Oligarchy

Today a coworker was talking about the Greek term used to describe a sense of responsibility towards society that nobles once had. He said that today term has been long forgotten and Greece itself is on the edge of chaos because the rich there pay no taxes and the poor are rebelling but can’t seem to get any traction. The government has no money to spend on social programs so those in need are looked after and the attitude among those in power and privilege seems to be blissful ignorance of it and a complete lack of concern.

He says that America may be heading in the same direction –slowly working its way to becoming controlled by a few rich and powerful people concerned with maintaining their wealth and power at the expense of those making low-to-no income. Reminds me of the speech I did yesterday about the Venetian Nobility. A law was passed in the U.S. saying that Money is a Freedom of Speech and therefore campaigns, advertising, and the media can be bought and paid for to host thoughts and ideas favoring the mentality of those willing to pay the price for it.

All in all I don’t really care. I know for a fact that even if it gets to that point citizens will ultimately do nothing. We are complacent and satisfied with what we have. 99% are used to not owning private jets and islands off the Galapagos. People assume they won’t ever own those things and they just accept and make do with what they have. You really want people to take action it’s going to have to get to the point where people are denied their “basic necessities”. That means beer, fast food/ snacks/ sodas, internet, TV, movies, music, and video games. The government starts interfering with any of those things they will have an angry mob that will not desist until changes are made.

I think it’s sad that not all of the wealthy people/ people in power in America care or feel responsible towards the less fortunate, but the fact is that is still a new concept for our planet. It’s been an ideal but not necessarily a reality on a grand scale since… ever. But today there are thousands of charities that raise hundreds of millions of dollars for all sorts of causes. The homeless have shelters, orphanages are better maintained, and people aren’t exactly wandering the streets looking like the half-starved, barely dressed members of our 3^rd world cousins. I think as long as people manage to enjoy their lives there’s a lot they can actually manage to go without. After all, the pioneers who ventured out into this country did so in log cabins hunting food with muskets –not exactly sitting on the couch ordering from the home shopping network.