The morality to say no, to a system built upon others’ weaknesses

The golden aura that surrounds people who work to defend high principles and values shines bright. Justice, health, knowledge, are among the values most of us strongly affirms as fundamental, but recently I’ve been observing how reality is full contradictions. Very amusing, in a way.

I met a war photographer, whose family created his wealth by producing weapons. He was clearly proud of not following the family’s business and having dedicated his life to reporting from more than eighty foreign battlefields. He is doing that, obviously, not as a charitable act, but as paid employment, by an American company.

So in a way, one could say that the country who is contributing to dropping bombs, also gains the international rights to use the images of death it helped creating, while he is gaining an income from the very existence of war. Like his family did.

Yes, there must be a difference, which lies in the different use of the product of his and his family’s labor. Clearly his pictures make sure we are aware of war’s atrocities, while weapons are used to kill. Double thinking about it, the very same pictures can also be used to humiliate war’s victims in their life’s most fragile moments and as a representation or propaganda of military power. Likewise, the very same weapons may be used to defend other lives.

Then I think of our society and the fact that the entire system on which is is based, actually lies on faults. Like the availability of freshly printed money lies on newly formed debts, pharmaceuticals rely on illnesses, medical doctors work because we get sick, judges and lawyers protect interests, when there are crimes. All those highly regarded and highly paid professions, need poverty, illnesses and crime to be able to exist. Isn’t that curious? The very pompous judge, needs a criminal, the all knowledgeable medical doctor needs a weak, ill person, the banker needs the slave, and his life time, to buy his figures. They all have an active interest in the system to be based on such premises. So misery exists as the very pre-condition for this entire socio-economic system to run smoothly.

If the system were designed to create, wealth, health, safety, perhaps we wouldn’t need as many praised professionals as we do now, and what could all these highly praised, ego dominated people do? There are clearly conflicting interests, perhaps everyone should be paid, only if the positive values where the norm and not be paid for any illnesses, use of drug or injustice. So the doctor should be paid if the patients maintain good health. Pharmaceutical companies if citizens would not have to take drugs, and judges and lawyers if we were all in the position to act rightfully.

Perhaps we should be paid for the kind of society we aspire to live in, with an income reduction when the just, fair and healthy system, is under-performing.

This entry was posted in General. Bookmark the permalink.