Waiting for a train
Waiting for a train
on a hot, sunny Saturday.
The sun so strong
with its burning ray.
Waiting...... Sweating...
Looking down the track
thinking about the day.
Looking up the sky
seeing my mind further away.
Waiting......... Still sweating......
Back to Basic
In Economics, we learned about Labor and Capital (including Land) that they are factors of production. They are complimentary to each other to some extend, in a sense that one can replace a unit of labor with some amount of capital to yield a quantity of product. Labor earns some returns to its owner, human. And Capital earns some returns to its owner, also human. They appear to be two kinds of the same thing.
However, they are not quite the same. Labor ownership has some limitation. One can own only one unit of labor, oneself. Capital ownership has a slight difference that makes quite an impact. That is, one can own unlimited amount of capital.
One can try to increase one's wealth in two ways: (1) buffed up oneself, try to make one's labor more productive, with training...education...and so on; and (2) innovate, try to make one's capital more productive, with new technology...new ideas...and so on. Or (Well...it's actually 2 and a half ways) simply try to own more Capital.
Then...we started to see "inequality" (when some do not own as much Capital as some others). Unequal distribution of wealth only leads to even more unequal distribution of wealth, as the wealthiers want to be even wealthier. And so on.
But...what are Capitals anyway? Labor, we know. It is obvious. But what about Capital?
Capitals are products, not money. Money is only its reflection. Capitals are machines, cars, tools, buildings, and anything that facilitates production of something. Capitals are made/produced, and they can be sold entirely (i.e. change of ownership).
So...how can we stop or resolve this "inequality"?
One way is...to prevent individual from owning Capital. In other words, the government or the state or the people (these represent the same thing) owns it all. In some systems, the state (which suppose to represent people's interest) owns it. Only that...people who work in the state's body exploit it. That sounds like "corruption" alright. Again, with the exploitation, Capital is not actually evenly distributed...especially the power of the people is abused in such way.
Another way (probably) is...to make Capital absolutely inferior to Labor. Make Capital earn nothing, i.e. it would have no value-added. But, come to think of it, that would be in conflict to reality. For example, a hammer will worth more than just some steel and wooden handle when used by a carpenter to build a chair. Its value-added come naturally by its function.
Well..........I've been thinking this far. And, I still cannot figure it out an effective way to deal with the "inequality." Perhaps, the solution does not lie in the Economic Realm...but rather ethics, moral, culture, maybe even politics. Anybody...any idea?
Just use your imagination...
I heard so many people talking about their lives. They told me how they grow up and become like their parents. And their children have been just as bad as they were. I can also see from talking to people...that children resemble their parents...in one way or another...or even in all.
What if that's the way the world is. What if everybody grows up exactly to be like their parents. And, their children will grow up to be exactly like them. If a mother always read bedtime stories to her children, her daughter will want to do so too...when she grows up. If a father likes to drink every night, his son will want to drink every night too...when he grows up. If parents spoil their kids, their grandchildren will very-likely be spoiled. And the cycle goes on and on and on...generations after generations.
...until someone, somewhere, somehow decides to do things differently. If a man decides to quit drinking...if a woman decides to comes home after her children already asleep...if parents are strict to their kids, then the cycle will change. It will become a new cycle. But it will keep going on and on and on...and on.
It's time to grow up
I still feel like a freshly graduate (from an undergrad program, of course!). I do. I feel like a 22-year-old. Well, maybe 23. And I'm blaming it all (or giving the credits to) studying abroad for a long time.
It seems to me that studying abroad is like a time capsule. And I just leaped ahead to the present time. My friends talk differently, think differently, are married, have a couple of kids, get chubby, etc. And more importantly, they can handle much more responsibilities. Some are even considered 'successful' in their career paths.
Only a couple of weeks back home, I already feel the urge to "grow up"...to catch up, really. Somehow, I find it spiritually difficult...as if I'm trapped in a dilemma. Lost and don't know which direction to go. But I guess I'll have to go through with it anyway...sooner or later. Will have to get a job, be more responsible, manage time, and send greeting cards to everyone during important holidays/birthdays (so sorry, I've perform badly in this area for a long time :P).
In sum, I feel like I want to change. Some time ago, I was quite happy with who I was. But now, I'm not. I find it difficult to "change" but "not change" ...hmm...confusing isn't it. My point is that I still wanna be me, but a better me, a wiser me, a non-lazy me, etc. Again (and as you might see it from my writing today), I'm finding it quite difficult...but still believe in its possibility.
