|
Now
What?
Selçuk PERIN
December
flew and the New Year turned on projecting everyone
into the second year of the millennium. Europe had its
first common goal realized. They traded their local
currencies for the Euro. The Taliban has been mated
and a new order is getting into place in Afghanistan.
Israel and
the Palestinians are at it again. Old foes could never
sit at the same table I say.
Argentine
plunged into bankruptcy and millions are on the streets.
Begging for work, food and their dollars in the banks.
We
have approved a new World order. Liberalism. We have
approved the displacement of productions in the name
of productivity and profit.
Yet
we have forgotten the consumer. Why? Because, although
we are manufacturing at better prices, including the
shipment, we are still selling at the same prices.
Who
is that consumer? Those whom we have set into unemployment,
taken away their salaries and buying power. We have
created a new consumer in another location. Yet those
consumers are not able to buy anything they manufacture.
Price too high!
So
the wishes circle is again on the moveÖ We take
away her, give a little there and the balance sheet
shows profit and the stocks rise.
Isn't
there something wrong with our system? It seems to me
that there is. Maybe I'm alone thinking like that.
The
Euro has appeared in our wallets in Europe, yet fresh
vegetables have doubled in prices in three weeks. Maybe
it is the heavy rains that have caused that? Yet the
consumer has to be present and buy. Egality? Fraternity?
Fidelity?
I
really do not know which Saint to call in for help.
Not to help me! To help those who sleep in metro stations,
those families who lives with the minimum allowed by
the Social Services. How do they feed their children?
Pay their rent, electricity and gas? How do they continue
to live at the margin
of the society? Who cares for them?
So
many questions and no balance sheet!
So
much misery and no shoulder to cry!
So
much to do and no help underway!
Will
that be ending soon?
Or
are we doomed to see the poor poorer, the rich richer
and middle class disappear from our system?
Oh
by the way! The middle class is disappearing. They cannot
move up. So they are coming down and joining the poor
to become a number in the system.
The
education system is at its worst level. The kid's finishing
school seems to know less and less every day. Selectionism
is at its high at all schools. If you cant bear it,
leave. Seems to be the motto.
Did
we evolve to the second (or was it the third) millennium
to live and see this?
Brussel, 28/01/2002
|
