I’ve noticed quite a few people here complaining about the rat race, the “slavery” of the system, the insanity of modern life, etc. This post began as a reply to a couple of posts today from “Good Adjective”. Considering how long it’s been since he/she posted, and how often this issue comes up, I figured I’d just make my own post about it.
It’s easy to blame society for many of our woes. Yes, the systems we have in place are flawed, almost inevitably, as people themselves are similarly flawed. But these systems and societies arose under a set of natural rules that remain much the same. Production at this point in time is still heavily reliant on physical labour and direct human influence. We’ve always had to spend much of our lives acquiring the means to survive, persist, and (usually) to benefit the continuation of the group, not simply as a result of incompetent or oppressive societal structures, but because of the innate realities of life itself.
– This next paragraph is in direct reference to a post by “Good Adjective”, in which they pointed out how far we’ve strayed from our hunter-gathering roots, and the idea that primitive man lived a more simple and even desirable life. –
Hunter-gatherers were no exception, relentlessly foraging and scouring their surroundings, worrying whether nature would provide, whether the next hunt would be successful. Often they were nomadic and consistently on the move to find better sources of food. One could argue that this way of life was more thrilling, more natural, less monotonous. Yet it was filled with its fair share of fear, confusion, hardship and suffering. Interestingly, there have been attempts to prove that members of certain tribes “worked” less hours than modern man. Even if this were the case, I wouldn’t envy their quality of life in virtually every other metric.
Nowadays, due to advances in technology and streamlined production, we have more excess than ever before. Equality of opportunity has never been closer to a reality than it is today. Despite complaints about the average work week, necessary working hours have mostly been steadily decreasing in developed countries in recent history, while quality of life has drastically improved.
Of course things aren’t purely fine and dandy. Many people in power are exploitative as they surely will be. But we must at least strive for some perspective, and appreciation for the positive. Just thought I’d provide a different viewpoint on the issue.
35 comments
Working for someone else, you’re making someone else’s dreams come true. Your employer 90+% of the time is far more concerned about lining his pockets than making you rich. You’re nothing more than a tool who’s being used to help your boss make his Caddilac and boat payments.
The system we have now helps the people in charge. The bottom majority help the upper minority flourish, and if you’re ok with being an obedient slave who dutifully serves your master, well, good for you. Be sure to volunteer to put out the fire, then drink the koolaide after masters estate has burnt down.
I acknowledge many of the flaws, as I said in the beginning. The real issue is finding a realistic alternative that would provide a better outcome.
Breaking free from a prison planet seems like a viable, sensible option.
(I’m not encouraging suicide, just saying not having to wake up another day sounds pretty reasonable to me).
Well, fair enough. That, at least on an individual level, is a working solution. At least in the sense that it eliminates the problem.
Very true Morris, employers and companies are out to make themselves rich, they could care less about their little worker bees as long as they stay in line.
“A Mild Excuse for Complacency”
“A mild drive-by quip from Perifronisi”. An actual explanation of your opposing view would be more productive, I think.
Dialectical Materialism
https:// + http://www.marxists.org/glossary/terms/d/i.htm
Imperialism – Wikipedia
https:// + en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperialism
(Error: Solutions for contemporary ratrace-ism not found)
John Lennon – Imagine – YouTube
https:// + http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkgkThdzX-8
Excess
1. an amount of something that is more than necessary, permitted, or desirable.
2. lack of moderation in an activity, especially eating or drinking.
Quantity = Quality?
When I referred to excess, I was addressing the advances in agriculture and production and our increasing ability to focus on “want” as opposed to “need”.
My point exactly.
If you want a discussion on whether that’s a good or bad thing, I’d be happy to entertain it. Only, I’d ask that you be less vague in future.
And not instill in you the urge to reply to me in order to acquire more relevant information, in an attempt to appear interesting?
Valid points about the evolution of industrialization and the nature of “The system.” I dont want to forage for food thats not in a brightly lit grocery store. I’m resigned to being a mouse in a wheel spinning for my cheese, and have done nothing to change it, so therefore, nothing to complain about, but as an irrational, suicidal, depressed, anxious idealist, I reserve the right to wield my pitchfork and torch in a threatening manner before going to sleep so I can go punch the evil time clock of slavery for the uncaring psychopathic mad- with -power “man.”
River/Chip – Just because we live in an age where we no longer have to forage for food and now live an “easier” life (i.e. not have to hunt or be hunted and now have grocery stores) does not mean that the only 2 options are to live with the current corrupt system, or go back to a “primitive” way of life like hunters and gatherers. We can go for a more fair system than the current one. It is not impossible- we have done it before. And the way to do that is to get money out of politics, which is what corrupted the system in the first place.
River- We did do a fairly decent job after WWII (in the U.S.), from 1945-1979. We had economic expansion, we had higher wages, higher standard of living, had good, affordable education. We had more freedom and movements toward equality. We had economic mobility- the poor and middle class could actually rise up through hard work. Things were good.
Then in 1979, through a series of laws and acts, began the age of legal bribery- enter “soft money.” Amendments to FECA and actions by the FEC, national, state and local parties began directly funding campaigns. At the federal level, unlimited donations from corporations and unions — sources of funding that had been prohibited in the past — now became legal. Over the next following years, we had Citizens United- who fought for and lobbied for- large multi-national corporations. We had legislation that now deemed Corporations as People. We had the dismantling of the Glass-Steagal Act, and other acts that protected the people from the banking industry. We had legislation after legislation dismantling prior acts and bills that protected the People from Corporations. And instead we added more and more legislation allowing the free-flow of direct bribery from large corporations and from wealthy individuals. It became a free-for-all. Very little rules against corruption. So of course what happens if corruption becomes illegal? This is the very thing we get- our current economic and political situation. The 1980s set the stage for all that came to happen since the 08 meltdown.
So how do we fix this? We need to get money out of politics. While there is no such thing as “utopia” we can enact rules and regulations that disallow corruption and bribery so that we can go back to a more fairer system, and a system where the politicians will represent the people instead of the corporations and wealthy people that hand them money. Right now, it is all perfectly legal, and that is why we have this sh*tstorm that we have now.
legal*
A valid solution, but it’s not likely to occur.
Sure, you are free to believe whatever you want. But as humans, we are also free to demand a fairer and more just system than the blatant corruption that is occurring now. Otherwise, there is nothing to stop the elites from pushing us back into the dark ages, back into imperial times where kings and queens and monarchs lorded and ruled over us. To simply to nothing and let the powerful do whatever they want to us, is exactly what leads to the loss of freedom, speech, economic mobility, etc.
Yes, eternaldarkness, for the most part I agree. If I came across as only presenting two options, it wasn’t intended. I simply acknowledged the positives of what we do have. Which is a result of a variety of factors, of course. “Getting the money out of politics”, to put it that simply, is surely desirable. How we achieve this is the question. The rules and regulations you propose, well… it would likely have to be a very slow or very explosive change.
the above was to River.
Perifornist- then what do you suggest? we hang your heads in defeat and do absolutely nothing?
Anyhow, you’re all free to believe what you want. I’m not going to argue with anyone. Besides, I got some documentaries to watch now.
It’s difficult, but not impossible. We have achieved it before, through persistence in effecting legislation. To do nothing will simply lead to the inevitable.
I was not suggesting anything, nor implying defeat. I’m just an observer.
I don’t think anyone here is proposing to do nothing. If realistic desirable change can be achieved, it’s worth the effort.
Of course what is desirable is up to interpretation, but eh.
I agree with this post. I haven’t read all the posts that blame the rat race so I’m not arguing specifically against anyone, but in general the complaint about “the man” ruining our lives is a drastic oversimplification.
For context, I’m currently unemployed and practically broke. There was a time when I had a posh penthouse apartment and had 2 martini lunches every day. What I’m saying is that I’ve lived both extremes so I think I’m a pretty objective person on the matter.
Money is the language of humans. If you are frustrated by money problems, it simply means you aren’t speaking the language right, much like a foreigner with a thick accent and poor grammar will be at a disadvantage in society. It doesn’t mean that the foreigner is stupid or worthless, it just means that he isn’t interfacing with others via the established protocol.
Same with money, if you find yourself frustrated at being poor and stuck at the bottom of the human pond, you can’t blame “the system” any more than a fish can blame the water. Personally I think money is a brilliant invention. Without it, we would be trying to barter our way through life or worse, counting on philanthropy for free meals. Can you imagine a busted pipe in the middle of the night, calling the plumber and begging him to come fix it by offering a dozen coconuts? Stupid. That’s where money solves the need for begging and climbing for coconuts. It convinces others to do things when they would otherwise be sleeping or doing things for themselves. In that sense, money is how we get others to give a shit.
Which leads us to what I assume the complaints are about. “Nobody gives a shit if you don’t have money.” Precisely. But the problem isn’t money or the system or the man. The problem is that humans inherently don’t give a shit. Thank god we have this thing called money to integrate us with each other, otherwise everyone would be hiding in their respective caves with no reason to interact with others.
And yes it sucks like bloody hell when you don’t have money because then you find yourself facing the unmitigated, natural state of humans: not giving a shit about each other. Trust me, I’m on the brink of homelessness so I know the pain of having no money. But that’s my own problem, not the fault of society and not the fault of my bosses or even the government. I don’t expect charity any more than I feel obligated to give freebies to others who demand things. There’s a lot of shit about society that I don’t like, but economics isn’t one of them. On the contrary it’s reassuring to see how human nature can be quantified, turned into a mathematical equation. It gives stability to this whole silly species. And we sure as hell need it because we’ve lost our instincts to do anything without it.
Thanks for the opportunity to ramble.
Hey man, ramble on. I don’t mind.
Ok then one more quick point before the vodka and pills blast me into blissful oblivion. Again, in general, I think the complaint about “slavery” (quotes to differentiate from true slavery involving beatings and chains) and corporate profiteering proceeds from the idealistic notion that human beings are supposed to be good to each other. That is a delusion which prompts people to think they are entitled. I can’t stress this enough: people are not inherently good to each other. So swallow it and move on. People can kick and scream and stomp their feet all they want about being underpaid and victimized by greedy corporations, but the fact is that supply/demand and work/compensation adhere to a mathematical set of rules in a free market capitalist society. I assume we’re not talking about communist Russia or China where I admit workers are treated like shit with zero options to better themselves (in which case I would wholeheartedly agree with the “slavery” metaphor). But in any country where you’re free to quit your job and seek a competitive salary elsewhere, or hell start up your own business out of the trunk of your car, it’s a far, far cry from slavery and oppression and economic tyranny. i like this system even though it’s currently grinding me to bits. Because I know all I have to do is get off my ass and prove myself valuable, and I will receive my fair due. It’s one of the few things that actually makes sense in this screwed up world.
Hmm. I think most people end up being at least somewhat cooperative with each other, simply out of necessity if nothing else. I do agree, most of an individuals perceived worth is based on what that individual can provide others. ‘Tis the nature of the beast. Don’t have the pills, but have plenty of vodka at the moment. Cheers and thanks for the thoughts, torn.
first of all, only a small percentage of labor actually leads to technological advances. please don’t frustrate me by arguing that most of our jobs aren’t mere bureaucratic meaningless bullcrap. even if such correlation existed, it wouldn’t have been worth your life. you only live once, it’s very short and we are taught to believe that we have to spend our precious time working to be able to buy things that do not affect our quality of life that much. things that we really don’t need.
companies and governments are constantly violating your privacy by cross referencing in order to limit your freedom and improve their business.
intelligence agencies keep playing security holes, creating them and using them against your freedom.
the US intercepts router shipments, modifies them, repackages them and sends them to their destination.
the war machine is more aggressive than ever..lots of lives are wasted everyday that you probably shrug it off as just numbers.
the medical system has turned into a mere business like any other and you think this system has flaws?
no it’s pure evil. and just because there doesn’t seem to be a better “realistic” alternative, doesn’t mean it’s fine to bury your head in sand.
you think all the cruelty that is taking place in this world for money and subsequently power, is justified because..technology? quality of life? like srsly? what quality of life is worth this?
I never claimed that a majority of jobs lead to technological advancement, or that much of it was not simple mindless repetitive tasks. Much of it is simple labour, which is necessary. And not just because of people with money are lording over you. This is only part of the problem, a problem that stems from much more than what is seen at face value.
How else would you propose we spend our time? This is my central problem. We can’t simply spend our time frolicking in the flowers, it isn’t sustainable. Perhaps in an idealistic utopian future, but certainly not now.
Yes, the medical system is highly flawed. “evil” could as easily be replaced with “opportunistic”.
I never proposed “burying my head in the sand” or doing nothing, as I stated earlier in this discussion. Possibilities for change should be thoroughly discussed and explored.
Not sustainable? I take it you’ve never heard of the African Bushmen.
I addressed exceptions like the African Bushmen in my original post.
“Interestingly, there have been attempts to prove that members of certain tribes “worked” less hours than modern man. Even if this were the case, I wouldn’t envy their quality of life in virtually every other metric.”
I once read an eastern quote, perhaps Indian, about suffering and the pursuit of knowledge, but for the life of me, I can’t find it.
The pursuit of knowledge is important. I believe we could ultimately end most of the things that cause undue suffering if we attain a level of knowledge advanced enough to solve geopolitical problems that we’ve never been able to solve before. But not if we lose ourselves along the way. Greed, corruption, violence, and lust for power have always been humanity’s downfalls.
“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” – Isaac Asimov
Firstly I’d like to preface this by saying that whenever I submit a post, I’m not necessarily being totally literal the whole-way through. And I’m also not trying to pinpoint one thing in particular to blame for my dissociation from this world. What I AM trying to do when I post something, is describe an emotion that I’m feeling. And it’s difficult sometimes to use a singular adjective to describe how I feel, sometimes it requires a wall of text and even then it rarely does justice.
ANYWAY…
I’m glad my posts, and your counter-post, have caused quite a stir. It gets people thinking, which I like. I’m surprised so many people have argued against you as your points are perfectly fair, and you’re clearly well rehearsed in this topic so I won’t even entertain the thought of beating you in an online keyboard duel-to-the-death.
I hear what you’re saying, our ancestors’ daily struggles were different to ours to the superlative. If they don’t catch any prey today, the whole tribe goes hungry. I’m not necessarily trying to say that I envy how my primitive great-great uncle Jim lived his life. But they lived a more primal life, their took advantage of their instincts to survive. We are at a point now where you don’t even need limbs to survive, or you don’t even need a properly functioning brain to survive. It’s just backwards, nature wouldn’t have allowed it but we’re defying nature. It just makes me uneasy.
I’m at a loss right now to go any further in depth right now, I’m trying to explain a concept that I barely even understand myself.
I feel like a bit of a celebrity now, having been referred to in another person’s post xD If that’s not the most depressing thing that anybody has written on this site then I don’t know what is.
Hey Good Adjective. Yeah, I get that. It’s important to be able to discuss or propose an idea that you wish to express and explore and not be automatically associated with every other viewpoint that could be related to the one you were initially discussing, but I digress.
Part of the reason I made my own post was to avoid pinning everything all on you, especially since this is such a common thread of conversation here, and to avoid accusing you of a hard-line stance on something you were simply musing about in your posts.
I should mention that I am familiar with the feeling you detailed in your post. Of observing the absurdity of modern life, with everyone glued to their smartphones, all of the details you mentioned in your post and so on, and finding myself sentimental for a simpler time. So I understand the aversion to the unnatural aspect of human advancement. It’s very likely that much of the depression and mental exhaustion in modern times is due to how far we’ve strayed from the natural way of things.
I’ve had conversations about ideas like artificial worlds and humans transcending their own nature, roughly speaking. This sort of thing makes me very uneasy, though it can seem logical at face value. Clearly it makes others uneasy as well, there’s even an entire show based on this concept that plays off of this unease (in addition to plenty of past media that has done so). But even today we have the technology to destroy ourselves, likely in multiple ways. It’s all, for lack of a better phrase, a bit of a clusterfuck.