We can think of society as a plant, or a system of plants. Presently, the plant, or plant system, is rooted in a soil called oppression, from which society gathers its nutrients which form the core of its being from the beginning. Insidious minds smarter than myself have found a way to capitalize on individuals who are too far below to see what is being created of them, and what is creating them. From this level, behaviors that are "natural", "right", "anticipated" only help to feed this oppression. The moment we diverge, even one person, from tyranny, oppression, dominance, privilege is precisely the moment these offenses come into focus for those around us, and for ourselves. It is our responsibility, especially those who benefit most from the handouts of society, to look after what is right, not according to who in society says so, but by applying some of the simplest ideas we have learned, or at least heard of, growing up. These ideas can be powerful; they are much more than etiquette to memorize so that you are not embarrassed when it is revealed that you do not know them. I am talking about such simple things as kindness, reciprocity, and most familiarly, what we have come to know as "the golden rule". You may scoff at how elementary these concepts are. I ask you to take a moment to reflect on who really exhibits these traits. Then compare this (small) group of people to those in power, those who make the rules, those with all the money. Money is not important in this situation as an indicator of worth, but more as an indicator for what one is being awarded. At the top you will find some of the greediest, power hungry people on the planet.
With all this I do not intend to dismantle society just to see the smoke rise from its ashes. In fact, I do not even intend to dismantle society at all. What I wish to see is a world that perhaps exists only in my mind, but that the makings of surely are within every person. Some say there are simply not enough resources to go around in order for each person to live happily and safely; in order to eliminate oppression; in order to solve the problem of poverty. What is there to say about billionaires and hundred millionaires? Is it my intent to rob these people of their money? Am I saying their lifestyles are inherently wrong because they are rich? NO! Success is a real phenomenon! It should not be abolished. People should be awarded for their good deeds, hard work and ingenuity - just not at the expense of others. There must be something better to do with all this money that to hoard it, buy extravagances, or flat out waste it. I do not have all the answers; I work hard to come up with questions that are relevant. Surely, though, there must be some way for model citizens to be recognized in such a way that it does not leave others in their dust, literally...
Money is a cruel beast. It's been said countless times that "the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer." Does the fact that it's been said over and over mean that to say it now is less poignant? Less relevant? Less important just because it has been iterated and reiterated? No. The fact remains that each time it is said, it is only truer than before. IN FACT - the rich get RICHER and the poor get POORER. This is not an observation made years ago that has remained stagnant ever since. No. A smaller proportion of individuals are reaping the benefits of society - a society with faults it cannot even perceive at times. It is because of these faults, in many cases, that some become richer.
Here is my issue - the problem with American society does not deal solely with income brackets, class struggles, or "rich vs. poor". While it may be easy to perceive it as such, it comes back to the soil in which are supplanted. Society did not start when I, you or anyone else was born. It has been growing for thousands of years. Smart people have figured out ways to make society work for themselves, but smarter people still have been able to break society and reform it for the better. To make significant changes takes more than intelligence; it takes righteousness, self sacrifice, and a sense of the scope of inequality in society that cannot be exceeded. To become aware of the oppression, inequality, and privilege seems impossible when you consider the power of society and how it shapes the human mind. How is one to compete with such a monster? I do not know. I do not know what causes one person to value equal treatment of other fellow human beings, and another person to be devoid of the concept of equality. I do know that it happens. I do not attribute this to supernatural powers; that raises too many contradictions to deal with. It must come from within humans. It must come from experience. It must come from the fact that there are patches in this giant social garden that are less tampered by oppression, and instead receive pure human goodness at a ripe age. To carry out this knowledge, and to be fearless in one's approach, is the most important thing one can do for the condition of society today.
