 |
|
|
"Hoje, mais do que em qualquer outra altura da história, a humanidade depara-se com uma encruzilhada. Um dos caminhos conduz ao sofrimento e ao desespero. O outro, à extinção total. Rezemos pela sabedoria para escolher correctamente o caminho a seguir."
Woody Allen
A data dos posts é a data da sua transferência para aqui e não a data em que foram incluídos na página principal.
Antiquário
|
1.7.03
O senhor Michael Moore, realizador do documentário "Bowling for Columbine" premiado com uma daquelas estatuetas douradas, escreveu isto no seu livro "Stupid White Men." É a propósito da realidade americana mas, numa altura em que as pessoas que nos governam decidiram dar mais um tiro no pé (não no pé deles, claro) com mais um pagamento especial por conta do menino Jesus, aqui fica. The rest of the public are being told that the economy isn't doing so well, that there's been a huge downturn, that profits are off, that the stock market has taken a beating (...). They certainly have numbers to back up their claim. An average of 403.000 Americans are filing new unemployment claims every week. Hundreds of companies are anouncing massive lay-offs. Thousands of start-ups in the new high-tech-dot-com fields have gone belly-up. Car sales are down. Retailers had a horrible Christmas. From Silicon Valley to Silicon Alley, the belts are being tightened. And we've fallen for it. There is no recession, my friends. No downturn. No hard times. The rich are wallowing in the loot they've accumulated in the past two decades, and now they want to make sure you don't come a-lookin' for your piece of the pie. The wealthy are doing everything they can to convince you that you'd better not be asking for your share, because-well, suddenly, there's not enough to go around! Night after night, the media they own tell you one sad story after another, about the latest internet company that went down, or mutual fund that lost everything, or NASDAQ investor who went belly-up. Today the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost over 300 points. Lucent Technologies announced another fifteen thousand layoffs. The merger between United and US Airways is off, General Motors is killing off Oldsmobile (...). Pretty scary stuff, eh? Oh, it's all true. They wouldn't lie to you. At least not about these puny details they use to manipulate your fears. But what about the bigger lie? The one about how horrible the larger world economy is today? I mean, on one level, it appears to be true. If you're middle class or lower, you have every right to be fearful. Why? Because those on top are even more afraid. They're scared silly that you're going to want to participate in the party they've been having. They're afraid you're going to say "OK, you got your yachts and your homes in the south of France-now what about me? How 'bout a little something for me so I can get a new garage door?" The only thing bigger than this fear of theirs is their astonishment that none of you have demanded a raise, or a vacation, or a co-paid visit to the dentist, or any share in the excessive wealth that's been generated in the past ten years. Can it really be that you're content to spend four nights a week wondering who wants to be a millionaire, but never actually answer "ME!"? The corporate poobahs have been waiting for you to drop the other shoe. Yes, those in charge know it's inevitable: one day you're going to want your share. And because that must never happen, the long knives are drawn-and they've decided to perform a preemptive strike in the hope that you'll never even think of eyeing their piles of cash. So that's why they're laying you off, or pleading poverty. That's why they've removed the free coffee pot-not because they can't afford the coffee but because they need to fuck with your mind. They need you in a constant state of stress, suspicion, and fear. YOU COULD BE NEXT! (...) The bosses must be sitting back having one of the biggest laughs of their lives. Now how do I know all this, you ask? Well, you see, I walk among them. I live on the island of Manhattan, a three-mile-wide strip of land that is luxury home and corporate suite to America's elite. Much of the suffering you experience as an American emanates from this piece of platinum real estate nestled between two polluted rivers. Those who run your lives live in my neighborhood. I walk the streets with them each day. I see their children being raised by Haitian immigrants, and I watch them pass by the Invisible Men who clean the grouting on the marble floors without saying a word, always in a hurry to get to wherever they're going-most likely to reduce your insurance benefits or put your workplace on the chopping block. They are fit, coifed and hungry to make a killing-and the next body they drop could be yours! I listen to them talk about how well they've done-the new home in the Berkshires, the trip they just took to Easter Island. They couldn't be happier. |