Anger and Adoration

Sonntag, 26. Juli 2009

If a hamster runs in its wheel it´s clear for everyone that it never will go straight on and that this work for itself is completely useless. Naturally the animal can talk into believing that it does something for its health, moving is important, specially if one sits everyday in a small cage and it has to do something to have a right for its existance and a good conscience to eat its daily fodder.

Well, in another way we are all hamsters in a wheel but only a few notice. Working is mostly exactly the same as senslessly running in a wheel and not coming forward. Working as end in itself, to have something to do, to be busy, to feel as a useful member of community and to have good conscious to eat our daily bread.

But what if evolution meantimes went into a completely other direction? What if it is meaningless if you work or not, because work need not be done from others? In former times on a farm f.e., the work had to be done from the others, if a member of the family was ill or couldn´t work because of other reasons, and naturally it was unsocial to shirk of work or to make off. But, in a community with less work than workers and the potential to rationalize even more work because maschines are much better, work as a "value" lost its sense.

But what if evolution meantimes went into a completely other direction? What if it is nearly criminal to work in special departments because it is harmful for others or ruin our basis of life? If someone today works in a nuclear power station, in the car-industry or weapon-branch, isn´t it necessary to ask himself honestly about the effects? Can he eat his daily bread with good conscious and feel as a useful member of community? Doesn´t he feel queer if he is an employé of a relief organisation f.e. and earn his money with the misery of others and therefore in a way depends on this misery?

Thinking one step forward and misery lasts because it saves many jobs and war lasts because too many make money with it, nature dies because economy has to step up. Our values work, acceptance, economic growth, prosperity, money, community are not very helpful to save our planet on the contrary it´s time to scrutinize them critically and look for others which are more qualified for future. The necessary basis is asking the question of meaning.

Similar to the change of paradigm from the Old to the New Testament it must be a fundamental change in our thinking: The old "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" in a former economical context means "you give me that and I give you that". But today the structures are more like a net, so that our acting isn´t only just for one partner any more but have effects on many other areas. Analogical to Jesus who turns the other cheek and bursts old structures with it and at the same time provokes the opposite and encourages to start thinking and changing view, we also should try to develop new rooms for manoeuvre.

If there isn´t a direct exchange any more, the value turns round, work won´t be measured on how much it earns, i.e. in Euro and Cent, but will be seen in the great context, i.e. in its sense and consequences. Therefore the work of a big industrialist whose production is ecologically harmfull is less valuable than that of an unemployed person who organises honorary an open meeting place for young persons: A new way, a new chance for all of us.