MINDLESS MUSINGS

The Abrahamic religions all advocate The Golden Rule in some form or other. “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto to”. In simplest terms: if you wouldn’t like to be on the receiving end, don’t dish it out; or “don’t knowingly act like a cunt”. From Hinduism to Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism it stands as a guiding principle. Many moral and ethical philosophies land on the same theme regardless of a God, or Karma or any other Higher Power. It just makes sense! Or does it just make us feel a little better?

Every society has those greedy manipulators who claw their way to the top spots with no regard for the welfare of their fellow man. Divine punishment or troubled conscience be damned! Many will use the honourable card solely for the purpose of deception – Bastards! Either as a way to disguise their own selfish intentions or to guilt their opposition into surrendering leverage of some kind.

That is so low! Not only are you a self-serving prick, but you even weaponize the noble intentions of others to your advantage. Make no mistake my friends, these are the people who make it to the top. The top, not just up there, the top; the shot caller. They may keep a few upright characters around if they are useful, and everyone is useful when a scapegoat is needed.

However, the majority of top-level corporate or political players have, in Mafia terms “made their bones”. Not necessarily committed cold blooded murder but gotten their hands dirty just the same. You do not get invited to sit at the big table if you don’t have dirty laundry. A clean-skin is a liability in that room. We need to know about at least one juicy transgression before we can be sure about you.

How many tales about corrupt cops contain a line similar to this: “I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t take the money”. Trust is an ironic word to use considering we are talking about crooked police officers. Kind of like the ‘honour among thieves’ oxymoron. A code of ethical standards meant to be adhered to by a bunch of immoral rule breakers.

It’s more a kind of contract in essence. “If you try to fuck us, we got dirt on you too”. The Mafia code of silence (Omerta) is a great example. “We’re all in this dirty business together.” The concept behind ‘snitches get stitches’ has a genuine notion of justice in this sense. “How dare you get righteous with us you fucking hypocrite!”

Of course, all of this just gets utilized as another weapon in the arsenal of the assholes. Being staunch and never squealing are just another “do as I say, not as I do” tool. Just like the old chestnuts: “I think that is fair” or “negotiating in good faith”. Fuck off! Fair is a very subjective concept and as for negotiating in good faith – do you believe in unicorns too. Do you reckon swearing on the bible or any other book is going to persuade a villain to tell the truth?

The best players in the power games are not the ones who operate on trust in the sense of fidelity. It is trust founded on predictability; if you know the other person will always take the self-interested route you have a twisted trust in them, or their behaviour at least. A true master of the game knows that anyone is only as successful as they are useful, including themselves. You only get to stay at the big table if you are bringing in the profits or it is too expensive to get rid of you. Once you have served your purpose you will be tossed aside as soon as it is safe to do so.

Most of us do not have the stomach for that kind of ruthless scheming so we just do our jobs and keep our heads down. It can be comforting to believe that ‘the meek shall inherit the Earth’ and other such ideas.

“Those treacherous tycoons will burn in hell, while we luxuriate in paradise”

“Karma is coming for those greedy executives and corrupt politicians. We’ll get the last laugh”

 “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people”

Karl Marx

We have yet another chicken and egg proposition here. If we go from an atheist assumption: did the powers that be create religion to placate the miserable masses and keep them subdued; or did the masses create religion to make themselves feel better regarding the atrocious inequality of wealth – maybe it started with the plebs and the aristocracy ran with it for its pacifying effects.

Ooooh, does that get your blood boiling? Just picture the upper crust assholes sniggering at the workers. “We got those imbeciles believing we will suffer for all eternity, so they don’t revolt. They just keep toiling and waiting to die. Idiots”.

The theological alternative is quite intriguing also. Are these malicious magnates flirting with eternal damnation for a fleeting period of pleasure? Have they actually sold their souls for power and prestige?

Whatever the metaphysical or purely psychological motivations may be, these individuals have separated themselves from the flock and feel a sense of entitlement that sets them on a path of degradation. While their external circumstances may be magnificent their internal world decays. Or that is what we like to think anyway.

I’ve got a lot more grist for the mill churning from this one. As a Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 once said “I’ll be back”.