Every day one hears of more individuals and families whose lives
have been devastated by the current economic crisis. More and more
people are unable to make a decent living. At the same time, social
spending to help those having difficulty helping themselves is
being drastically reduced. Many describe the present situation as
living in a "mean society" which is daily getting meaner.
This two-pronged attack on the people's right to make a decent
living and the right to have their basic needs fulfilled is rapidly
creating a society which is only for the rich and the "fittest."
The rich can buy whatever they want. The fittest are most useful to
the rich and so the fittest may still potentially find ways to
generate an income and to obtain food, clothing and shelter.
Everyone else is pushed aside and discarded.
Under such conditions, woe to those who cannot help
themselves, either because they do not have a lot of money or are
not fully fit. The unemployed, the poor, the homeless, the sick,
the physically challenged, and the elderly all must fend for
themselves. Often, only the timely assistance of family, friends or
neighbors is enabling those who are in difficulties to cope and to
carry on.
The modern conception of society demands that it take up its
responsibility for its members. This society does not do this
because it is controlled by the financial oligarchy who subordinate
everything to their drive for maximum profits. They do whatever
they feel is necessary in order to further enrich themselves and if
this includes firing hundreds of thousands of workers and
systematically destroying social programs, so be it.
If society does not meet the material, social, cultural and
spiritual needs of its members, what good is it? Certainly it will
only meet those needs if its direction is determined by the vast
majority of working people and not by a few rich. It is crucial
that the people themselves rally behind their own cause and decide
upon and build a new society which does take responsibility for its
members. Disaster looms for the people if the present course is
maintained.
Shawgi Tell
University at Buffalo
Graduate School of Education
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
