Society As A Whole

Someone extremely close to me is unemployed right now. She has been unemployed for over a year, a year that has proven to be most difficult. I have seen her go through some ups and downs since losing her job, and pray that things turn around for her. The thing is she is already in her late fifties, with no real job skills. No one is willing to invest in somebody her age without any marketable skills. Even if she had the skills, she would probably fall into the category of being over qualified and still not get the good job she wanted; a job that could give her back her self-esteem and independence. Meanwhile the bill collectors keep calling as she falls behind on her payments. Why should they care, they have a job, they're just doing it. She has amassed a serious debt that will take a long time to get rid of, if at all. Her unemployment benefits which doesn't amount to much after taxes, are about to run out within the next few weeks. According to the government, she makes gets too much money in unemployment to qualify for assistance, like medical and food stamps. She doesn't have much of a savings to live on once the unemployment runs out. She suffers from a number of health issues and is struggling with depression. She is left wondering what now? Where is her place in the world? Somehow, despite all of this, she is supposed to have faith that everything will be just fine. She will not be given more than she can handle. That is bullshit! She has been given her fair share and more than a lot of people could handle right now.

So what does she do when her unemployment runs out? Does she have to be at her worse, hit rock bottom in order to get any kind of break? Why doesn't she qualify for services? Believe me when I say her check, after its all said and done, ain't shit! You work your whole life and for what? To walk away from a job you hated with a pittance of a check that doesn't even cover half of your rent, not to mention food, and the basic necessities of life.  

This is just one person's story. Never mind about the countless others in the same boat or worse. How many others are going through what she is going through; how many are at the end of their rope trying to hang on. At least she has a family that can offer some kind of support. What about whole families that are suffering as they endure poverty? What do they do? The only reason I am even writing this is because it hits so close to home. As people go, we have become desensitized when it comes to the fate of our fellow man. We can put our heads down or look the other way without thinking twice when a complete stranger on the train ride home announces that they are homeless and needs spare change just to get a meal. It is more of an inconvenience than anything esle. Maybe it is a shame, but what does that have to do with me. Have you taken a real hard look at some of these people? They could be a cousin or friend, or former co-worker or classmate who has fallen on hard times. If it doesn't effect us directly we look the other way. As long as I have a roof over my head and a place to stay, I am cool. As long as I can pay my bills, I am not concerned about my neighbors plight. As long as I can eat I could care less about someone starving. An oversimplification but something to think about. We're all suffering in our own way. Those of us lucky to even have a job, are living from check to check because our rents are so damn high, not to mention other bills that we carry have to be paid too.

When did we as a society become so desensitized? How did it happen? Dosen't anything matter anymore? Over the last few years we've seen natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina wreck havoc on New Orleans, an earthquake nearly destroy Haiti, as well as one that has brought Japan to its knees. This is just off the top of my head. There have been others that have occured as well. Initially, when those events happened,we were heavily saturated with media coverage. Now here we are months and in some cases years removed from these things and its as if they didn't happen. Has anyone kept up with the status of those places today? Yeah, those things happened, but as usual life goes on.  

What now? There is no immediate answer. At least I don't have answer. All you can do is rely on whatever it is you believe in order to endure. I wish I could write a happy ending. More importantly, I wish I could tell you that the person who I spoke about in the beginning of this article has seen her life change for the better, but I can't. She will have to continue to endure.  

I will not sit here and lecture, because I am no better. I'm always looking the other way when I feel that things don't directly affect me. The same thing can be said about society as a whole. If society continues to look the other way, then what? Think about it.