It’s difficult to understand that those who flee oppressive environments constantly live in fear of it. It would be nice to think that we could all move on from the past and be able to forget the problems of the past. Some people fear that they haven’t escaped the reach of oppression even after they have left that environment. An interconnected world where we put financial and health information online could help us detect diseases earlier and could help doctors easily get the information they need. The bad is people that have fled oppression whether governments, mobs, crazy ex boyfriends etc know their records and location data is now available. What happens when we move a data center to China, or Russia, or to a city where the mob has control, or an out of control religious group for that matter. On another note some might scale this perception up to drum up business for their city.
The greater good should not come at the cost of making a minority, any minority’s life worse. The problem is technology advances so much. We live in a world now where everything and everyone has the potential to be bugged. What was done in the name of national security to protect us from terrorist, a very real threat, can now be used at the whim of those in charge to do as they please. Sometimes the change can be so gradual that we all miss it and wake up one day thinking what on earth happened? Also we can create a system that works for years and a bad leader, organization, or slight advance in technology could turn something good into a machine of distraction or destruction.
Leaders can be puppets as well as controlled by machinery and health problems installed in them, or the same in the non literal sense. Drugs and medicine can save lives. They can also be weaponized in direct and indirect ways. Even well meaning doctors without a true understanding of the underlying problems can be part of an engine of oppression. The doctors could not understand what is happening or they could understand it and be powerless to stop it. This is sad, people who have devoted their lives to the preservation of life are now tools that trample the flowers beneath their feet rather than helping them to grow.
Good times where everyone is prosperous and things are going great for everyone are easier, or at least seemingly so. We grow accustomed to a certain way of life and wanting to believe the best in the world around us. We simplify our world view and tend to think everyone feels the same as us. We think resources and jobs are prosperous, everyone gets healthcare and those who do don’t are just choosing not to get help. So the problems are there it is just easy to see the world as if it is all perfect. With less interaction with people outside of our circles we are jaded (might be a better word here, under the spell of an illusion) that life is good, when in reality it is hard for many.
Finding the true reality is hard, can get the people we think are close to us to turn on us, and the answers and reality we find can be dark and grim. We are let out of the cave, yet we find ourselves wanting to return to a place where there is not so much tragedy.
This a bit of a dark view. Maybe we get let out of the cave and see wonderful and amazing things and find ourselves in a new and beautiful tomorrow. Then we fight tooth and nail never to return. Or another possible scenario is we see new things wonderful and amazing and terrible and tragic. Or maybe the inverse less highs and less lows. Different people making changes in their lives, risking instability for the potential of a better tomorrow. Or sacrificing the hope of a better tomorrow for stability today.
Some who get support and prosper and flourish and others who do not and are further jaded by life. Probably many who get some support and some obstacles. Scale up the support and likely their tomorrow is better. Increase the obstacles and the barrier to a better tomorrow is limited. Further some can be lead to believe there will be more support and less obstacles yet get stuck in a new situation they don’t like and didn’t want.
Other’s might do everything right and due to circumstances out of their control are prevented from achieving their dreams. The directors ex wore red and black and broke his heart. It’s not you did anything wrong, the dress is beautiful. Life is more than the sum of our own actions. This is difficult. This where the right support is crucial, knowing what to say and who to say it to is hard. The right word at the right times and in the right way can save dreams and lives. Protect and make sure your PR people have all the support they need.
For those in charge having support that is not trying to take their power or manipulate a better deal for a subset of people is hard to find. The support is crucial to success and yet is many times suspect. Those in charge could be jaded into not taking support or advice at a crucial time. They decide to go it alone because they feel everyone around them is trying to manipulate them instead of help them. Sometimes they have to go it alone because everyone is. Though one would hope they could have a few close friends that always look out for each other. A rogue leader devoid of direct support would likely be labeled a tyrant whether true or not.
Popularity is profitable because it gains people support. It can also be deceptive because not all the voices have yours or other’s best interest at hearts. Saying the wrong thing or the right thing in the wrong way could cost you popularity and support that could leave you on the street or worse. Some popular people want to help yet could make the decision they value their support over speaking up when needed. They are choosing their battles and looking at the cost benefit. Is being friends with this guy worth the risk? I can’t blame them, because in a world where image matters so much, and popularity is so fleeting it might be extremely costly to be close to someone like me. Love should be greater than this, yet I understand why people love being off the street. My preference at many stages has been to try to speak up. From what I can tell so far it hasn’t added much value, to my life or others. Doing the thing we think is right doesn’t always have the right result. This is jading.
Some might prevent me from saying this last part. Because we always want people to speak up and do the right thing. I just want people to have the wisdom, at least as I see it. Being a hero is likely to cause anyone problems in a fallen world, yet without them who will save us? Sometimes it’s easier to run into battle when we don’t know the cost, and when I was younger and hadn’t been on the street these thoughts didn’t occur to me. I am not saying don’t speak up just realize the high road is not always an easy one or a popular one. Also realize taking the wrong road can give you the same problems or worse later down the line. So better to take the high road. Also look to support those who take the high road because they will likely fight a lot of adversity. This is when not having support can leave people in the gutter.
Don’t hand a guy a football and expect him to make a touchdown if you don’t stay on the field to help protect him. Also why the star players should help make sure their support is getting everything they need. Last realize that any one can fail, fumble, be blindsided at any point in all of this. Why lawyers have acts of God clause. So don’t leave the blame all on a few or use it as an excuse to deny them support. Today is what it is, working harder might make tomorrow better with a bit of luck and direction.
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