Worth Fighting For

There is word from the Institute for Development of Economics Research of the United Nations University claiming that the richest 2 percent of the world's adults own more than half of the world's wealth.

The richest 1%, they say own 40% of the planet's assets in the year 2000, and the richest 10% own 85% of the total goods. A different 50% of the world's adult population own just under 1% of the world's wealth.

So, this is definitely worth fighting for. If you are the numerous Not-haves, you clearly NEED to attack. But who? Where are they? How do you find them and get to them, and attack with what?

But if you are the Haves, then you have the means to defend your way of life. You just have to be clever about it, and give the Not-haves reasons to attack each other.

If you one of the Haves, the greatest of your assest is religion. Not for you, you have other assets; religion is for the Not-haves. It will keep them busy and maleable for generations, and give them reasons to worry about what they do, how they can do it, and it also promise them riches after they suffer away.

Another great asset the Haves have is the military. The Not-haves can serve in the Have's military forces. Why would any Not-have possibly risk his or her life and well-being again and again for the Haves? Easy - of course the answer is security. Simple. If you don't get killed, you get a pension and some benefits.

Then there is the question of education. If you are a Have, you don't really need it; if you are a Not-have, you are led to believe it can help you help the Haves and therefore get paid well by the Haves. But the "education" is not really Education - it is a form of training. The "educated" Not-haves become like eunuchs, trained to care for the Haves but limited to one area of expertise. That limits the usefulness of their "education" to the Not-haves themselves, and keeps them in the employ of the Haves. This "education" is sometimes so specialized that the graduates become a bit like idiot savants, able to stun the world in one or two things but otherwise unable to function without care from their keepers - in this case the keepers are the Haves.

Patriotism is another asset that the Haves have. There is honor and glory all over the place that Not-haves can aspire to. What use is honor and glory? Well, if you can't get assets, then honor and glory can make you shine before other Not-haves. The Not-haves parents can be proud of their patriotic child.

Another great asset the Haves have, is the Not-haves themselves. Ultimately the Not-haves belong to the Haves. They work for them (at the Haves' pleasure, of course). The Not-haves can "have" too, they just have to borrow it from the Haves - and then pay it back again and again and again.


© John Womack, 2006. All rights reserved.