5/03/2008

A pathetic existence of a life gone drastically wrong

I truly admire, and even envious, the old hags that sit in the board of directors or even as chairman of huge conglormerates and actively employed even in their 70s or feeble 80s. These are the men and women who have a good life. After toiling for half a life time, they ended in a job that demands them to attend a few board meetings and being paid in the millions or at least a few peanuts. And in between board meetings, maybe once a month, and a few corporate functions to grace the occasions, the rest of their time is for their own enjoyment. They can go travelling or spending quality time with friends, girlfriends, boyfriends or grandchildren. It is a life worth 'working' and living for. Anyone in such a privilege position will want to 'work' till death makes them part.With plenty of money and plenty of free time at their own disposal, 'working' for a life time makes a lot of sense when 'working' is once a month to attend board meetings. 'Working' really makes sense to these privileged individuals but not to those who have messed up their lives, wittingly or through a spate of misfortunes. No judgement here as many got into their predicaments through many reasons, self inflicted, environmental or circumstantials. It is a very sad state of affair to see a different set of old hags wiping tables and clearing plates in kopitiams or high end food courts. These octogenarians are a frail presence of their exuberance youth. Now their presence in stark contrast to a new generation of affluent young that have everything that they did not have in their life time. And the new young are enjoying every minute of their time in luxury while these old hags are told to value and treasure their economic independence and dignity, to earn a living at a time when they should be lying beside the boxes and waiting to be carried them home. Is this what life should be in a rich beyond belief first world paradise? That the oldies must toil to the last day of their pathetic existence? That this is called dignity and pride of living? Strongly encouraged by the state! I think this is the most shameful thing to see, and to believe that it is good. Don't we have any better options, a new thinking on what life should be for the oldies? A little tropical paradise as suggested by Boon Wan is not a bad idea as a choice, no compulsion and with true subsidies, to allow the oldies to retire in grace, comfort, stress free and with dignity. Walking the aisles of kopitiams and foodcourts can never be something to be proud of or to look forward to in one's twilight years.

1 comment:

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

One of the saddest things religion has done, is to encourage people to accept a belief that there is some "other" life, "somewhere else", in the future. Even people who claim not to be religious tend to believe this at some level.

This takes away the focus from this life and "allows" people to act less than responsibly, less in their own self-interest--for a large part deny personal responsibility by just resigning themselves to believe that they are a "victim of circumstance".

To bring some comfort, they "hope" for a better future instead of figuring out what it is they want, take action to move toward what they want, right here, right now in the present.

If more people TRULY believed that this was the one and only life they have, and that when it is over, it is over; that life, once over is gone forever; that there is no "invisible supreme being living in the sky or under the ground who has a special place for you when you die"... if more people rejected these fucking stupid ideas, I'll bet you there'll be a lot less miserable and destitute old people in the developed world.

We have but one life. That's it. It is up to each of us to make it a blessing or a curse--and if we are fortunate, we have our whole lives to get our shit together. If we screw up, it is not our parents fault, nor is it the government's, nor is it "nasty people", nor is it the ex-spouse or the boss, the family, George Bush, Osama bin Laden, nor is it the fault of fate, the gods and godesses. We are suarely responsible whether we accept this or not.

So when I look at fucked-up old folks, I have a different IMO more life-affirming world view than most people.

If there really was a heaven and hell, and at death we were required to answer before a god on how we lived our lives, those who have blown it are going to be severely reprimanded, and we know from the many religios dogmas where these folks will end up. That's right. In hell.