Me Myself and I

What caught my eye this week (well actually last week but I didn’t post this til now) - apart from the horrors on the hill- was that many Americans are moving to Florida. You would think it was much the same reason that many Australians move to Queensland or to the coast- the warmer weather and more relaxed lifestyle, but no. Their main reason is to avoid paying taxes.

What?

When has this become such a thing? Why do we constantly hear about multi billion dollar industries moving offshore to avoid paying taxes? What’s that about? I know they’re run for profit, but really? Where is the ethical imperative of community in any of this?

Why are ‘rich people’ above an obligation to others?

Do people think that taxes go to the politicians? Do they believe that there’s some scam happening? Well let’s be honest, there probably is. But taxes are to support education, health, and infrastructure such as roads, garbage collection and disposal and til pretty recently, water and electricity (in some states). This has been a bit of a disaster apparently. I stumbled across this paper from 2002 by Melita Grant of Aid/Watch. The result of privatising water in Sydney was a disgraceful mismanagement.

“In 1998 when Sydney’s drinking water was contaminated with Giardia and Cryptosporidium, it was found that the management of the privately operated water treatment plant were aware of the outbreak days before the public were alerted.” And “What emerged……was a picture of a managing director unable to stand up to his chairman’s pressure and a chair more concerned about Sydney Water’s corporate performance than Sydney water drinkers.”

Profits.

That’s all they’re interested in. Even in the face of children getting ill.

US citizens would rather avoid paying ‘excessive’ taxes than support those worse off than themselves. And don’t think Aussies don’t do it too. Because they do. Everyone’s in to diddle the tax man.

But that’s what taxes are for. To pay for free education and healthcare so that just because you’re poor, doesn’t mean that you miss out on a decent education or good healthcare. I mean we all know what happens in the US- people without health insurance are turned away from hospitals and all too often die of illnesses that could have been treated.

How can you allow that to happen to your fellow sistren and brethren? You might not know them, but what does it say about your society? About you?

I remember a tv interview I saw last year. The reporter was asking the ‘man in the street’ what he thought of sacrificing the few to save the many- herd immunity type thing. He said it was sad, but he thought it was a good idea. The reporter then asked who should be chosen. He stumbled at that- like most of us- figuring that someone ‘in charge’ will look after us and make those awful decisions and we can carry on ordering online Bonds underwear and sipping lattes at our favourite café.

Then from around the corner, the reporting team, brought a group of people. The reporter asked should these people be ‘sacrificed’ for the greater good. He turned and was stunned. It was his own family.

We all think like that. Until we’re confronted with the reality of our rational decisions- it’s usually at others’ expense. And it’s those unseen others that is the issue. Those not considered ‘ours’. Just watch Walking Dead. Despite the gore, it’s actually a considered study of human behaviour and rationalisation. Rick Grimes is a doll… no I meant to say… the character is considered a ‘good man’  by his adopted family. He protects them to the death and ensures their health and safety at all times; no matter what it takes. He’s done some heinous things- murder most horrid- in the name of protecting his flock. And others that do the same are considered ‘bad’. Despite Americans’ obsession with the stark idea of the world consisting of ‘good guys v bad guys’, it’s a fascinating look at how humans justify their behaviour ‘for the greater good’. How ethics become blurred when the stakes are high. The vagaries of human motivation…Grimes’ clan struggle through this dilemma, each character a voice of conscience in turn. Asking those big questions- asking “is this who we really are?”

Is it okay to be part of a system that ensures psychopathic behaviour is rewarded? Ruthlessness in business is considered a desirable trait for corporate leadership- if you’re a shareholder. We all remember the cigarette industry’s blatant lying regarding the correlation between lung cancer and their product, Dieselgate and Samsung phones bursting into flames. And let’s not forget the guys who duped my 90 year old dad into spending $10,000 dollars of his life long savings on a new roof he didn’t need through frightening him about impending roof collapses. Or even the junkie down the road who regularly came to the door and told da he’d mowed his lawn and could he receive payment please. At least he said please. And at least he’s a junkie- he has a very urgent and personal motivation- I get that.

It is indeed the Age of Distraction.

We have stopped thinking.

We have stopped questioning anything, let alone spending a nanosecond on the big questions.

I find it in all my classes. Those kids who ‘don’t care about that’.

Until it’s too late.

We’re collecting money for Caritas at the moment during Lent. Of course you know the only kid who’s been putting in more money than anyone else- most don’t bother- it’s the kid who knows what it is to be hungry. The kid who’s seen horrors and know what trauma there is happening to other kids around the world every day. At this moment. He’s from Sudan.

Are we really all about Me, Myself and I or Mine?