A privileged perspective: slumdog Millionaire

-My response after watching Slumdog Millionaire last year,
it is my opinion, which means it is highly debateable :) -

Truth is, we're all the same
we all want to survive
and we all kill and steal and cheat
find loop holes
to get there

It's just that
when you are poor
what you do is obvious and
can be
obviously incarcible,
often that is the only
choice you're left
with
if its illegal, then illegal it is
no lawyers to sort you out
what you do is out on the street
what you do to just survive
and often what you have to do
to survive
seems so shocking and dirty
to those
who observe it on a screen, a newspaper, from the sidewalk
from behind their gate
from their car window
from their privilege

When you are protected by your privilege
what you do to survive is subtle
covered up by policy and cushioned by self-protectionist laws
and the "ways of the market"
and when not justified by suitable law
well
white collar crime seems so inocuous, so clean
so
well hidden under nice and tidy
under "decent family"
under "good people"
under nice clothes and
clean bodies

While we are watching slumdog and think of ourselves
and our culture perhaps
the developed or developing world
or your caste or class...
as better,
more moral perhaps?
it is because we are blind
by our privilege
because it is made to seem natural
a given
not something earned by colonial greed and massacre
noooooo
we earned it, we are worth it. we are wise capitalists
we worked hard
sweat of our brow
no?


This is what justifies
our lifestyle pursuits
makes us feel better
when we want a good deal,
when we buy cheap goods made cheap by cheap labour
materials and methods.

I do this.

But we are good, no?
yes.
and therefore whatever we the good do
is not made criminal,
not really
there are ways...
our market is God, no?
no question...

the priviledged are mostly
tourists in someone else's land
or tourists in their own land
as if on holiday
perpetual tourists
touring around
consuming the best like kings and queens

luxury an every-day commodity

our mouths open for more
 we are hungry, always hungry

we are good        as are they        as are we   

we are ONE

when the clothes fall off
when the privilege fades away

flesh and bones
spirit and eyes


but
the God of the market
the God of the privileged

doesn't

see it that way                                             

                                                                          

Belly Up