It is funny how sometimes you end up buying some arguments even though you know that more than 50% of it is bullshit. That sort of happened to me for Michael Moore's "Capitalism: A Love Story". Perhaps it is his way of presenting his view, or perhaps it is that hint of pain and heartache behind all the sarcasm in the "documentary". Cocky as I may sound, I sided with the argument before I have seen the show, now I just have a problem with his "telling only one side of the story" type of delivery... Not to say that that is a bad way of arguing convincingly, I just have a problem with its claim as a documentary, that it presents the truth, just not the whole truth.
I guess that is enough digression about Moore's filming, the focus of today's long winded crapping is about how messed up the world is, and how to fix it. Capitalism is an ingenious system, a system powered by the greed of humans. The basic assumption that "all firms are profit maximizing" that is taught as a plain fact across all economic students is a painful statement about how pathetic the human race have fallen. But I guess, for those practical ones, Capitalism is the obvious way out since not everyone on the face of this earth can remain 100% honest so communism which is based on such values are doomed to failure due to the inherent greed that all human have. I guess the conformists are either too ignorant or cynical to recognize that what this option of capitalism means to say is that "Since we can't assume that no one is greedy and there won't be corruption, let's build a system that assumes everyone is greedy". A system that turns everyone greedy, a system where personal benefit overrules morals, where the profit motive takes predominance over social welfare, a system where everything is degraded to a price tag.
It scares me to think that this is the kind system that I have to dive myself into the heart of to change the world. I had been thinking about this for a long while now, my idealistic/ over-ambitious attempt to fix the situation by massing enough cash to manipulate the economies itself, to address the income inequality issue, the root of most social issues itself. I do realize, after a period of reflection that this solution is only skin deep, where I am attempting to fix things with cash. Well intended as it may be, this solution fails to address the greed issue and the systematic issue (I suppose these two go hand in hand).
I suppose I have been granted some divine guidance, hints to help me figure things out during the Church Camp (there will be reflections about other important, right now I only have time for one i guess), noting things down for personal reference for now.
1. Solution to humanity's failing is the Christian viral system. Small groups/ discipleship is necessary to provide the platform to get involved with another's life enough to change/ impact them. Start small and watch the exponential multiplier work itself out.
2. Be communal. My greatest takeaway from the DUMC visit is not the sermon which I have sadly fallen asleep in (I'm still pissed off at myself about that), but the concept of the design of the church, of how community based it is. In a environment where such facilities are not provided by the government, the concept is imo, a great way to be both light and salt of the world.
3. This is sort of a reassurance I guess. That my attempt to fix the world with money, though very imperfect, is endorsed by God. Though a lot of things that stems from that plan will require sacrifice and discipline.
So where does all these leave me? Nothing definitive I guess, but then again, God's way is never the easiest way and this is going to take a lot of thinking. Looking a the whole post from a non-Christian point of view may make it look like some ranting from yet another idealistic moron who goes around doing things the hard way and going to ended up with nothing done. I guess that is what it is going to be until I come up with something. Someone once suggested a Christian communism, the way of which the original apostles operated. A tempting idea, but closing oneself off from the world on the other hand is definitely not the way to go.
Once again, there's much to do, and very little time.
I'm beginning to doubt the "life after IB is slack" statement
Off for dental~
To do list:
Packing
Shop for BS material & a chinese bible
Do a reflection on liang wei's lesson.
Edit these pictures:
No comments:
Post a Comment