Corrupt Economics

   

  Our economy is corrupt. There I said it. The past decade has flourished with political debate and civilian response to the unveiled actions of the people we support with our credit cards. Their incompetency and poor action choice is known of more now than every before thanks to big media. Presidents, vice-presidents and the like of failing companies take excessive vacations with company funds. We have a problem. Yet, a solution seems far away on the horizon. Why? Well, the government certainly doesn't seem to penalize big companies/ banks for their mistakes. The amount of bailout money that the aforementioned received would give the typical US citizen an aneurysm. Imagine that... I'll give an example:

     Johnny relieves the dreaded W-2 in the mail. He files his taxes and much to his glee, learns that the US government is actually paying HIM money. Why? Johnny messed around, spent his customer's money in excess and made poor business decisions. This is no small amount of money either. No sir. This is billions (in US $$) that we're talking about here. Johnny already made a few mistakes. We would assume that he has now learned from his mistakes. Not really, Johnny takes that bailout money, the money that he is supposed to be using to reimburse his clients for his previous mistakes, and spends it further in excess.

     The question I propose is very simple but has yet to be addressed. When will the US government allow business to fail? The consequences on consumers and stockholders would be dire, I agree. But in the end, isn't that how a free-market economy should work? Survival of the fittest. Let the best man win



Yes that means you Wells Fargo

Grizzly Man Original vs Revision

    Original

 There is little disputing that Timothy Treadwell held a strange fascination with grizzly bears and nature in general. The look in his eye as he approached them, communicated with them and established himself in their communities was one of pure dedication. My initial response was that of shock and disbelief. Grizzly bears are some of nature’s fiercest predators. There are multiple scenes throughout the movie of the bears battling for territory and social order. It is appealing in a primal way. Timothy wasn’t attracted to these characteristics. He simply found the bears to be incredible creatures. He looked upon in awe as a mother would look upon her newborn. It was utter fascination. This was what Timothy truly loved, the way that many people feel a sense of fulfillment in their careers. He did what he loved, in reckless abandon of the consequences. 

     Revision

   I would hardly care to dispute Timothy Treadwell's fascination with grizzly bears and nature. The  gleam of his eye as he stalked and observed their behaviors indicated the purest dedication. Grizzly bears are some of nature's fiercest predators. There are multiple scenes throughout the movie of the bears ripping each other apart in battle for territory and social order. Timothy saw past the attraction of primal violence. He found the bears to be incredible animals and looked upon in awe as a mother would look upon her newborn. It was utter fascination. Timothy truly loved the bears and felt a sense of fulfillment in his life direction. He did what he loved, in reckless abandon of the consequences

Spaceship, Take Me Far Away

The moon's luster pales by comparison

     Koyaaniqatsi- a state of life that calls for another way of living

     We, the human race, have stepped far beyond our boundaries. We have transformed from a people  living in unison with nature to the complex and crooked society that I stand before today. I ask myself the question: is it necessary? What have we truly gained through our manipulation of the physical world? Are we happier? Do we satisfy needs that we previous could not satisfy? Or have we simply created a society of consumerism and falsities.




   
     The film begins slowly, in reverence of nature. Beautiful skies, waterfalls and shadows that linger on the peak of the mountains before fading with the setting sun. Suddenly, we see a transition. The music changes abruptly, proceeding at an increasingly faster rate. There are explosions, black smoke, electric wires, oil. Then comes the mushroom cloud, the desolation of all we previously had. The end of our previous life and the beginning of a new one. There are skyscrapers, cars, manufacturing plants, cigarettes, war. The shadows no longer exist on pristine mountains, rather, they drift across towering skyscrapers. People below occupy their time with video games, movies, bowling, malls and food. Never is it truly dark, the light of the city is ever prevalent. The crowds, oh the crowds, how they crowd. They push past each other, pieces of a giant conglomeration rather than individuals. These crowds, oh how they buy. They buy, they buy, they buy, and when they're finished, they buy some more. They fill their lives with material meaning. Substantial displays of wealth. There is no end. Until one day it simply is too much. The day that it is too late.

The cave paintings on the wall. They are reminders of a civilization come and gone. Meaningless depictions of skyscrapers on the walls. What really is their grandeur?

Spaceship, take me far away. Far away from the pain and the suffering. The consumerism, the smog, the falsities. Take me to a place where I can start over. A return to beginnings.

Koyaaniqatsi

Plastic Plastic Everywhere

Plastic pellets. Ready for manufacture.

     There are a lot of things that I can say are bad about plastic. It's hard to recycle. There is little incentive to recycle. The processes that create the plastic imbue carcinogens within the plastic. Plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose. The list goes on and on. Why then, do we use such a product? Because its damn convenient, that's why.

     Plastic is cheap to manufacture, strong and easily malleable. The plastic pellets produced by plastic factories can easily be melted back down to conform to molds that encompass everything from beach balls to prosthetics. What other such medium could we possibly use in the present to fulfill that demand. There is none. The products that we produce have no current alternative in our present day and age.


     As I look around my room, I seek to disprove myself. There are a few things that could be manufactured out of glass, I suppose. Maybe the surge protector or the refrigerator? Absolutely ludicrous. They would be broken within a week. What about metals? Obviously we do not want anything electronic to have a metal exterior. That is simply asking for disaster. It would be incredibly cost prohibitive as well.

     What does that leave use with? Plastic.

     Check out this article, The Dangers of Plastic. I believe it sums up and details the extent of damage we are causing the planet and ourselves. Also watch the documentary, "Plastic Planet"

     We are a plastic planet. Until the end of consumerism and for another two hundred plus years past that day, we will be surrounded by the possessions we held so dear. Maybe one day we will develop a plastic that requires less harmful production processes and decomposes at a faster rate. I sure hope so.