Incomprehension

As I drive to my desk job every morning, a 50 minute or longer journey through the poorly maintained freeways of the East Bay, there's ample time to ponder the mysteries of modern life. The Kevin and Bean show was the thematic vaulting point for today's musings. As the host geeked out over Wired magazine and the latest movie craze, it occurred to me just how artificial our world has become. The editor and talk show host bantered about humanity's journey into the "realm of science fiction," without ever stopping to mention how most of the world doesn't feel the results of this so-called future-tech. Just yesterday, an embedded reporter talked about the sprawling refugee camp in Somalia, 20 years in the making!!

While Americans fret over the release date of the iPhone 5, thousands are struggling to survive amidst bloody conflict in Africa. I'm not saying Americans have an obligation to be concerned. All I am saying is, while people in America waited in line a couple of hours for the midnight showing of Captain America, another line of people were waiting for a meager hand-out of food and water in Somalia. California is the technological hub of America, where new ideas are blooming every day. What is the actual value of these new ideas though? How important is it that we have tablet technology?

From the perspective of finance and economics, the tech industry is hugely important. Far more important than the millions of starving people who live on less than a dollar a day. After all, just think about how little they survive on! From a financial perspective, these people are simply not a profitable demographic. News corporations would be more inclined to cover issues of extreme poverty if the deep pocketed first-worlders sank more money into the non-profit industries that supports these people, rather than waiting feverishly for the latest movie, restaurant or tech gadget. Although the suffering of the far-off masses might pull at our heartstrings for a moment, the seductive draw of American society is designed to be undeniable. The latest food fad, concert diva, and explosive action flick are all carefully presented to the public for maximum appeal that translates into ultimate profits. This isn't commentary, it's just the way our society has evolved amidst the Market Economy.

Our society has benefited hugely from an economic system rewarding cunning, intelligence, and gamesmanship. Even the lower classes in our country have more than the have-nots of other, less developed nations. This economic model works so well because it depends upon novelty. Throughout history, establishing new methods and dismantling inefficient routines has been beneficial to humankind. I don't know if "modern" society is any different from past eras. I do know that the massive financial success of blockbuster movies juxtaposes oddly with farmers struggling to get by. One is actually a necessity and therefore undervalued, the other is a frivolity. And now we're back at the beginning. As Somalis struggle to survive, a couple of nerds interview the stars of the latest movies about their favorite app. I guess this is truly the age old struggle. Now that we live placid, fundamentally safe lives, we have the leisure to either confront the vapid emptiness of our culture, where our fleeting pleasure is merely a vehicle for finance, or lose ourselves in it. Maybe one day, we'll hear from the embedded reporter whose standing at the premier of Captain Somalia.