Who does the system reward?
I feel that the system is rewarding me well with my career. Primarily because my career is in advertising industry and as it turn out, advertising is one of the most important soldiers in service of globalisation. So, while seemingly inconsequential, my role is an integral (though small) cog among the many million small cogs that keep this system running. The system needs people who are capable of doing what is required of them. And I am capable enough.
Enough - The system only requires a very narrow skill set of mine. That is a small part of the arsenal of skill sets that a typical human requires to progress and thrive in life. I suck at breathing for example. I have terrible hand-eye co-ordination. I have hundred other deficiencies that I would much rather not share with my possible future employer.
It astounds me that for all my short comings and a few strengths, I earn way too much in comparison to people who are better humans that me.
I am lucky to have just the right narrow skill set that the system requires. It is a lottery of sorts, isn't it? The current system simply doesn't need farmers that badly, for example. (what with the future being that of machines any ways. the system won't need humans in a little while. so who cares for food security.)
However, here lies the trap. As people (like me) who are urban, educated and working in service of the global system prosper, we begin to think that the reward is in proportion to our intrinsic 'worth'. "I deserve this."
It is in our interest to believe so. This way we remain tied to the system and we are happy for it. It gives us our worth in liquid wealth and fast lifestyle.
This however translates in reality in opposition. So I earn so much and I am worth it, what about the poor who don't earn as much? maybe they are not worth it?
Consumerism unmoors us from reality and relations. This distance helps us normalise injustices and accept the system as ours. Identities fused, we are now soldier in service of the system.
System has succeeded in making us fight for higher and higher worth in liquid wealth. However, the same system doesn't part with the capital - the ownership of the means of earning - so easily. As a matter of fact, it will gladly pay out ridiculous sums of monies to buy out business - however good or bad they may be. (all .com acquisitions so far). The game is about long term control.
So for those who want to prosper, here's a question they should try to answer. Which ideas will the system reward?
1. Anything that aids consolidation of control over resources and people (social networks, physical infrastructures, media, *POs (KPOs, BPOs, bank back offices) and so on.)
2. Anything that transmits power and enables control (banks, private or public military and police, UN bodies, IMF and so on)
3. Opiums (Media Content, actual drugs, service industry) to make people and ideas more manageable.
The current system's goal is consolidation of control over resources and people. Here's a springboard for future gazing - for what purpose? or more accurately, what ideas will flow naturally from this control? What is bound to happen?
Enough - The system only requires a very narrow skill set of mine. That is a small part of the arsenal of skill sets that a typical human requires to progress and thrive in life. I suck at breathing for example. I have terrible hand-eye co-ordination. I have hundred other deficiencies that I would much rather not share with my possible future employer.
It astounds me that for all my short comings and a few strengths, I earn way too much in comparison to people who are better humans that me.
I am lucky to have just the right narrow skill set that the system requires. It is a lottery of sorts, isn't it? The current system simply doesn't need farmers that badly, for example. (what with the future being that of machines any ways. the system won't need humans in a little while. so who cares for food security.)
However, here lies the trap. As people (like me) who are urban, educated and working in service of the global system prosper, we begin to think that the reward is in proportion to our intrinsic 'worth'. "I deserve this."
It is in our interest to believe so. This way we remain tied to the system and we are happy for it. It gives us our worth in liquid wealth and fast lifestyle.
This however translates in reality in opposition. So I earn so much and I am worth it, what about the poor who don't earn as much? maybe they are not worth it?
Consumerism unmoors us from reality and relations. This distance helps us normalise injustices and accept the system as ours. Identities fused, we are now soldier in service of the system.
System has succeeded in making us fight for higher and higher worth in liquid wealth. However, the same system doesn't part with the capital - the ownership of the means of earning - so easily. As a matter of fact, it will gladly pay out ridiculous sums of monies to buy out business - however good or bad they may be. (all .com acquisitions so far). The game is about long term control.
So for those who want to prosper, here's a question they should try to answer. Which ideas will the system reward?
1. Anything that aids consolidation of control over resources and people (social networks, physical infrastructures, media, *POs (KPOs, BPOs, bank back offices) and so on.)
2. Anything that transmits power and enables control (banks, private or public military and police, UN bodies, IMF and so on)
3. Opiums (Media Content, actual drugs, service industry) to make people and ideas more manageable.
The current system's goal is consolidation of control over resources and people. Here's a springboard for future gazing - for what purpose? or more accurately, what ideas will flow naturally from this control? What is bound to happen?
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