Is It Just Me, or is Survival a Capitalist Hunger Games?
Am I the only one who finds it slightly bizarre that our survival as a species now depends entirely on how much money we have? I mean, wasn’t the whole point of being human supposed to be about community, empathy, and all that good stuff? Nope. Turns out, we’re just walking price tags now. Congratulations! You’re officially a commodity.
Let’s break this down, shall we? Everything we need to survive—food, water, shelter, electricity—is privately owned. You don’t pay? Well, too bad, buddy! Now you’re homeless, which, oh by the way, is illegal in many states. Because nothing screams “compassionate society” like criminalizing poverty.
But Wait, There’s More!
We’re constantly told that unemployment is low. Woohoo! Great news, right? Except most people are working two jobs just to afford rent and maybe—just maybe—treat themselves to luxuries like water or electricity. And when we still can’t make ends meet, we’re scolded for being too extravagant. How dare you want avocado toast and a roof over your head! The nerve!
Meanwhile, CEOs of utility companies are living their best lives with pay packages the size of Jupiter. Ever wonder why wildfires keep turning California into an apocalyptic wasteland? Sure, climate change is a culprit, but let’s not forget the part where these companies ignore upgrading infrastructure because, apparently, paying the CEO’s country club fees is more urgent.
Americans: Masters of Complacency
And what are we doing about it? Well, if history has taught us anything, the answer is: not much. Other countries? They’re out in the streets, flipping cars and demanding change. Americans? We’re too busy debating whether pineapple belongs on pizza or whose fault it is that our neighbor can’t pay their medical bills.
Why protest when you can just complain on Twitter? (Oh wait, sorry—X.) The real kicker is that instead of pointing the finger at, I don’t know, the systems making our lives unbearable, we’re busy turning on each other. Your neighbor whose kids have two dads? Clearly, they’re the problem! Or maybe it’s the family whose skin color is a slightly different hue than yours. Definitely not the fact that your rent is half your paycheck or that insulin costs more than your car. No, it’s definitely the people who look or live a little differently. Makes perfect sense, right?
Humans are driven by two powerful forces: greed and fear. Greed whispers that we need more—more money, more possessions, more power—while fear convinces us that we don’t have enough, that we’re one step away from losing it all. Together, they create a cycle that keeps us scrambling, distracted, and obedient. And when are we going to realize that we’ve been sold? Sold the idea that our worth is tied to our bank accounts, that our neighbor is our competitor, and that the systems exploiting us are somehow untouchable. It’s the ultimate con, and we’re buying it every day—usually on credit.
So, What Do We Do?
Honestly? I have no idea. Maybe we need a national wake-up call. Maybe we need to borrow some of that fiery protest energy from other countries. Or maybe we just keep plodding along, whining, while Jeff Bezos builds his next space mansion.
All I know is this: we’re told to work harder, live simpler, and settle for less while billionaires sip champagne on yachts shaped like Greek gods. If that’s not a sign of a broken system, I don’t know what is.
What will it take for us to finally say, “Enough”? There’s an old saying that goes: “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Will we keep looking the other way until they finally come for us? And when that moment arrives, will it already be too late?
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