Opportunity.

Discussion in 'Philosophy' started by PublicEnemy20, Oct 26, 2013.

  1. This is going to be hard for me to put into words, but I'll give it a go anyway.
     
    I see a lot of things around me that I don't think are right, things I just happen to observe throughout my days. Events that seem to find me. I have come to the realization that most of the things I was told as a child are simply bullshit. We were all spoon-fed the crap about everyone being born equal, and the pursuit of happiness being guaranteed to all. 
     
    It takes a certain kind of experience and observation to truly swallow the reality.
     
    As I was driving down the street today, I saw an older man spinning an arrow sign that said "We Pay Cash for Cellphones!" I looked at my car's thermometer and it read 97 degrees, and I thought to myself, "how could he have possibly agreed to spinning an advertisement sign in 97 degree and completely sunny weather?" Average in the summer here is 104, and that's just the average.  
     
    Right outside of the local donut shop, I see an African American woman with four kids, all connected holding hands. I smile for the kids, and I ache for the mother. All around me, I observe count-less billion dollar fast-food enterprises that pay their workers "minimum wage," whatever that is. 
     
    I see random, hopeless events such as these everyday that honestly make my soul ache. I once had this sudden impulse to give a homeless man all of the money I had in my wallet, because I didn't need it. Once I did it, the look in his eyes expressed a feeling of gratitude that I had never experienced before.
     
    I start thinking of janitors, fast-food workers, slaves to corporations, and even "illegal" workers. The millions in poverty who don't know where their next meal will come from, or how the hell they're going to pay next month's rent. The struggling middle class that never seems to catch any breaks. All working to get by. 
     
    This is all, of course, just what I can observe in my backyard. Once I begin thinking of what life must be like in third-world countries, my defense mechanisms kick in and it's almost like my sub conscience has taken note of the reasons of my anxiety. I don't get far in that respect, and I almost hate that I care so much. It's worse when I see the people around me (including friends) that are never troubled by these events and people we encounter everyday, like they're used to it. It's normal, and a part of life. This is what I have the most trouble with. 
     
    I then step outside of myself, and I think of my life. I'm fortunate enough to have a caring family (mother and father at that) who bust their butts everyday so I can go to school and do something with my life. If I have ever needed anything, I have called my parents. They help me with everything. You may call it white privilege, I will call it opportunity privilege. 
     
    In my generation, they used to say that you were guaranteed the pursuit of happiness in this country. My family and I came to the U.S. 14 years ago amidst war in our homeland back in Europe. The pursuit of happiness was what we had in mind. As time passed, I realized at a very young age that no one is guaranteed happiness. But to preserve the American dream, I began to believe that there is a pursuit of happiness behind equal opportunity. The American dream doesn't guarantee you happiness, but opportunity. I started taking school very seriously, got a job, and worked and worked and worked. And it wasn't until recently that I finally let go of this false idea, and I've accepted reality.
     
    Of course, the broader view is what most of us outsiders will define as wealth inequality, socio-economic status, healthcare, so on and so forth, but I won't get myself into that. I simply don't have the energy to argue for how it should be anymore. It seems as if nothing ever changes, as pessimistic as that sounds. 
     
    I then take a look around my class of 300, and I see the majority of "students" (spoiled brats, for lack of a better term) on laptops, iphones, and ipads while the professor is providing the rest of us with valuable knowledge. Facebook, email, online shopping, pinterest, etc. If class goes one minute over, it's the end of the world for everyone. This weekend's frat parties and events suddenly become more important than last week's pitiful exam scores. I see this as opportunity wasted. Education and knowledge is very powerful, and is indeed a great privilege to have, but there are some who deserve it more than others, and are far from being able to acquire it. 
     
    Hell, just last week this girl in front of me was ordering her groceries online in the middle of class (I even learned something new that day, Safeway will deliver your groceries for free if you spend more than $150). I eavesdrop sometimes, sue me  :rolleyes: . I thought to myself, she came to class to order her groceries. Hmph. 
     
    At the end of the day, all I can do is be grateful. But even this hurts knowing that the majority of our entire world population is living in despair. They don't have the voice that we do. 
     
    I'm not saying that white/opportunity privilege is a bad thing, because it's not. I didn't get to choose the life that was given to me. I just think this privilege should at least be taken with gratefulness, and with somewhat of a concern for others. I always think, it could be me on the other side of this thing I've been referring to as "privilege." It could be me who doesn't have any other choice but to spin a senseless advertisement sign in scorching heat, just to get by with a couple of measly bucks. 
     
    For those of you who do have this opportunity, don't waste it, but grasp it and never let it go. It may be the only thing you'll ever truly have. 
     
    I don't know what my point in posting this is, since it covers many things, but I will apologize in advance if I have wasted your time with this post. Heck, I may have even wasted my own time. But at least we can think about it, as difficult as that can be sometimes. 
     
    On a cheerful note, the weather is finally beginning to cool down a bit. This means hot peach tea and marijuana smoke, blended with frosty breath :smoke: 
    Have a great and safe weekend folks. Don't forget to tip when you go out  ;)

     
  2. Thanks for sharing.
     
  3. when opportunity knocks, i punch it in the face. Damn it for giving me responiblities.
     
  4. #4 Cameron8679, Oct 26, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 26, 2013
    best post I've read in a while. this is all I think about too, all the hardship and struggle to eat, pay rent, pay for methadone, find a job, fix my criminal record, forget the traumas of the past etc let alone pay for bud... life sucks sometimes, at least there's weedSent from my SCH-R920 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
     
  5. Yeah man those traumas....
     

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