Monday, November 11, 2024 at 10:53 PM
In Hilary Mantel’s book Wolf Hall (there were 3 books in the series), documenting the life of Thomas Cromwell, adviser and confidant of Henry VIII, Cromwell told Harry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, that power comes from the trading houses in Europe, and not from Whitehall, seat of the English government. Apparently, the Earl thought that his position could help him overcome anything that was thrown at him because of his title. It is much deeper than all that, but I am not trying to give a history lesson; I’m just relating the way Cromwell put this peacock in his place! And, by the way, all the English kings back then depended on the lending houses of Europe, especially the Medicis, to finance their wars, and sometimes, their economy.
Nothing has changed in the last 500 years. Corporations and oligarchs still rule the world, everything and everywhere; and political decisions that are made, cater towards their interests, for their benefit! We, the citizens of the world, are mere chess pieces in their quest for more and more profit! Politicians are indebted to them, and thus make laws to enable the rich, the billionaire class, to make more money. Empathy has no place in that world; it is all about greed, by any means necessary!
We, the people, look to government to help us make our lives better. To be able to live life with dignity, and to build a better future for our children and fellow citizens. We expect that our civil rights will be respected, that we won’t be overtaxed nor over-regulated. That we will be free to worship and love in our own way, not dictated to by the state. We believe in our privacy, our self-determination, our choice to live the lives we think best for us. Keep on dreaming!
Empathy is more a concept these days, than the reality it should be. Greed does not allow for such foolishness, such lofty ideals. It is “kill or be killed”, in their minds. The beatitudes do not exist for them; those are antiquated beliefs that have no place in their world. Only the strong survive; let those left behind fend for themselves. Sure, they will pretend that they care, throw a little something, something here and there, to quiet the dissatisfaction of the masses; but they don’t give a f*** about us!
Trump won an election with the help of oligarchs like Musk; Kamala had oligarchs in her corner also, but not as powerful as Trump’s. A few days after his election, Trump was on the phone with Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine, and Musk was also on that call. Power, my friends, power to buy anything one wants. Unchecked and uncontrolled power! No place for silly things like empathy in their world!
I believe that without empathy we are lost. To not be able to feel each other’s pain is tantamount to being soulless, in my opinion. I want us, in my advanced age, with death around the corner, to always be able to look out for each other. To be able to share pain or grief or happiness with our fellow beings. To not be selfish enough to believe that we can stand alone and be fulfilled!
Why should I care? I’m old and gray and full of sleep, but I care. I grew up with a lot of love and care and empathy in my life. But that was before technology – AI, Facebook, X or Twitter and all the social media – overwhelmed us. Those advancements have dulled our empathetic senses. Have made us more isolated and cruel and judgmental and uncaring, in my opinion. Now it’s all about me, me, me. Wat a ting!
Maybe we don’t need Starlink in the Jewel! Maybe we should be content with the little oligarchs that already own us, and not become hostage to the really big and dangerous ones!
Keep a little love in your hearts, folks.
Glen