First off, I'm not sure this is going to be a popular opinion but it needs to be said, no fuck that, adapted if change is ever going to be made. No one really seems to understand why this system, which most of us here despise, still functions in spite of making most people miserable.
Your lack of understanding the big picture is 100% to blame. I see post after post of “Pay us more” “my boss is evil” “Jeff Bezos is fucking douche” “Starbucks sucks” etc. Hear me out. I agree with all of this BUT understand NONE of this changes anything. In fact the REAL douche just might be you or “us”
If you are still reading, good. If you have already said “this is stupid” you are already cementing the point that I'm trying to make. I hope to spread some clarity, from a psychological standpoint, of why this system churns on, despite being the leading cause for mental health destruction.
If you ask the guy who makes 20K if he has “earned his money” or worked hard to get what he has he says YES
If you ask the guy who makes 100K if he has “earned his money” or worked hard to get what he has he says YES
If you ask the guy who makes 750K if he has “earned his money” or worked hard to get what he has he says yes
If you ask the guy who makes 2 million if he has “earned his money” or worked hard to get what he has he says yes
On and on and on and on
The first step is to admit that maybe you haven't earned every dime you have ever made. No one will EVER do that but they think the guy who makes more should. This is completely unreasonable from a psychology standpoint. In fact you are just painting the “Jeff Bezos boogeyman” and dodging your own contribution to fueling this fucked up system. I'll go a step further, all of you morally superior people would 100% exploit people if given the chance for your own benefit and you would think “I've earned it”.
This is the result of a Capitalistic society. Its not a rich vs poor thing its a people thing. We all scratch and claw to varying degrees to advance our own positions and when we get ahead we think we need to get further ahead.
Case in point, lets do a little self reflection instead of blaming Jeff Bezos. Look back at the last week of your life. Did you ever think “I should get rid of my Iphone 11 and donate the money to people less fortunate in Uganda” because I have more and they have less? Did you think, I'm going to cancel my Netflix subscription and donate that 15 bucks to my local homeless shelter?
“But I don't have the extra money to be doing that dude” which is exactly, in ratio form, what the guy who makes more than you thinks.
THIS WILL NEVER CHANGE BECAUSE ITS THE SPAWN OF THE BASTARD CAPITALISTIC SOCIETY THAT YOU YOURSELF KEEP GOING BY YOUR OWN ACTIONS AS MUCH AS THE ACTIONS OF JEFF BEZOS OR STARBUCKS! You are in doubt a product of your environment just like they are
There is truly only one way out and thats for EVERYONE, including you, to quit blaming everyone else. Crying about the system isn't EVER going to change it and blaming others only distracts you from having to do any self reflection.
LESS – “My Job could pay me more” “Jeff Bezos could pay workers 50 an hour” “The Government could enact”
MORE – “What hand do I have and how can I play it”
The solution is two-fold but I will warn you its easier to just play the victim.
The first part of the equation, and perhaps easiest, thing you could do is quit consuming. No rationalizing why you need certain things, buying stuff for convenience, retail therapy, keeping up with the Joneses, etc.
I've lost 80% of you just at this because you will run to “I work hard, I deserve these little rewards”. You should repurpose this to “I have to work hard, BECAUSE I think I deserve these little rewards”
Now I'll lose the remaining 20% with part two of the equation. This is the most important part and, also the hardest. YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO QUIT YOUR JOB RIGHT FUCKING NOW! REFUSE TO WORK FOR ANYTHING UNDER WHAT YOU DEEM A FAIR COMPSENSATION FOR GIVING UP YOUR LIFE.
Now, here come the excuses. “I'll starve” “I'll be cold and homeless”.
What you really AT BEST mean is “I won't be able to get Starbucks” “I'll have to give up my unlimited data” “I'll have to drive an older rusted out car”
If you are truly deadset and really think you will be cold and starving that's way worse because what you are really saying is “I LACK ANY SORT OF ABILITY AND SELF ESTEEM TO DETACH FROM MY BOSSES TIT” You live in fear and that is genuinely sad. If this is the case, I guess deal with the abuse and at least understand its not the boogeyman holding you back, its your own lack of any self-confidence or belief in yourself. AGAIN, Own your own actions.
When the masses start combining these two things, it forces the hand of the other side. Less consumption forces prices to drop and profit margins to dwindle. If people get laid off, that GREAT, only makes part two easier and now the snowball is rolling downhill.
So now CEO is scared that the 25 billion dollar honey pot is going to run dry, prices drop and consumption increases. WE created lower prices! Now with lower prices, consumption increases and there is demand but “Ruh-Roh Shaggy” we laid off our workers. Since we will refuse to work for less Company CEO is faced with the decision to pay more, thus somewhat shrinking his profit margin/salary or NOT HAVING ANY ANY PROFIT MARGIN CREATING MACHINE OR SALARY. Which do you think he will choose?
This, and only this, solves income inequality within a Capitalistic structure. Unless of course you just think one day these people will voluntarily just share some loot with you.
Bottom line is WE have the power to change things by focusing on our own behaviors and not just blaming the boogeyman. It just takes some courage, confidence, the ability to not be puppets to mainstream media, and some self-esteem.
Or of course you could just keep bitching because that has no doubt worked wonders thus far.
Now, ignore this and resume your normal lives. Go on to the next Sub, call your sister to bitch, flip on Netflix and grab some McDonalds but don't forget to not overdo it because you will for sure have to be at you job Monday.