THE GODS OF POOR MEN

Money is the god of the twenty-first-century man. Without it, he is nothing, incapable of doing anything. He bows before its fearful might, and in his deepest, darkest moments, it asks him, ‘Would you die for me?’ All hail money, the God of Gods. All hail money, freedom for slaves. All hail money, bondage for the free. All hail money, humanity’s God. Who needs heaven when you’ve got money? Money gives you heaven on earth. Who needs Jesus when you’ve got money? Money brings you salvation. Everything we are or choose to be is motivated by money. Who dares to speak when money speaks? Who stands when money sits? Money buys humility, for no one without money can afford to be humble. Oh, my God, what have I done? Why have you forsaken me so? I have been lost without your touch, hungry without your power. Oh, God! My God! Come unto me now! Let me feel you! Let me smell you! Fill my wallets and give me confidence; let me use you, oh God! Every single day of my existence is meaningful because you made me worthy. Oh money, God of Gods, hark unto my prayers.

Will your life still have meaning without money? Of course not! They will not tell you this, but money determines the path you take in this journey of life. It dictates the friends you choose, and most importantly, who chooses you as their friend. Two friends of unequal standing cannot remain friends for long unless the fortunate one elevates his friend to his standing. Only then would they remain friends. If not, the one with money ultimately leaves his poor friend and seeks friends of equal standing. Is it a surprise that the rich detest their children making friends with the poor?

Why do they prefer their children to attend private schools that are more expensive and exclusive? The more exclusive and expensive, the better. The fear of poverty isn’t the beginning of wisdom; it is the beginning of crime. A poor man is one who has been denied the freedom of choice. Instead, he has been given an ultimatum: serve or die hungry.

Ah, democracy, the illusion of choice. It is the elite’s most potent tool for dividing the poor and defenseless. Tell me, what is democracy to the wealthy? Of what use is democracy to the high and mighty when they are all in the business of doing favors for one another? Democracy is the tool to keep the poor in check; the other tool is religion and the promise of paradise – a life without suffering. Every religious teacher and politician makes promises they will never fulfill to the poor. They fill their hearts and minds with the hope of heaven and a life free from suffering. Every election season, the politician remembers the village in the remotest part of his state, pays the people a visit, dressed in the simplest of attires and accompanied by a long line of party faithfuls and photographers who dole out a few currencies and capture the moment, then leave until the next election season to begin their poverty tours. The people, robbed of their dignity and freedom, will only look on as the politician makes his usual promises. They would sing his praises, of course. Not because they like him, far from that, but because they hope he might spare a few currencies. This is the fate of the poor, and many of them will die in poverty as they perpetually wait for things to get better.

Every Sunday, the preacher brings up a verse that favors him and preaches it to the poor. The goal of the preacher is akin to the politician. To make a people willing and obedient, you need to promise them something you will never fulfill. In the case of the politician, it is the promise of better living conditions. For the preacher, it is the promise of heaven and an end to sufferings. Both of which the poor have to die for it to come to pass, for the politician and the religious leaders function like Siamese twins, bound together in their treachery and deceit towards the poor.

Of what use is religion to the high and mighty? Of what use is the promise of Paradise, a land devoid of suffering, to the elite? Of what use is democracy to the elite? Of what use is the rule of law and justice? I daresay, none at all. For these are but tools used to keep the poor in check and give them a feeling of being in control. The elite have no concern as to who is elected into office because it is always one of theirs. Every four years they select among themselves a person who would better represent their interests and then present the person to the poor masses to vote on. A typical case of different assholes, same shit. Money rules; democracy and religion are lesser gods. All in all, these are the Gods of poor men.