We live in a society governed by men and women, who blindfold Justice, they've erected a monument to civilization in front of the highest rule of the land: the Supreme Court of Law, headed by judges in robes that call order like butchers with mallets. Are they calling? Or are they demanding? They are playing tribute to barristers in England, with their powdered wigs, it's still a game between Whigs and Tories, or Democrats and Republicans, they've just rebranded like Coca Cola, but the New Order, Diet Coke, they strangle your retina and ability to see; they're worse than sugar-coating, they're corrosive saccharine; they're the All-New Limited Edition, Buy One, Get One Free 2.0 version, even though they look so shiny and innocuous on the surface. And, why do you think America is all about packaging? It's a closed book, why do you think it's all about covers when you go browsing through bookstores? Content is secondary, you're only as good as you look, they're gimmicks and quick gains, with rose-colored promises, and just-in-case loopholes, they're all about the fine-print, that no one ever reads, and the worst part is our politicians and business men gloat because they know this, they put it there for the few, who'll "go through the trouble", but they're well aware, that the majority is too busy or too distracted to be bothered by words on seals, we buy and place faith into without ever having looked at or questioned.
But like the woman who holds the scales in her outstretched hand; our representatives are at a distance as they measure the weight of our deeds and attempt to define the reasoning behind our actions. We can see Justice is anything, but blind, we're the ones with cloudy vision, if we trust she does not see religion, race, class or sex. Deception is easier to stomach, you just have to blink hard enough. Yet Justice evokes a sense of Order, but whose Order is she maintaining? The Order of the People? Society? World Leaders? Who does she serve?
Mile High Salvation
Who listens to our grievances? Who gets their voices heard? Who gets audience in court? We are judged by a jury of our peers, who like us are on trial, in the jury box instead of the witness stand. They are the audience, they ooo and ahh and are made to feel important. They are elevated and carefully screened based on a criterion that’s subject to the rule of a higher game. The House always wins: like Vegas, the courtroom's like a stacked game between the Devil and Daniel Webster. An "amorality" play, a spectacle, where we purchase the right to be represented by the power of attorney, an overpaid advocate with little to no invested interest, except for a piece of paper that's signed in your blood, sweat and tears with no guarantee of salvation. And, if you cannot afford to hire an attorney, you're appointed one. Conveniently, it's those who do not have the resources to defend themselves that are represented for the most part by some fool, who failed the bar. State attorneys are appointed to you and me, your everyday people; these men and women are the ones who doled out top dollar for illustrious educations, but didn't care enough, or didn't want to go through the trouble of knowing the Letter of the Law, or ever opening a textbook. Like our former President, they were busy being charming, flying planes on fuel from their father's oil wells, these fortunate sons and daughters, they're no longer content with silver. Blood, so be it, they've whet their appetite for diamonds, and they'll do anything to acquire them.
We are made to believe that we live in a Democracy, a system of rule by the governed. The winds and have changed, but our leaders haven't. Any novelty is just an illusion, that's presented in a different light, while the rest of the world is in a natural state of flux. Our leaders keep up appearances, and manipulate our thoughts with false promises of stability, and comfort foods and temperate zones, they set benchmarks, that attempt to keep the playing field level, but the scales are always tipped in their favor.
The Sour Grapes of Wrath
The American Dream was first coined in 1849 by O'Sullivan, did you ever stop and wonder why that term came into existence? It wasn't invented by the Mad Men chain-smoking in New York City Ad offices. It was first used during the Gold Rush, a term that was born out Benjamin Franklin and pragmatic Puritans. What was everyone rushing for? GOLD. Gold mines, and testing dynamite, the government needed someone to do their work. So our leaders made promises of wealth and riches, they sent people through the wilderness to do the dirty job. These people, who weren't getting the aid they needed in strained and overcrowded cities uprooted their entire livelihoods, and disrupted their families. Reformation was a foreign word, municipalities, state and federal leaders feared entering the vernacular; they didn't want to put out any more resources despite the efforts of people like Dorathea Dix, and yellow journalists, they didn't want to have pay and put up the extra manpower. So, they skimmed; instead of changing things for the better, instead of protecting the interests of the governed, they conceived law enforcement. It's no coincidence that organized law enforcement, would come out of this era. Too many people were "muckraking about" and challenging a long-established order, disrupting labor and making waves about sanitation, tenements, and people's general quality of life. Our government was concerned by the rise in strikes and formation of labor unions, and they particularly didn't like the growing number of civic associations. They were concerned about our growing strength in numbers. So, it was no accident that 1849 coincided with yet another "Great American War" fought in the name of expansion and of course, our favorite buzz words, "Freedom and Liberty".
What does any of this have to do with today? Surely, we're enlightened; surely our government is working to preserve our best interests. With government controlled media sources, they seem to be doing a good job, and even though things aren't pristine or perfect, our news reporters, the people supposedly monitoring our cities, country and the world always seem to be using words like "progress and change" and that now, with our new leader, "we're heading in the right direction". What direction is that exactly? If anything, censorship has increased. Think of any time you're flying out of JFK, or LGA or any other airport, you're privacy is not only being violated, it's being done in the name of "Safety", our government cares so much that it has hired strangers on inflated salaries with pensions and prime health care plans to violate your every orifice. Big Brother is using Fear, and it's deterring anyone who has the "audacity" or the ingenuity to "question" what the hell is actually going on. No questions, no complaints, save it-- get in line, size order, shut up and keep moving, otherwise, we'll lock you up, ruffle your feathers. We may let you out, if we see you've pissed yourself yellow to the point of our satisfaction, then we'll turn the key in the lock, put you on probation and make you walk with your head hung down, your tail tucked between your legs, for thinking you have a right to know what's going on. Oh, and on your way out, we'll hand you a slip of paper with a court date, that's if you somehow manage to make bail. And, don't you even think about leaving, because everything your friends and family scrounged up will become the Property of the State.
Fear is a powerful weapon when illusions shatter. There's a reason most dictatorships keep a standing army around, and cater to generals and the people with the guns, who can force order at the tip of barrel, when mirrors shatter, and rules are overrun.
We Believe the Children are the Future
What an endearing sentiment, we've all heard by hopefuls running for office. When all other policy fails, kiss babies, carry children, they make for the most adorable and valuable photo ops. "Look Clara, he can't be such an evil man, he's kissing a Negro baby." Yes, the Red States love that sort of thing. As do most citizens living their lives, isn't warming to the heart and soul to see a man in a suit, showering a future soldier with love. I wonder how many times, a politician brushes his teeth and washes his hands after making a public appearance. I wonder what limo and private drivers have heard as soon as the photographers and the adoring people with homemade signs are kept out of sight and out of mind behind the other side of black tinted glass.
Do the Right Thing....
What exactly is the "right thing?" There seems to be some disagreement over what's right or wrong these days. For instance, you're working at an entry-level corporate job. You're innovative, you're young and fresh and you're confident that you have ideas of tomorrow: you know you can change things, you're sure you can find ways to improve goods and services. All of this is dandy, but after a few months, you sometimes, find out that your employer has far different "ideas".
You set out to test the theories you learned paying for your education or the hours you spent studying if you were awarded a competitive scholarship. You're motivated and immediately find areas that could use improvements. And, you're well aware of the rules: time is money, and you're well versed in what matters most to corporations and businesses, naturally increased profitability with minimal expenditure.
You've increased sales, you've redefined language, and you’ve virtually eliminated the return rate, which was the principal and problematic issue that you were challenged with at the time of your hire. And, while you're not doing the "dream job" or what you imagined yourself doing, when you were younger-- you're proud: you're working hard, and your efforts and those of team members of your department are making a difference. You're not on Cloud 9, but you're content, everything seems to be going swell.
Your friends and family are celebrating your "successes" with you, you feel happy that you're finally headed in the "right direction", but despite being on the Road to achieving the American Dream, at night, when your alone, or when you're out to lunch with coworkers, or dinner with your friends, you find that something is missing. You feel the void, even though you're following directions perfectly, you start to wonder, maybe there's something wrong with me. You assess yourself; you nitpick, is it the way I look? Is it my car? Do I need a new sofa? Should I start dating? Do need a new boyfriend or girlfriend? Is it my family? Do I need another pet?
Breathe Off The Clock
You make all these gains for your employer with a team of dedicated and not so dedicated workers, but you don't see any fruits of your labor. And, then you start noticing areas for improvement, or areas whether its policy, point-of-sales, presentation of information, that's not only inaccurate, but misleading. You think these things over, you work out solutions, you test improvements because you genuinely care, you want to do a good job, you want to make a difference, you want your customers to come back and trust you, and do business with you again.
Well, that's all good and well, except some employers, especially in the Corporate World, do not like you, and keep a closer eye on you if you're what they call, "too smart". They lock you as a target, and turn the attention of pricks usually (the girls and guys, who were losers in high school because they thought they were brainiacs or better than everyone else), and it seems that these types have a real panache and penchant for anal, detailed bureaucratic red tape, JIRA, Microsoft calendars and staking claims of ownership of Google Docs. They jizz when they hear words like: priority, synergy, and work flow, but they're just pawns, the robots of the hire ups, with latent megalomaniac tendencies, ready to order and force, and ignore opportunities for change, or are too thick-headed to see creativity especially, if gains will come in the long run. It's open/close, assign/complete, they have a flair and vendetta for retribution. They're on a power trip and they don't want to hear any excuses: I don't care if your mother, father or sister died, take a PTO and be back in the office immediately after you've laid their bodies to rest in the Earth. And, make sure to document anytime you leave your desk to take a piss, a shit or a smoke. They are the worker's wardens, your cubicle is your gray and drab prison, decorate it on your own time, do not talk, laugh or breathe, do not talk about anything other than tasks, projects, products or ownership, do not question errors, or the validity of specifications of information. Think on your own time, you're paid to produce. Get it done; it's all about ends, and the quickest means.
