I weep

Come in and mind you don't step on the shadows. Despite the calmness with which I might project, I am angry, and saddened. I watch as the people of this country and our neighbour slowly let an opportunity slip through their fingers. I watch them all divvy up the pie and devour it without a second thought. I weep. I watch and it makes me angry yet I won't rail against it. I will continue to do what I do best. I will observe, and help anyone who wants it to have a piece of my perspective. So my friends that play in the movements of the fire are unhappy, and ... they might bite.

I'm going to first start with my own understanding of what capitalism is. It is, simply put, the collection of personal capital. The idea is that business will drive the economy and that with the healthy collection of wealth and resources, that everyone will benefit. It's a fairly simple concept really. Of course we've introduced certain things that make the rules a bit tilted.

One aspect of capitalism is the idea that through hard work we can all get rich. If we all buy into the idea and work towards the same purpose (We're all collecting wealth) then we can all have what we want. It's a lie. Capitalism doesn't make us all rich. That's impossible on one simple idea. We're living in what could best be described as a zero sum game.

What do I mean by that? There is only so much to go around. The resources at our disposal are finite. If you take more than you need you make someone else have less. And yes I realize I'm guilty of this myself by virtue of living in an industrialized country. So spare me any ironic commentary. And in case some of you have forgotten, money is a conceptual realization of resources. It is an imaginary product to represent that you are owed this much resource.

So right there folks, we can't all be rich. In fact for every person that's rich, we're probably making 10 people poor. And I'm not talking about the disgustingly wealthy. Those guys ... whatever. I'm not going to rant about that. But suffice it to say, we only have this much, we gotta learn how to share it better.

Now of course there is the argument that gets put forward of 'If I work harder than someone else than I deserve more!' First off, why? If we base it entirely off of work put in every good student I know should be very wealthy. At the very least I should be. I know I put in 4 hours for every hour of class time I have. So lessee, four classes, at three hours class time, that's 12, times four, that's 48, plus I work eight hours on Saturday, and ... I think you get the point. And I actually put in more than 4 hours for each hour of class. It's probably closer to 6 or 8. I'm very serious about my schooling.

But forget that argument. Because it is baseless, for one real big word in that argument. Deserve. I 'deserve' this. Entitlement. You know what you are honestly owed? Nothing. Especially if your overall goal is merely for your own betterment. Because while you as an individual are only one tiny little speck on the overall picture. That's not to say individuals are unimportant but I'm attempting to gain a little perspective for everyone here.

Now one of these days I'm going to sit down and write out why I consider myself an egalitarian and what that means to me but for now let's leave that alone and yes I recognize that the argument isn't fully developed but I want to move on to something else that relates to it.

Right now all the big companies of the US and Canada are holding out their hands to the governments of each country and saying 'We're failing, and we need money to keep going or else we'll have to shut down and then all those jobs we provide will just poof disappear.' What a bunch of fucking THUGS!! How is that different than me walking up to someone with a knife or gun and saying 'Give me your money or I'll take away your health or life?' It's not. It's a threat.

So let's go back to this capitalism thing. Part of it is that you have to provide good business and back up that business with your own hard work right? If hard work earns you money which represents your resource entitlement, and your customers have said 'We don't want to give you any more of our resource entitlement' then ... I'm sure you see where this is going. Shouldn't you then be forced to take your lumps and either do things better or shut down?

So here's my point. Capitalism on the whole has failed. No one but the rich, and a few token lucky cases, have gotten truly rich. And why do I say it's failed? The folks who are holding the majority of the resources, and resource entitlement aren't willing to put their own asses on the line to keep the system going. They're demanding that we, the poor (comparatively) do it for them. And their threat is that if we don't we'll get poorer. Guess what, if we all say no and the system crashes down around their ears, they'll be poor too. So who are they really looking out for, us or themselves? Yeah do the math.

So fine, owners of the big companies of the world. Here's the deal. I'm sure enough of you out there could put together all the money that has been provided from the governments out of your own pockets. Hell I'm sure there's three of you out there that could do that. So why not all pass the hat, and bail your own asses out. And if you are unwilling to do that ... Like I said, capitalism has failed, let the whole system come crashing down, and let's rebuild it on principles that elevate humanity and community rather than pieces of paper with a nebulous imaginary value of what you 'deserve.'

Of course we won't. They won't. We will let the people who are in charge who are getting their own pockets lined by the rich to continue to rule us by fear, and we'll keep going the way we are.

And I weep.

Nervous

C'mon in, and grab a piece of turf. The weather is getting warmer, but the fire will always be here. I'm about to do something I haven't done before. You see I do write poetry. And I'm going to put up the one I finished most recently. Most of the poems I write are little musing things, I don't know how good they are, but I think this one is pretty good. Feel free to criticize.

The Moon

Sharp edged steel flows
Into sensual curves.
Dangerous paths wind among
Tall cliffs. Walls of threatening
Rock hide what might be within.
If you know the path they
Lead to cavernous empty spaces
And here I find hiding places.

Forward, the icy light
Shines. It breaks down all
Considerations. Fear holds sway
Over the ocean of chaos
Barely held from sight.
If you know the right word they
Calm and allow you to approach
And the sky blue loses all reproach.

To give your Self is a dangerous thing
And to accept that gift is the same as
Giving. Fear is bred amongst the tall
Spires of protection we all carry.
Beauty is not in the beholder’s eye
Instead it flows from the mind.
Imagination is what fuels love’s embrace
And through that creates such sublime taste.

For this I then break away
From the paths most taken.
I know that this way is not tread
By any before and as such
I know that I will find my paradise.
What I seek is nothing
Less than the dark sword flaming
Barring the way to Eden waning.

Did it follow me?

Come in, sit down, I wish to share one of my funny little lucid dreams. I'll get the fire really moving and then you can watch it amongst the shadows.

So I've decided to become an MMA fighter, and somehow I've convinced Dana White that without any real significant training, and no professional fights, I should get a shot at the big show.

I've been working out and doing some training apparently, and I'm down to about 185, and can cut to 170. So Dana gets his revenge, cuz I'm sure I've tricked him into letting me fight, by placing me against Matt Hughes. Talk about going to get your ass handed to you right?

As a side story to this, someone I knew, but they never had a name, had been training and fighting MMA for years, and they were pissed I got this opportunity. So they followed me to Vegas for the fight.

So big night, I'm ready (Coherent aside, I looked damn good at 185), I'm getting my hands taped, and while I know I'm going out to get my ass kicked in front of millions of people, I'm quite happy about it. I know I've always got a puncher's chance. So out I walk. To, and I swear I picked the music for humor value, Don't Worry, Be Happy. So there I am, whistling away, my cornermen are hanging their heads in shame, the crowd is silent, seeing some goofy looking guy come bopping out to silly music.

So i get to the ring. Hughes' music kicks in, the crowd goes wild. Hell even I'm cheering! I mean this is Matt Hughes, he's a great fighter. Not one of my favs, but still. And I think to myself 'I'm gonna get punched in the face by Matt Hughes! WHEE!' Cripes.

So the fight starts. We trade blows, he hits hard, but nothing that's worrying me. I come in with a striaght kick and catch him, but he moves back well. I follow up with a right hook and he catches a take down. So there we are grappling, and I'm getting owned. But he can't seem to get a clean blow, or a submission to stick. I'm defending really well. Round ends. I'm sure the judges have scored it 10-8 Hughes, but whatever! I just hung with one of the best! YAH ME!

Round two, we come out and I think, 'What the fuck, what's the worst that can happen?' I launch into a super man punch, and it connects! THOK right to the forehead! He stumbles back. I'm momentarily stunned myself, so I follow it with a flying knee! Crack! To the jaw, as we come down, I throw an elbow to his face, and I cut him! But I forget this guy has been hit by bigger and better men. I'm wrapped up, swept, and he's now in my guard. Again I'm defending really well. I can tell Matt is getting really frustrated. He's raining down blows, but I'm deflecting them well and even sneaking in a fist or elbow of my own, plus I'm moving enough to keep him from pinning me to the fence or from getting a better position. Round two is about to close and there is the ref, Mario Yamasaki (The Wopjap! My fav ref) saying 'Get busy Rich or I call the fight.' Ding. End of second round.

Matt is really pissed, he gets up and starts screaming at the ref, like he should have stopped the fight. I bounce up and shrug to Matt, 'Hey if you're tired of kicking my ass, feel free to quit!' I then walk to my corner, looking a little battered but fine. And you know what he does? He quits! He yells at Dana that he hates fighting, doesn't want to do it anymore, and walks out!

So remember the guy who was pissed off about me getting the fight? Well he bounces into the ring and starts stripping down to his boxers. He's yelling at me c'mon let's go. So. We do.

I got a take down. I got past his guard, I got mount. I proceed to rain fists down on this guy's face like it's goin' outta style. I wasn't tired anymore, I just wanted to shut this fucker up. I watched as each blow starts to damage his face. Cuts, welts, swelling, blood flows, nose broken, I feel something crack as I hit his jaw, his head turns sideways, I drop forward and crack an elbow into the side of his head, it bounces. Mario tackles me off of the guy, and I slowly stand up as the doctors rush in. I watch as they check on him and he's seriously hurt. Badly hurt.

I woke up shortly after that. Really really happy.