Selling out? Or cashing in?
A question has tugged at me recently. Probably cause I've been inside my head too much -- jobless in NY is not as fun as it sounds. Sure, there are lots of things to do during the day - movies, galleries, bookshops, random sidewalk art, but who wants to be outside when it's sleeting and there's sludge on the ground? Besides, with the threat of being homeless in a couple of months looming over me, let's just say I'm heading towards a very bad place.
Anyhoos:
S. Korea, Japan, W. Germany vs N. Korea, Vietnam, E. Germany
The first group were involved in wars with the US and either lost or accepted Western capitalism and forms of govt to become industrialized nations with pretty good current living standards.
The second group fought and won the wars against the US and have not had the economic and societal successes that they've wanted. At the very least, their development has been pushed way back.
Does it stand to say that if you capitulate to US hegemony that overall, your country would be better off?
Something I was thinking about in light of the Iraq conflict. But then, this is sort of like Jim Carrey's new movie "23" – take any combination of numbers or events and you can create consequential conclusions. So, what about the banana republics in S. America, African allies, etc? I suppose if it's in the US economic and political interests to develop a country, it would be better for previous enemies to become passive partners? Hrm.
It's sort of like a rich dude telling a girl, "C'mon, if you just get past my boorish behavior and appearance and let me use you, it would be great for both of us!"
on the earlier part of your post... i sympathize. being jobless in nyc sucks complete ass unless you have some kind of a trust fund. i am biased of course, but i am glad i split... because even when you do get a job, you have to get caught up in a nasty old rat race. there, i am biased! i just like life to be a bit lazier.
Posted by: rmd | February 22, 2007 at 05:42 PM
Very thought-provoking point.
Posted by: c.h.ha | February 23, 2007 at 08:22 AM
i've come to the conclusion that you don't appreciate something unless you have very little of it. when you have lots of money - all you do is complain about how rat-race the work lifestyle is. when you have lots of working hours, all you do is complain about your lack of free time. and when you have a lot of free time? you wish you were working.
now that i have very little free time, i think often of all the things i would be doing if i had more of it. like take art classes. or play the guitar. but quite honestly - when i had all my evenings free because i was working, what did i do with my time? i sat and watched television. when you have an excess of anything - you waste it. it's like there's a certain threshold beyond which you stop being productive with it - whether it be money or time or energy.
my new tenet on mankind is that you waste whatever you have in excess. food when it comes to countries. money when it comes to the rich. energy when it comes to little kids (running around all crazy). your girlfriend's goodwill when you take her for granted.
and thus, things like "the game" are born between girls and boys, to create an artificial sense of limited supply, so man can appreciate it.
i guess it's natural to lean towards the middle ground. balance. equilibrium. not too much of anything. but then that speaks to mediocrity too doesn't it. it sucks to be mediocre.
Posted by: ink | February 23, 2007 at 10:33 AM
i dunno about the excess thing.. when you have too much of something that you don't want, then yes, waste. but i think gates is doing pretty well with his billions, gore is doing pretty well with his influence.
i agree as humans we have a tendency to fall into entropy.. or laziness, but balance on the other hand, doesn't equal mediocrity. mediocrity just means you don't want to put in the effort of doing what you want, so you settle for something that is 'ok'. for me, finding balance takes a lot of effort.. but i think you also gain awareness of your reality with balance.
anyhoos.. if i had all the free time in the world without monetary considerations, i'd sign up for additional photography classes and go hiking every weekend.
Posted by: j.fisher | February 23, 2007 at 02:08 PM