Profile: The Selfish

Emphasizing a crippling social disease. Following up on the “The Sellout”.

The social behavior of those who were harshly labeled “The Sellout(s)” maybe worth examining beyond the simple dismissal under typical name-calling. Recall from the previous piece that this is a character that is NOT:

-The simple “man-on-the-street” who “spontaneously” and mindlessly waves a flag and maniacally crowds around the trail of luxurious bullet proof trucks, ecstatically and inexplicably hollering and jumping.

-The cut-throat opportunistic (a severe derogatory term from a previous era), who is willing to trade his mother under the “right” deal situation. The worthless parasites, whose mere existence depends on the persistence of the current situation.

-The (by-name) educated, who lives inside the extended bubble of TV documentaries and random internet browsing, and whose college degree was not able to rehab his ability to acquire and analyze information, as a result of years of brainwashing.

This is a group which is completely aware of Bob Woodward’s CIA payroll list, aware of the 1973 pre-war visit and aware of the incomprehensible oil-state-like lavish lifestyle, yet CHOSE to settle for the crumbs and move on; hence the sellout.

BUT, among the sellouts, there is another group, which was not neutralized by an invitation to an irrelevant conference or a fully paid trip to an international youth meeting. Some (voluntarily) CHOSE to take themselves out of the equation, marginalize themselves and join the silent majority. Elected to cash out on their life-long investments and sacrifices, and proceed to have a “normal” life, whether at home, or preferably away.

An analogous situation may be seen through the social structure of the capitalistic society. In such a society, there is a large segment of underprivileged classes. People who hovers around the poverty lines and live hand to mouth, despite juggling two or more jobs and toiling in hard labor (in some cases) for more than 65 hours per week. They have to tolerate lack of job security, lack of basic health care, major exploitations and overpricing of many basic commodities. YET surprisingly, there are no mass movements, or any signs of complaining that hope to rectify such a situation or improve these conditions. The reason is that the system promotes the impression that a “poor” person can possibly, eventually and easily move up the scale and assume the role of the exploiter. (The American Dream phenomenon as the biggest example). Hence, the exploiter attitude becomes widley acceptable. A sentiment of indifference is created within the poor (who believe in finding a “way out”, whether it is through the good: hard work (education, small business), the bad: crime and fraud (another name for small business), or the pathetic: lottery (very popular). A similar sentiment is created among the middle class, (who ideally is expected to look after the interests of the underprivileged), resulting in an overall “every man for himself” mentality that will always value the individual well-being over that of the community.

Similarly, the selfishness (subconscious or deliberate) will lead those best qualified to make a difference into opting for the “privileged” position in a current inept system, (a position that will improve their individual situation), over the cumbersome and troublesome (maybe even futile) attempts to lead a change, (a change that will yield a COLLECTIVE improvement).

But when “life management” takes the front seat among priorities, as a result of adulthood, compromises become easier to accept. Preaching and accusations can be spared, since apathy and the complete surrender to the status quo are widely spread attitudes.
On the other hand, “The Anthem of Bread and Freedom” always instigates some guilt, at least among those with potential.

(Awfully translated 1st verse):
You have your need of bread
But not enough for everyone
And the earth is full of wheat fields.