Monday 14 May 2012

You Haven't Got A Clue, Have You?

Whenever I hear anybody complain about their pension further to the economic collapse I internally say the following; "Today 6/10th's of the world population will eat only rice should they be fortunate enough to eat at all. Yes, you will be working longer, paying more, and receiving less, but don't think for a second that you are poor."
Poor is having nothing to eat. No shelter, no access to healthcare, no protection against those stronger or more devious. Poor is seeing your child die in your arms, seeing your home washed away at the whimsy of mother nature, or having a distended belly and a throat desperate for water.
Those of you reading this are not poor. You're not close to anything even remotely resembling poor. In global terms your standard of living is prodigious, far beyond the reach of the vast majority. 
So when I hear you bleat it pisses me off. It offends me at just about every level. Your lack of insight, the narrowness of your vision, your bloated expectations make me want to vomit. You really do make me sick. And I'm tired of hearing you complain about how you are being ripped off, or about how legal contracts aren't being honoured, or that your life is going to be harder. You could be technically correct on all these counts, but you still wouldn't  be poor. Not within a country mile of poor. Not even close. So will you do me a kindness and keep your sanctimonious bullshit our of my earshot. I've been a good boy so far and haven't responded in the manner your conduct merits. I cannot promise to maintain this indefinitely however, and I'm concerned that if I do go off on one you're going to be the recipient of some unwanted truths.
You will almost certainly be working for longer. You're very likely to be paying more into your pension. And when it matures it is unlikely to yield as much as you had hoped for.
Tough. Welcome to 2012 and a whole new world. Get a grip, get your head down, and get on with it. You may be less affluent. You ain't poor.

2 comments:

  1. In it with them.....dont have a pension, not relying on others, just called to serve the sick and needy in a back water of south africa, which isn't by the way the rainbow nation, far from it I see apartheid every single day....love the post.......get over it guys in the west/first world!.....lets pull together...its not about you!.....love on another!

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  2. Thanks Tim. I went off on one a bit. It's a bit of a soapbox thing for me, I'm afraid.

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