A Classless Society & Frightening Times

30 July 2021 12:05 am Views - 103

It could easily be said that we have all come to a standstill in our lives. No one knows what is happening in our lives now. In recent years everything seems to have gotten out of hand. Gone are the days where a million in rupees or any other currency meant a lot. Currently, it does not mean a thing, as everything is in the millions and more millions. Billions is what people talk about in terms of wealth. 

The up-market apartment buildings with the fancy addresses and glass bottomed swimming pools that are available at princely sums have been snapped up by many. An astute member of Colombo’s business world who has observed the buyers told me that the sort of person who buys such apartments are around forty years old and would generally have not been allowed through many front doors. They would have been looked down upon. Not anymore. The doors are wide open to this new class in our society.  A Club was what the gentleman called it and to be a member all you need to have is loads of cash and no class; abracadabra you are a member of the Club. We have become like some parts of the West where only money talks.

Just as all was hunky dory with the members of this Club minting money, comes the pandemic which has been frightening.  It is the less fortunate who are mostly the victims of the virus.  However, it keeps mutating and is everywhere now.  As much as all human beings are vulnerable, it is when the well to do are affected that the jet setters realise that the virus could be fearfully deadly. 

A person, I know, who is spiritual and believes in the mystique world totally believes that unless the disparity between the less fortunate and the overly rich gap closes this pandemic will be around us for a long time and similar disasters will continue to occur. The greed for money surpasses everything in today’s world, was his opinion. 

As Buddhists we must remember the impermanence of life and bear in mind that none of us will be taking our possessions along with us when the Grim Reaper calls.  

Let us all think and work towards a more equal universe.