The Guilty Age

Not enough of the people who've made money from the Iraq disaster, or Katrina's aftermath, from the highest elected officials to the lowliest repo man, will be nabbed, grabbed and made to pay back their loot to the US system. Yes, I realize people everywhere want and need to make money in order to exist, but I firmly believe it is unconscionable to be greedy, to want more than you really need, to literally buy into the insanity of consumption which is grinding away at this planet. Everywhere one looks are examples of unnecessary enterprises and waste, and very little reasonable moderation.
And the human efforts that give any grace to life are shortchanged, like art. If it can't be marketed and made to generate a profit, it's worthless. It's only to be admired if it was costly to acquire, if you can brag about its pricetag. So those moments this evening when my friend and I watched in spine-tingling pleasure as a dancer made her way through bittersweet song and quiet guitar , her feet beating out her story of love and betrayal on a wooden floor, have no market value. Those are the kind of ephemeral moments which add true value to living, not a house full of expensive kitsch.