Not that I would try to be up to speed on whatever happens in all the rest of the world all the time, but one event in particular is extremely hard to ignore - the American kingly elections. What I haven't figured out yet is why they keep calling their kings presidents.
Now you may object that kings are not voted into power, that they inherit it. For those of you I have only one word - Bush. Also the Kennedys are almost bound to make a comeback at some point to reinstate the Camelot or something.
But even if the name actually differs from term to term, consider this little novelty idea, that is supposed to be invariably bound with elections - options. How on Earth can be two almost exactly the same people perceived as actual options?
In the good/savage olden days of medieval feudalism, you had no choice but to obey a rich guy (or gal), that sort of happened to own your general area. Or some member of his (or her) family. Or if you were really peeved by him (or her), you could go for his (or her) archnemesis or someone from his (or her) family. I guess there was a place for populism too.
Today that is also a succint description of the extent of the choices that modern Americans face when it comes to their cherished presidential elections. Especially if you consider that, just like royalty, all of the candidates that 'have a chance to win' (oh how that sentence reeks of sheer illogic) share all the fundamental takes on handling wealth and power.
To be fair, there are some extremely minor variations, since not every aristocrat agrees with all the other aristocrats on everything, but apart from some aristocrats being kinder to common folk than others, it really makes no difference to an average American.
Is it a conspiracy? Who cares. No, seriously, it doesn't matter if those on top (rich, educated, crafty) masterminded that puppet show on purpose or just used the opportunity that presented itself. In any case, the people are to blame.
I'm sorry, but self-centered ignorance is no virtue.
On the other hand, part of the problem may be simply systemic. But if some of you wish to offer suggestions how to tweak the political system here and there to finally make it work, please, for you sakes, find another hobby. All power seeks to establish itself, and that is always done by cheating or twisting or adapting to any given system, at all costs, in spite of all that is decent.
People are like that, you know - if something is a nice enough prize, some men will always stop at nothing to get it, system-shmystem, and at least one of them will always, if only eventually, succeed. And such rogue elements can only be stopped by other people, who are agents independent on the system.
It is the obsession with establishing rigid systems that is the failing of those, who fail at failing on account of ignorance. If anything, the smarter you are and the more educated, the higher the chance you fall for this irrational obsession with imposing impractical rationality-for-its-own-sake to an absurd degree.
Not to be all negative on you, there is a way out. Political and economic evils are mostly of the kind that can not survive the people turning their back on them, since only through participation of their victims (even if unconscious or involuntary) do they get empowered.
The catch is that it has to be nearly absolute rejection - every individual pledged to a bad cause or even an unaware passive supporter of it give the man behind the curtain some amount of power. Just try not using money or forgetting a god and watch all their value, as well as their power over you, disappear in an instant.
Sounds like magic, doesn't it? That's because it IS magic, the purest humanly possible kind of it. Of the black one, though. Unfortunately, the real dark wizards do not always wear pointy hats and dark robes and other easily identifiable signs of being evil.
However, I'm not saying you absolutely have to abandon money or god or voting. Just make sure, you never give your money to those who will harm other people (or you) with them; that the god you believe in is a good and kind one, not jealous and hateful one; and that you give your vote only to someone with personal integrity and good intentions - then the 'chance to win' will be guaranteed for every candidate. And for you too.
But most of all, make sure that what you think you want is not just what somebody told you to want.
Nartim
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