A Kind of Angry Rant at Present Times, But Not That Angry
What if the high levels of stress and discontent that so many “wealthy and prosperous” societies suffer are a result of having no purpose? When life is too cushy and presents no regular, imminent challenges, finding worth is difficult and finding fault or dispensing blame comes easy. The recent, wild increase in popularity of nonsensical, anti-human movements geared toward recruiting angry, aimless young souls only illustrates the probability that the opening query of this piece represents a legitimate concern.
Such movements seem intent on demanding restitution, deserved or not, from anyone currently enjoying anything construed as “privilege”, be it earned or not. Possibly the engineered thought process being foisted upon the young, naive masses is: the only reason “privilege” exists in this day and age is because of “evils” perpetrated by the decadence of past generations. Hmmm, sounds rather Bolshevik doesn’t it? And look how much good they brought about.
The very privilege exploited by this new wave of thankless worms, through free speech and the right to protest, is what they seem so intent on abolishing. The downfall of what have likely been the best social systems many humans have ever enjoyed will be suffered equally by the clueless brats responsible for destroying their own privilege, as well as by those they seek to topple.
Should such a movement prove successful in western culture, who stands to profit? In whose interest is it to sabotage human progress?
Earth is a rudderless ship, crewed by mostly-inept lunatics, each with their own misinformed opinions of where we should be headed. We’re a Monty Python office-building full of chimpanzees with machine guns and bad ideas, drifting through the cosmos desperately hoping we’ll crash into some external meaning before we implode. Doesn’t the universe realize it owes us meaning due to the very fact we exist? It must have missed the memo. Maybe it doesn’t feel the need to validate our every whim because we want it to. But, possibly, if this generation is cluelessly angry enough about the perceived injustices perpetrated against them by the universe, and they’re arrogant enough to actually buy into their own sense of entitlement, the cosmos will give in to their demands.
I don’t think it occurs to many people that the only ones in all of recorded history who think, or ever will think, that we’re as important as we do, are us. And whatever generation is currently inhabiting the present seems to share this view. It’s quite understandable really, as the dead are gone and the future is an abstract consideration, but there seems to be a persistent, subconscious belief that because we spend our entire lives at very pinnacle of all we have achieved as a species, we are the best humanity has, or will ever have to offer, and our present satisfaction has precedence over anything before or after. Even if it means spitting in the faces of those responsible for getting us this far. Gratitude is just another forgotten word in a forgotten medium, a book, and who reads those anymore?
Those who cannot remember their past are condemned to repeat it. Ain’t that the truth. And those who have no appreciation for the good things we do have, as a result of having a history, shouldn’t stand on the shoulders of those who built the world, and condemn them. Sure, the past is full of injustices, and so is the present. Many of those injustices have been committed by one class/creed/race against another, but there have, and continue to be, too many cases of people committing atrocities and injustices against their own social/cultural/ethnic groups as well.
And although evidence would suggest that there is a tiny, elite group at the very top who are fisting us all, that’s a very complex rant, and worthy of special attention. Perhaps one day.
Individuals or groups who find reward in flinging blame for their own collective social woes at people outside of their own “world-families”, for lack of a better term, while accepting no responsibility for their own lots in life, will only ensure that they will forever remain powerless to affect the outcomes of their own existences. People that accept responsibility for their own fortunes, and work hard to affect good ones, prosper eventually or die attempting something worthwhile. Whining, backbiting, and finger-pointing, however, are not traits conducive to either pride or success in any form.
There will always be undesirable truths attached to the existence of humans, but instead of stumbling backward toward the demise of what could have been the best period in human history while obsessing over all the mistakes of yesterday, why not build a better world on the foundation of everything worthwhile humanity has discovered up to this point? We have better opportunities now for creating the best world our species has ever enjoyed than any previous generation before. And generations following could take that direction and improve our collective lot even more.
If that sounds too hopeful to believe, I have to admit, I’m slightly skeptical too. It doesn’t seem likely. Unfortunately the vast majority of humans are far too lazy and stupid to think for themselves, and far too willing to follow poor direction if it makes them feel important. And there are many puppet-masters willing to capitalize on this fact. So on and on it goes.
Brainwash, rinse and repeat. Choose proud ignorance, join a movement that isn’t yours because you lack the wisdom or fortitude, or consciousness, to stand for anything of your own, and wave the flag of an agenda that you don’t understand. An agenda that, if you could understand it, would certainly prove to be created in the interests of those you have nothing in common with. Memorize a few key sound-bites for regurgitating in public, and when taken to task for your glaring ignorance, be dumb louder. If that doesn’t work, resort to ruthless and cowardly character assassinations from behind the screen of your anonymous indignation. Failing the success of that, or if such campaigns are not an option for you, there will always be the avenue of senseless violence.
And we’re the most advanced species on the planet are we? According to who? Oh, right, according to us. Because we say so.
