The Mirage of Material Gratification in the Era of Carefully Crafted Hate …
Anaesthetised souls, willfully sterile minds,
prancing around,
searching, ever searching,
on the prowl,
reaching for, hungering after, thirstily,
the mirage of material gratification,
drooling in the bottomless pit of an insatiable satisfaction.
The price?
Human beings dehumanised into mere chattel.
women abused and denigrated into second-class citizens.
the rise of racism,
rabid nationalism,
religious fanaticism,
sectarian divisions,
outright fascism,
the rise of those who choose to prey and play and inflame the very worst elements of human nature –
fear, and not the reaching out and trying to understand each other,
hate, and not appreciating that we all bleed red as one human race,
arrogance, and not the humility espoused by all religions and basic humanism,
walls, and not bridges to bring together our common human family closer together,
sowing discord, and not a the concept of the oneness of us all,
kicking down the “other”, and not lending a hand, to those of us who falter and fall.
[ political and corporate vultures hover above the carcass of humanity, circling, swooping, picking at the rotting flesh, sating a hunger, a need, the greed to off one another, endlessly feed ]
Anaesthetised souls, willfully sterile consciences,
consume, devour, fantasy seducing need,
a greed that has to feed, oblivious, in inebriated consumer-fueled waves, filling the coffers of capital,
a consensual,
imperceptible metamorphosis, from a collective conscience, into a blind horde of slaves,
as consciences are cleaved, reducing the individual into a hellish beast who lecherously craves.
The fires continue to malevolently rage, as the 1% waltz on the glittering stage,
while the 99% are relegated, shamelessly, into a filth-ridden, reeking cage.
What does this say about you and me?
our eyes conveniently sewn shut so that we do not see,
the billions of souls who from imposed hunger, hunger to be free,
indeed,
what does this say about you and me?
Amazing!
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thank you very much. humbled.
warmest wishes to you and yours.
peace ✌ always
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Great finds on the artwork!
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and all trawling through google 😀
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Good WORK, man 😄
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thanks as ever 😀
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😀☺😊😂😆
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Such a powerful piece and a reflection of today’s turmoil and systematic pitting of one against another. Unfortunately, we are allowing it to seep into our hearts and taking the the bait while believing we are expressing the ‘truth.’
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thank you for your words. and yes it sure does seem like a systematic pitting us against each other. and worse if we keep allowing this toxicity into our beings while totally, and probably willingly, “believing” we are spouting the truth.
Thank you very much for your words. They are profound and hit the nail on the head.
Cheers from South Africa
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I absolutely love this, Afzal. I’ve said this before, but sometimes we need to use strong words to help people realize the seriousness of our global situation. In this case, you’ve done a great job of zeroing in on one of the chief causes of many of our current social and environmental ills: the insatiable hunger of those who have to constantly acquire more.
Have you heard about the hungry ghost concept from some East Asian cultures? I’m not too familiar with it myself, but it seems to me that the ever-increasing appetites of some of the world’s most powerful people fit well with the ways hungry ghosts are supposed to behave.
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Firstly thank you brother Josh. Your words are always moving.
I haven’t heard of the ‘hungry ghost’ concept – but as you say man, it sure fits in perfectly with the sheer greed we see on display in every country in the world – from the poorest to the countries with higher standards of living this insatiable “lust” for more and more and more just doesn’t relent. and it is an addiction – it is never enough till the next “fix” is needed – and perfectly “normal” and so-called “educated” folk seem to be driving this madness – because that is what it is – sheer madness for ostentation and “living up to the joneses” and heaven knows what else compels people to be so rabidly greedy.
The endless proliferation of “cheap” consumer goods of course feeds into this epidemic of greed and the fact that the “cheap” consumer goods are the most toxic and take the most expensive toll on not just the collective psyche of societies but worse the toll on the environment. The plastic in the world’s oceans has been in the news lately BUT now, when it had reached critical proportions.
like someone said you can have a dozen mansions and cars and whatever but you can only sleep in one bed – and that may sound simplistic but brother we are heading headlong to disaster environmentally speaking with this neverending greed for more and more.
Cheers Josh and have peaceful weekend and warmest wishes to you and all those dear to you.
Ciao from South Africa
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Well said, Afzal! The insatiably desire for more is indeed an addiction, and I’d even say it should be considered a symptom of mental illness. What could be more harmful than constantly consuming more and more, never feeling fulfilled, until the earth itself becomes uninhabitable by all but the very wealthy? All these other social ills that have no basis in reality: racism, sexism, xenophobia, religious fanaticism, etc. could also qualify as mental illness.
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absolutely Josh – a litany of mental illnesses – depressinger and depressinger
cheers my brother ✌
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Wow nice post
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thank you ever so much. much appreciated and thank you for your generous sentiments.
warmest wishes.
peace and hope to all ✌☮
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Well personified and a satire
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thank you as ever my dear friend. your words are deeply appreciated.
warmest wishes to you and to all those dear to you.
peace and hope 👍☮✌✊
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Afzal I feel speeechless. This is powerful ak nd very moving
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oh thank you very very much, my sister, for such heartwarming and generous words. they are truly appreciated and keep me as ever wanting to scribble on.
love and peace and hugs
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Oh YES Keep scribbling. You MUSY. For the sake of humanity
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oh hush now you 😁☺😊🤗 my dear sister
scribbles for humanity’s sake – now that there is you being too kind and far too generous
and I ain’t fishing for further compliments haha
hugs and love and warmest wishes from the southern tip of the continent of Africa
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AND to you. Well all I know is that I have not seen any more writings like yours. You sock it to ‘em lol
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lol that’s the best thing I’ve heard about my scribbles – “you sock it to ’em”
I am at peace now – and boy oh boy am I gonna keep on trying to sock it to ’em
hugs and love and respect always my sister.
peace
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Lol Afzal. Well SOMEONE has to. And I’m no good at it lol
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lol you WILL do just fine – just let rip my sister lol
and man, does it feel good – LOL
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Lol Afzal. I am off out now. To let rip with the rooks and the ravens. Ha! Peace brother
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off you go my sister.
Peace ✌
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