• Flemmy@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Then who will you look down on? When you life is nothing but frenemies you’re in competition, when you have some reminder of the things you did to the world over money that means less than video game points, when you realize the people who cheer you actually are just cheering for the company you bought and the people you squeeze dry and discard. When you accidentally see a post from a hater and realize not only do they have a point, they also know you better than your fans.

      In the quiet moments, when feelings of emptiness and anger at the world you played an active role ruining, you get to look down on them.

      You must be living a great life, because just watch how they put on a smile and dance not because you’ll pay well (you won’t), but out of fear that your mild annoyance could wreck their life. That the kids you forced them to have could be taken because they’re already on the brink of homelessness, and they need this job. The fear that just for funsies, you might make a few calls and have their life methodically torn apart.

      And that’s why they won’t try to kill us. We keep their little dominance games less adversarial. We’re not the game pieces, we’re the board - and if the board shrinks there’s a chance of actually losing the game.

      We make them feel powerful and superior, because here’s the thing - no one who has a billion dollars and keeps actively working to make more is doing it because they’re happy - at that level they’re not even doing it because they like the game - millionaires might enjoy it, but it’s like playing poker with a 5¢ buy in - they’d be building something for free if it was about building things or making deals - they’ve already maxed out how lavish a life can be

      No, they’re doing it for respect from their peers. Because they think it’ll make them respected by the people they respect, but it won’t. But they were raised to believe money was worth, because what’s the alternative - to recognize you deserve none of it?

      No, the truth is, this world sucks for everyone. Some people find joy anyways, but most of us just have varying degrees of mental illness