Monday, June 18, 2007

deconstructing myths

What did you call me?
Enough of the negative stereotypes about Maoris! I don't mind honest factual criticism, but I detest the inaccurate labels "dumb" or "lazy." I especially resent these condemnations coming from the mouths of the well-heeled with their top-paying jobs, flash houses and swollen bank accounts. Don't get me wrong - I don't hate rich folk; some of my best friends are... hired to clean rich people's swimming pools. But their charges don't hold up under scrutiny, which exposes gross hypocrisy and absurdity.


"Lazy" - the most unfair word in the English language, loaded with harsh connotations. I prefer 'laid back' or 'relaxed.' While frazzled workers clock up overtime hours and dollars, I recline, feet up, beer glass in one hand, remote control in the other. Not that my accusers ever use a remote, since they're obviously energetic enough to get up and change channels manually. To do otherwise would be... well... 'lazy', wouldn't it? And surely these hard working critics don't engage in something as passive as TV-watching, anyway.

As for "dumb" - when asked about their puzzling labour ethics, the rich claim to slave away their productive years in order to enjoy leisure in retirement. Now that's just plain silly. As any Maori knows, you can spend your whole life in leisure mode. If you value relaxation so much, why wait until your golden years? You can begin right away. I'm sorry, but it's the rich who are dumb, and nothing exemplifies their stupidity as their spending habits.

* They travel expensively in first class, only to arrive at the exact same time as those in economy.
* They buy fine wines with enormous price tags. Any economic literate knows that "all other things being equal," volume for volume and with identical alcohol levels, a $5 wine gets you just as peed as a $50 bottle.
* They spend ludicrous amounts renting beds in posh hotels, which makes zilch sense since you're oblivious to lavish surroundings while you're asleep.
* Then there's thee frisky business men hiring exorbitant call-girls, when a low-price street hooker would suffice. I'm no biology teacher, but surely all their working parts function exactly the same?

It's the height of ridiculousness for good capitalist firms, committed to profit-making, to hire expensive lawyers and accountants who find loopholes to trim expenses, only to waste all that money saved on overpriced travel, booze, hotels and prostitutes. Does that not strike you as illogical? wasteful? dumb?

But what's most galling is how the well-moneyed crowd splurge their opulence on vacation. Look at those indolent hypocrites as they lounge about poolside, basking on sun-drenched beaches, or snoozing in hammocks beneath tropical trees. Hardly industrious, productive behaviour, is it? And these high-income earners have the cheek to call Maoris lazy. A bit rich, don't ya think?

1 comment:

Deadman said...

Wow, since you put it that way...

Makes perfect sense to me.

:o)>