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Tag(s): Capitalism; Conformity; Depression; Happiness; Materialism
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February 4, 2008 at 09:21:52

Headlined on 2/4/08:
Anathema

by Vi Ransel Page 1 of 1 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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Anathema

No matter how much we amass
we go immediately in hot pursuit
not of happiness, but
... more ...
which we believe is happiness,
running
just to stand still,
balanced on the knife edge
of failure/success,
financial security,
fame and power,
the "hedonic treadmill"
of the American Dream System,
capitalism
is based on the promise,
not the delivery.
If we were to achieve
we would no longer need
to play the game.

Do the math.

Since the 1950s, Americans
have twice as many cars
houses twice as large
eat out three times more
their divorces doubled
suicides tripled
violent crimes quadrupled
a million a year drop out of high school
diabetes, obesity and depression
are epidemic while we are free
to pursue our whims and while
we are inundated with stuff
most Americans feel
they don't have enough.
And since this makes them feel
things are scarce, wall themselves
off, especially
from the have-nots.

As materialism and misery
have multiplied, happiness
has plummeted. We spend
our lives making and selling
things including ourselves,
pulling away from "we"
because there's no short term gain,
like lab rats pushing a lever
for another hit of cocaine
to acquire things we do not need
and neglecting those we do.

Happiness is the absence
of striving
for it.
Happy
people have their minds fixed, not
on the pursuit of happiness,
but a pursuit followed not as a means
to an end, but an end
in itself.
Happiness is a byproduct.
By not seeking, we find it.
It is a road,
not
a destination.

The American Dream promises
that regardless of circumstances
of birth and within the law,
anyone can pursue his version
of happiness which has been reduced
to the pursuit of money.
Three of four college students hijacked
by capitalism, insist it's "essential"
to become "very well off financially."

To feel fully alive you must find
and follow that "little voice"
which says
"This is who I really am."

Capitalism's fetish for individualism
is actually a fixation on alienation.
From the first moment we're plopped
in front of corporate-sponsored
children's TV now available 24/7
with a booster shot when we enter school,
our square pegs are carved down
to fit capitalism's round,
cookie cutter holes, caricatures
of actual individuals encouraged
to develop our marketability
rather than our individuality,
sell our "selves" for a corporate identity
uniform in its conformity
supported by a multiplicity of meaningless choices
marketed as a means to individuality
as we each sit home alone
with our TVs -

capitalism's perfect couple

an alienated individual,
divided and conquered, alone
with the most perfect delivery system
for propaganda's hollow promises
ever invented.

Authentic individualism
skepticism
making one's own decisions
- happiness -
is anathema
to
capitalism.

Sculptor Henry Moore to poet Donald Hall - "The secret
of life is to have something you devote your entire life to,
something you bring everything to, every minute of the day
for your whole life. And the most important thing is -
it must be something you cannot possibly do.

Vi's works appear widely both in print and online. She conducts Poetry Workshops and gives readings in Central New York. Her latest chapbook is "Sine Qua Non Antiques (an Arcanum of History, Geography and Treachery).

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5 comments

A native Californian, Jan Baumgartner is a freelance writer currently living in Maine. Her background includes scriptwriting, comedy writing for the Northern California Emmy Awards, and travel writing for The New York Times. She has worked as a grant writer for the non-profit sector in the fields of academia, AIDS, and wildlife conservation and anti-poaching for NGO's in the U.S. and Africa. Her articles and essays have appeared in numerous online and print publications in the U.S. and internat...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Jan BaumgartnerA native Californian, Jan Baumgartner is a freelance writer currently living in Maine. Her background includes scriptwriting, comedy writing for the Northern California Emmy Awards, and travel writing for The New York Times. She has worked as a grant writer for the non-profit sector in the fields of academia, AIDS, and wildlife conservation and anti-poaching for NGO's in the U.S. and Africa. Her articles and essays have appeared in numerous online and print publications in the U.S. and internat...

to see more of bio, click on member name

As always Vi,

Incredible. Your poetry is exceptional and never fails to stop me in my tracks.

by Jan Baumgartner (52 articles, 136 quicklinks, 10 diaries, 249 comments) on Monday, February 4, 2008 at 10:56:27 AM

A writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Mark SashineA writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name

happiness

is a character feature. There are happy people and there are not. It does not mean that happy people are good ones and those unhappy are not. No connection here.

by Mark Sashine (51 articles, 19 quicklinks, 244 diaries, 3453 comments) on Monday, February 4, 2008 at 12:11:33 PM

Cheri Roberts is a longtime activist and writer who has worked in mixed media for 15 yrs. With 911 Truth as a primary focus, she participates in and organizes for events both locally and nationally always striving to get people out of their chairs and in the streets. She believes the biggest strength of the 911 Truth movement is the one strength they have yet to embrace, unity.
Cheri RobertsCheri Roberts is a longtime activist and writer who has worked in mixed media for 15 yrs. With 911 Truth as a primary focus, she participates in and organizes for events both locally and nationally always striving to get people out of their chairs and in the streets. She believes the biggest strength of the 911 Truth movement is the one strength they have yet to embrace, unity.

Thank you Vi

I love your poetry.

by Cheri Roberts (16 articles, 15 quicklinks, 10 diaries, 435 comments) on Monday, February 4, 2008 at 1:02:33 PM

CasaZaza Sound Ideas - Music - Digital Arts

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by CasaZaza
ebook pdf format

Essays on 9/11 truth and globalism. In January 2007 there was an awakening in my life. Having just discovered the truth about 9/11, an internal struggle had to be reconciled. How does a moral, rational individual deal with the harsh realities concerning our world, and what can they do to expose the truth and realize justice for the vi...

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CasaZazaCasaZaza Sound Ideas - Music - Digital Arts

Chaos In The New World Order

by CasaZaza
ebook pdf format

Essays on 9/11 truth and globalism. In January 2007 there was an awakening in my life. Having just discovered the truth about 9/11, an internal struggle had to be reconciled. How does a moral, rational individual deal with the harsh realities concerning our world, and what can they do to expose the truth and realize justice for the vi...

to see more of bio, click on member name

The Way of the Tao

Your beautiful words reminded me of one of my favourite philosophers

Chuang Tzu

"You never find happiness until you stop looking for it. My greatest happiness consists precisely in doing nothing whatever that is calculated to obtain happiness: and this, in the minds of most people, is the worst possible course...

Contentment and well-being at once become possible the moment you cease to act with them in view"

by CasaZaza (6 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 148 comments) on Monday, February 4, 2008 at 9:20:13 PM

The Risk Averse Alert - Patience Pays

- Simple guidance from an investment leader
- Safety is the Secret to explosively growing a 401(k)

Tom ChechatkaThe Risk Averse Alert - Patience Pays

- Simple guidance from an investment leader
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In Defense of Discovery

What does one make of this website, then, and the will of thousands who exchange their thoughts here? What of innovation allowing me to share my hope and another to express their fear? What of this simple power to publish, inquire, enlighten and inspire, that our moment might last for an eternity? What of this ability allowing anyone to reach another, anywhere in the world, virtually for free? What good has opened to all humanity?

What of distant new worlds we gaze through an orbitting telescope? What of robots roaming the planets? What of processors whose power uncovers life secrets locked in the human genome?

Seeing valuable things, happiness takes part in truth's unfolding discovery, and leaves sorrow to imperfect understanding that would sooner quit living and give place to misery...

by Tom Chechatka (6 articles, 1 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 51 comments) on Tuesday, February 5, 2008 at 12:54:46 PM