serious life-threatening stuff, people. Yet, if someone were to convince me to give up art, completely, I worry what would become of me. I worry about losing my soul and becoming just another unfeeling drone in this mad beehive-like world of “make it faster” and “replace it, quickly.” Giving up art is like giving up faith, and too many have already done the latter. Without faith and art in the world, life seems tragically mechanical and dull.

And, even then, if there was no art and faith in the world, I doubt humankind would re-enter the natural circle of life still occupied by all of the other animals humans tend to treat as something other than fellow living creatures. Or, am I completely wrong? Could faith or some other human-fashioned concept be the driving force that makes humans separate themselves from other lifeforms? Was it an ancient oath to a god that started the whole mess of treating insects and rodents like…pests…and concerning ourselves with privacy and nudity? [I suppose that IS one result of the Garden-of-Eden story.] Would a complete eradication of faith and art return humans to the wild (and “natural order”)? Or, would that just be the final step in pleasing some evil entity who then would claim he or she won the greatest game of chess?

I imagine my life ending with my body placed in a sarcophagus; my vital organs placed in medical jars…but for experimentation or presumed trade value, not for my own preservation in the afterlife, which few will likely still believe exists. And, some day, a curious soul will find my remains or final resting place (if there’s nothing left after a funeral pyre) only to be cursed with the burning desire to be creative.

Inspiration. It’s a blessing…and a curse. [Now, imagine those final words crafted with some sort of Egyptian hieroglyphics.]

04
Jun
21

Global Equality and Happiness; Philosophical Meandering, June 4, 2021

By writingbolt 2 Comments
Categories: Concerns and Alerts and Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

*****

thinker-statue-fadedforestbackdrop-closeup-2

I caught something on TV the other day about Elon Musk’s girlfriend? promoting a form of communism.  She said something about eliminating work, using more AI to run the planet and everyone benefitting from this shift.  And, someone responded by saying they could see some logic in the young woman’s presentation.  [Though I couldn’t help raising an eyebrow to the markings on her face (pre-surgery, I presume) and wonder what in state her mind actually was.  When you’re prepping for surgery, your mind can say and do strange things.]

This wasn’t the only stimulus for today’s pondering (or meandering).

I’ve been bombarded with so many thoughts in the past few days, some of which have sparked ideas for rants that never took shape.  I’ve also been feeling exceptionally distressed and depressed for no particular/new reason.  

Now then…

Can you imagine a world in which no one has a job or requirement to pay taxes and such and can simply live off the land as everyone pleases?  I’ve seen something close to that on certain versions of Star Trek.  And, sure, we forget some of the details of “reality” when watching just about any movie, TV show or, the current trend, online videos which could be uploaded by just about anyone for any reason and altered with a variety of computer/video tools (to mess with our heads).  But, is such a world possible?  That’s, essentially, my question.  And, feel free to contribute your thoughts below.

While I aspire and long for such a world, I have lingering doubts it could ever exist.  And, I will tell you why in a minute.

The longer I live, the angrier I get at humanity as a whole.  I know it’s not good to throw all your apples in one basket.  There ARE good apples…as well as bad ones.  But, it’s difficult to sort them out and getting more difficult each day.  Just when you think you have a good apple, something crazy and/or disappointing happens.  And, there are a number of possible reasons/influences for this.  [But, I won’t overload your brain with those, now.]  But, bad apples spoil the bunch and make life miserable for everyone, including themselves once they hit a discouraging dead end, a point when all the gold in the world isn’t making them happy, whether they admit it or not.  Or, they just die and hand over the wealth to the next generation of entitled fools.

Actually, that ties into what I’m about to say.  

Why is a peaceful world enjoyed by all, equally, so impossible to achieve?  And, why are all our efforts to achieve…well…anything “good” in vain?  Because there will always be a “sense of entitlement” or some other variation of that phrase that drives certain people to be less charitable than others.  At least, I don’t see how it can change for the better.  

You’ve probably seen some of this in movies, too.  Someone comes up with a solution for the fossil-fuel problem, and, whether or not it becomes public knowledge, someone in a high seat swoops down on the invention to “capitalize” it.  One minute, you’ve got fresh air for everyone; the next, the air is being bottled and sold at your “convenience.”  It’s not convenient to turn the world into one big outlet store.  It’s not convenient to slash a price from $400 to $40 when the item isn’t worth anything other than what humans stamp on it, when the item is available to all if we’d let it be.

Right now, bottled water is all the rage.  Every cotton-picking flavor and type imaginable is being advertised.  And, everyone has their gimmick to sell it.  SELLING WATER.  Isn’t that the beginning of the end?  Isn’t that one step from The Lorax?  Come on, people!  Wise up!

The world is perpetually one step away from a Moonlight Madness Sale.  Someone presents a crisis or craze, and the sheep, cattle, dogs, rodents…all of them go running in all directions, trying to get a piece of the action.  Someone shouts fire or virus, and people panic.  Someone shouts FREE ___!  And, people rush to get the bargain or catch the T-shirt or jump through flaming hoops to get a prize which requires some paperwork and payment of taxes. 

THIS is sharing?  Well, you might say, “Nooo.  That’s not it.  That’s not the level of equality we can yet reach.”  But, I think it is.  I think those without the status and power to delegate and trickle down the benefits from their high seats are always going to be chasing and wasting and competing with others, regardless of their status.  And, even those “at the top” surely have their competitions for “more” and some false sense of security.  Because, let’s be honest, does ANYONE really feel anymore secure than they can justify with some artificial support?  Doesn’t everyone boast some nest egg or financial support system of some kind to secure their status, their lifestyle, whether you are a welfare case or living at Park Place?

Now, you might be of the mindset that you are a good person.  But, how good are you in that mob scene at the big sale on some holiday weekend?  What are you doing there if not running with the bulls to get a rare bargain?  What do you have to experience to be reduced to the mentality of something like The Hunger Games?

If you take a long, hard look at yourself, you might find a darker shade to your light.  I’ve seen it, myself.  I try to be a good guy.  But, there are moments…  And, I cannot guarantee something wouldn’t eventually turn me. 

But, if you DO take that long, hard look…and you only see good…well, either you are full of yourself (and something soft and brown and smelly) or you are one lucky individual.  Well, luck is subject to opinion and definition and could just be the enemy of the ego…but…

So, how can the world ever be free of its current state of quarreling rights and economies if we all cannot part with our “status” and “entitlement” and share the world’s resources? 

And, by share, I don’t been buying shares of a company.  I don’t mean sharing the burden by paying more fees and taxes to have some of what the other guy has.  I don’t mean renting the services and resources we need the rest of our lives just to slave away to feed some higher, wealthier ego and then listen to the praises of said ego and his wealthy status. 

Oh, please, sir, tell me more of your mansions and car collection and plans for universal domination.  NOT!

Here’s today’s philosophical metaphor for ya.

If you had a big, frosted cake and had enough for everyone in the world, would you divide it evenly and be satisfied?  Or, would you–even for a second–think you should stash away more of that cake for yourself and divide the remainder among the rest of the world?  Could you be content with your own equal-size piece?

But, here’s my cynical, skeptical kicker, right below that.  If someone told you they were giving you a piece of the cake everyone is sharing equally, would you believe they were giving you your fair share?  See.  That’s another problem…or shade of the same problem.  Trust.  There is very little trust in the world.  And, those who DO trust too often get swindled.  I’ve been swindled quite a bit, and it has made me so bitter; my own obtuse family gets tired of me.

Yet, it’s possible someone could offer you your fair share and be holding out on you.  But, how would you know?  And, how would you verify…anything?

Now, you see?   You see why I cannot take my heavy egg-shaped head off my tense fist and rigidly bent knee.  

If you need me, I’ll be on the stump…er, toilet…ridding myself of today’s crap.  ‘Got any Thought Paper?

  emptyTProll-650x400-2

 

 

18
Aug
20

My Response to Impressive Anonymous -Ask Carolyn Hax-

By writingbolt Leave a Comment
Categories: Looking for Love and Happiness and Uncategorized
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Article titled: I can’t stop chasing ‘impressive’ men, Ask Carolyn Hax, 8-16-2020

*****
You can find my response to this and other letters on the designated “Responses” page. But, while you’re here, have a read.

This Anonymous, who I shall refer to as Impressive Anonymous, is a woman in her late 30s who has dated a string of “impressive” men, usually younger, attractive and financially successful guys who indulge her to a point before declaring they are unfit to continue the relationships.

Carolyn suggests therapy, re-defining “successful” and “impressive” to find alternatives and simply not looking so intensely to open oneself to more self-satisfying companionship in other areas of interest.

———-

Impressive Anonymous, I am quickly intrigued and mildly attracted to your case, though I find the thought of “successful, handsome men” somewhat repulsive as it stimulates visions of some bad reality TV show about “hooking up” in a hurry and “finding love” when marriage is the last thing the contestants seem able to achieve. [Why? I wager public intimacy is a big handicap. There is a reason privacy is important. How many of those magical proposal moments actually happen in the view of thousands or millions of strangers? Not many, I presume.]

Now, first off, you must be worth SOMETHING to these handsome, successful men if you manage to achieve a temporary relationship status with them. So, perhaps, you are exceptionally attractive or successful in some way you fail to state. What DO you have to offer these impressive, successful, handsome men? I am eager to know.

If you have any legitimate reason to lack self-esteem, can you name this/these factor(s)? And, is there any chance some doubt you refuse to let go causes your relationships to fail? [That might be the area where Carolyn felt therapy could help.] Is there some way you relentlessly shoot yourself in the foot that might turn someone off? Maybe they get tired of you saying “sorry” for every little thing because you’re just so gosh darn apologetic?

If these impressive, successful, handsome men keep towing you along for…what exact length of time, here?…just to cut you loose at a similar moment, giving you a bad case of deja vu, is there any chance you might be “arm candy?” Are you the beautiful former model type who escorts these impressive, successful, handsome men to various galas, for business and/or pleasure, and serves as a respected companion but never receives the emotional connection you desire?

[And, dare I ask, is there “intimacy” involved in these relationships? Are you having sex but not “making love” in the most ideal sense of the experience? I just suspect there is a lack of emotional sustenance to feed your spiritual contentment while you seem consumed with the pursuit of good looks and financial greatness.]

But, wait. You say “having to end things after they tell me they aren’t in the right place to be in a relationship.” YOU end things? YOU end these relationships when the impressive, successful, handsome men finally get the marital-future-negating response through your head? Are you truly in the driver seat with this? Or, are you left to assume you are making the decision after these men have their way with you?

To be quite honest, you don’t have to date an impressive, successful or even remotely handsome guy to encounter this situation. You can date a completely irresponsible, financially strapped slob and arrive at the same disappointing destination. If you let any man have you for breakfast and then cast you aside when he’s full, maybe it’s time you stop feeding THEM.

You might think this is some twisted, distressful withdrawal tactic that won’t do your goal of marriage (or, at least, an enduring, dreamy relationship full of emotional connection and reliability) any good. Proceeding through the stages of the relationship without giving the man what he calls for (like good ol’ King Cole called for his pipe, bowl, etc.) on command might be a benefit and self-preservation method worth trying. Some guys–I am not sure if they are necessarily impressive, successful and/or handsome–are turned on by the old “playing hard to get.” Others, even myself at some point, will grow tired of any form of denial and decide to end the relationship.

But, which is better? Giving everything you have to offer to every man you fall for just to get left in a lurch? Or, establishing a balanced give-and-take and withholding certain intimacies until you are sure the relationship is on course with your desires? [Again, I suspect part of your failure comes from/with giving more of yourself than the impressive, successful, handsome man offers in return…which you then somehow turn into a reason to doubt yourself.

This has me thinking of the pretty model or young actress who gets in a steamy relationship with some producer, agent or manager in hopes of advancing her own career, only to later find herself in an emotional and literal gutter and on the verge of some very deadly habit.]

You must either be naïve or very durable to engage so many relationships the same way and never tire of the steps. I would think, after three or four of these impressive, successful, handsome failures, that I’d get a clue and change my course of action. If not, exactly how emotionally invested are/were you? I could not maintain such a string of relationships without being somewhat emotionally distant and, perhaps, self-serving. Could you be leaving out some information about what YOU take from the relationships which might contribute to these impressive, successful, handsome men realizing you’re more of a leech than a partner?

You also use the words “whether it’s because they don’t want me or because they falsely feed my self-esteem” as reason for being attracted to these impressive, successful, handsome men.

I, myself, have a mild attraction to women who don’t seem immediately interested in me. It might be a Sagittarius aspect, the thrill of the hunt, though I don’t consider myself much of a hunter…certainly not an impressive or successful one. I’ll leave the handsome part to your opinion. I knew a few girls in high school who were somewhat “snooty” and/or “out of my league,” yet I saw them as potential partners worth hunting, hoping prolonged effort would win them over (if peer pressure would just leave us alone and stop the gossip trail). I was a fool for pursuing some. Others proved they had more dimensions to them than what they wore on their sleeves; and this would surprise most in the class if they took the time to get to know these people. But, ultimately, none of these prospects wound up with me. Who knows where they are now. [I will not stalk them on Fbook.]

This steers me toward the notion that you are, indeed, a former model or someone who makes superficial/financial use of her own good looks, in some way, someone who maybe hosts a company event at some hotel or stands by expensive cars her boss wants to sell. That, or you have that complex that turns “hard to get” into “I’ll do whatever it takes and take what I can get” which no man, successful or not, can eventually resist. So, it’s not YOU the men are really taking with them, it’s your low self-esteem-fueled body they are using like a to-go cup from a coffee shop. Who wouldn’t turn down a freebie like you?

Are you pushing these impressive, successful, handsome men to date you until they say yes? Or, do you wait in some baited spot for them to pop the question and then let flimsy compliments and casual requests steer your every move, allowing yourself to imagine this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship?

Going back to the start of your letter–at least, how it is printed in the newspaper–there is a glaring typo where you mention something about not being attracted to those interested in…you? You are not interested in pursuing relationships with men who approach YOU? Is that what you are saying? So, you, in some way, see yourself as the huntress and feel the need to make the first move?…that’s…actually…quite attractive, to me. Refreshing. Yet, if you are anything like those girls I felt slighted by in high school, I get the feeling I’d see you scanning the “room” for impressive, successful, handsome men; and you’d completely overlook me (or, at most, give one of those icy glares and shake your head).

[‘Low self-esteem on my part? Eh. Maybe. Or, I just have more realistic expectations while seeing both the positive and negative possibilities. Expect the worst but hope for the best. I’d hope you would be the type I’d find attractive and break your pattern of lousy relationships. But, it’s just as if not more likely we would not connect; so I must be prepared to move on and look the other way.]

You say one particular relationship…when you were how young?…traumatized you in some way, set you on this course of repeating mistakes? You say this guy was “spectacular” and “loved you” but was “completely emotionally unavailable.” Any half-witted therapist would likely process that information as you being blind to the truth. How can any guy be a spectacular lover without emotional…oh…oh. Wait. Was this a case of the handsome guy who is good for sex but nothing else? Were you “on call” with him? If he was completely emotionally unavailable, I doubt you two were even good friends. [I suddenly picture Eva Longoria pursuing the gardener in Desperate Housewives; she seems like the sort to chase a younger, handsome guy in some hope of acquiring “eternal youth.”]

Any person I’ve befriended, friendship being an important part of establishing an enduring relationship, had to be, at least, somewhat emotionally responsive and sensitive to my feelings and needs. The playful, aloof sort who never show any clear signs they are sympathetic don’t get far with me, even if I am completely smitten with their charms. After all, I am not one who is able to deny my desires for emotional connection for long. I tend to be more emotional than the conventional man, which seems to turn off my own family and most if not all of my coworkers who lack empathy. Alas, good friendships have been hard to find, regardless of my apprehension toward failure. So, there’s not even a root upon which to build a relationship. [But, I keep trying, in small, often foolish ways.]

So many questions. So many possible answers.

In short–ha, after my not-too-impressive long string of thoughts which is probably longer than your average relationship–your letter to Carolyn seems to be more of an emotional outburst than an organized assessment of the whole picture. You’ve merely voiced frustration with a pattern of impressive, successful, handsome men, which says very little about you and the relationships, only suggesting possible circumstances and reasoning. My assessment of you being put out of these relationships seems to lean toward the men being full-on with their pursuit of the “success” you so frequently long for and, thus, unable to jump into any commitment which would hinder that advancement. I imagine some celebrities find themselves in similar hardships, unable to marry or even date “outside the business,” often swept up in a relationship with a co-star, whether or not that lasts. That would be the least emotionally-involved explanation. Otherwise, there is more going on here than meets the page.

———

Phew! And, breathe.

It may be foolish for me to even suggest, but, if you find it within your adventuress (intentionally replacing “adventurous”) self to read this response and investigate this witty, intellectual, creative soul, without much success to laud upon and a few years ahead of you, rather than behind, drop a letter in my mailbox. Would you? I am, at least, curious enough to indulge conversation and get a chance to better understand you. Let’s start there. Hmm?

 

04
Jan
14

Is MONEY Right For You?–A Mock Drug Advertisement

By writingbolt Leave a Comment
Categories: Concerns and Alerts, Creations and Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

…..

…..

Do you suffer from jealousy?
Do you crave what others have and vow to take it for yourself?
Do you experience uncontrollable urges to dominate the world and/or cause trouble?
Do violent thoughts cloud your judgement, putting others at risk of your restless heart?

Then, you might benefit from a prescription of…

 

 

MONEY

 

 

MONEY restrains thoughts of violence and rebellion by injecting concepts like expense, insurance, financial security, cost, loan, debt, poverty, bankruptcy, discount, dividend, rainy day fund, hole burning in pocket, retirement savings account and wealth into the primitive human brain.  Tests show MONEY has a high rate of curbing otherwise incalculable damage to lives and land from those who cannot negotiate diplomatically, barter and/or survive with what they already have.  MONEY limits resource disputes because MONEY contains “Idonthavetodestroyewol” which alters the mind’s value of things and can significantly reduce death and property damage.

 

But, don’t just take this narrator’s word for it.  Listen to these satisfied individuals acting as customers…

 

Grey-haired older person happily sharing a meal with grand-kids in a well-furnished dining room:  “If I didn’t have MONEY, I don’t know what I’d do if neighbors damaged my property or hurt someone I love.  I don’t have the physical strength to fight anymore.  But, with MONEY, I don’t have to fight.  I can sue the offender and take everything they have in court.  Thanks, MONEY.”

Single mother of two and a half kids pouring her son a big glass of milk in her humbly furnished kitchenette:  “My life has certainly become more complex and restrained having to calculate the cost of everything I do with my family.   With MONEY, I don’t have to worry about what my kids will do with all of their free time.  Now, I have control over what they play with and where they get educated.  Even if it leaves me in debt, begging for financial aid and cheating the system any way I can to save a buck.”

Scrawny, scantily clad prostitute–with a hair color not found in nature–standing on a street corner shortly before sunset:  “I used to feel inferior because of social anxiety and disputes with my parents.  But, now I can trade sex for MONEY, buy things my neighbors would kill for with ease and enjoy going to work every day.  So what if I get abused by bigger men now and then.  At least, I have a social life and not some lousy marriage or failing business dragging me down.  Who needs a nine-to-five job, anyway?  Just drop your pants!  And, let my manager take care of the rest.”

 
Visibly wealthy older man with twenty-something “trophy wife” in his arms beside the pool of his large estate:  Before MONEY, guys like me probably didn’t have a chance with women like this.  We were far too out of shape and…old.  But, thanks to MONEY, you can have any beauty you desire for the right price.  I laugh at people who use dating websites to find love.  Get a real job, you hippies!  She’s all mine!  [Young wife says:]  Yea, I am!  Just look at the ring he gave me!  It’s huge!

Non-white, United States immigrant shopkeeper closing cash register after giving change to a departing customer with a nod and a wink:  “Now, I don’t have to wait for medical care when I or some member of my family is sick or injured.  Even if all I have is a simple cold which could be treated with a healthy diet, liquids and rest, I can see a doctor at any time of day or night, have him tell me what I should already know and let someone else pay the cost.  Thanks, MONEY.”

Wealthy-looking woman caressing a large urn on a pedestal while a maid behind her dusts other large possessions:  “This might not mean anything to you.  But, thanks to MONEY, my clay pot–reproduced by poorly paid laborers after the original was stolen from slain natives–and my ridiculously huge house are worth a fortune which can keep me financially secure well into early retirement.  That’s good news for my legacy.”

Sloppy-looking man with a paint-spattered apron painting a vase of flowers in his private studio:  “I may not make more than a few hundred bucks selling this month’s work of art today.  But, someone who finds it decades later in the garbage can turn around and make a fortune at auction by selling it.  [Chuckles]  How’s that for investing in your future?  Now, if you don’t mind, I have to get back to work so I can keep a failing businessman or con artist off the streets while I struggle to keep my refrigerator stocked.”

Single overweight woman–who hates to cook for one–buying lunch at a fast food chain:  “My ancestors used to worry about how to keep their meals from spoiling and crops not growing.  They only lived to be thirty if they were lucky.  Now, I can go to the grocery store or my favorite restaurant and have previously frozen foods injected with all sorts of unsafe chemical bi-products waiting for me any time I want.  Even if the stores throw out tons of unsold products to rot, I’m sure to live well past a hundred if some man-made disease doesn’t take me down.  And, it’s all thanks to MONEY.”

Smiling married couple sitting together in front of their rather large entertainment system on a white sofa in a room of all neutral colors:  [Wife says:]  “Long ago, people like us used to take home entertainment for granted.  We went from listening to every commercial and subliminal message to hating the sound of electricity.  But now, thanks to MONEY, we have ever-changing technology which keeps us replacing our equipment to keep up with the neighborhood and tuning our brains with increasingly powerful invisible radiation.”  [Husband nudges wife and says:]  “Even if they replace intelligent and/or comical shows with dozens of channels containing nothing but cute pets, repeating advertisements and people’s private lives captured on some hard drive, we’ll keep watching.”  [Wife nudges husband back, smiles and adds:]  “We’re paying for our entertainment every day without having to go to the store and buy unnecessary test products.  And, in a few years, we’re sure to be paying double.  That oughta make some smart businessman rich.”  [Husband says:]  “Just not us.”  [Wife laughs:]  “Yeah.  Not us.”

Visibly distressed square man with equally square eyeglasses sitting beside his computer with a stack of papers on his lap:  “Sure, doing business online is risky.  I could lose my shirt in a blink if some hacker discovers the passwords to my accounts which I change every six months just to stay sane.  But, it beats having to go to the bank, waiting in line and killing some poor, defenseless trees just to transfer funds.  I no longer have to deal with people who might hurt or disturb me.  I can stay at home where I’ll likely never see the light of day, have human contact or get regular exercise.  Without MONEY, I’d have to get off my butt and fight off both man and beast to get what I need.  Survival of the fittest?  Who needs that?”

Sooty future man wearing military apparel and dodging search lights from remote control drones flying over a city street ravaged by robots, missiles and lasers:  “Just think.  I could be sitting at home doing nothing but talking and stuffing my face with people I no longer like.  Instead, I’m staying fit, staying hungry on the run from machines programmed by people just like me who worked for decades to create these robotic menaces while believing they were sustaining themselves and making the world a better place.  Long ago, we encouraged childbirth to amass a large workforce.  But, that became too costly and annoying.  Then, we made people dependent upon what was pitched as ‘social media’ and created computer jobs to eliminate ourselves and make life easier for a handful of wealthy individuals who used their financial leverage to control everyone else.  Now, that’s smart MONEY.”

Balding married man in his late twenties with hair transplant and “successful” wardrobe getting out of his polished two-door car on a quiet suburban street lined with identical houses:  “MONEY doesn’t leave me wondering why I shouldn’t punch or shoot the person next to me for making me mad.  Now, all I need to think about are penalties, lawsuits brought upon myself and how I’m going to cover the cost of living which used to be free from Heaven.  Thanks, MONEY.  You’re a lifesaver.”

 

WARNING:  Side effects of MONEY may include:  Sudden lapses in moral judgement, preoccupation with spending and/or hoarding, bitch-slapping those viewed as inferior, depriving others of necessities, overflow of landfills due to hasty mass-production and wasted resources, lower self-esteem when comparing one’s income to that of another (especially when seeking a romantic relationship and/or commitment), imprisonment, competition for resources similar to that involved in general warfare and internal upsets which could result in more serious medical and mental health problems.  MONEY may cause “Midas” or “Harod fever” which significantly puts you at risk of destroying everything you previously valued for what you think is the love of MONEY.
If you suffer a four-hour erection with visions of gold dancing in your head or experience increased thoughts of jealousy, fear of poverty, greed, theft, cheating, violence and/or disrespect for others (which may include “pimping” and/or slavery), tell your government to stop manufacturing MONEY and seek a better alternative immediately.

 

If you are seeking an alternative to combat, feel your livelihood is threatened by violence or if you’d like to keep bothersome squatters off your property…don’t just sit there sharpening your weapon(s) and/or worrying about someone taking everything you think you own by force.  Ask your government if they can supply you with a prescription for MONEY.

 

MONEY.  It just makes life…easier…

 

…for everyone but you.

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