Who needs funding?

About a hundred and fifty years ago, we were told that technology was a good thing. The why we needed to be convinced is not important to this blog today. The argument that was used to convince us is important. We were told that the technological innovations would allow us to get the same production output for a lot less work. We were promised that by the year 2000 we would only need to work 10 to 20 hours a week and that we would have plenty of leisure.

Today if we compare what capacity can be produced today with those of just a hundred years ago, we would come to the conclusion that we could get away with working about 10 hours a month. Ironically, the opposite has happened; experts who have studied our work habits conclude we actually work harder today than in all past generations (I assume they include the slavery periods but I am not a historian so I do not know if they do include that in their calculations.... ). The work stress argument has already been mentioned by medical experts, social scientists and humanities professionals so I will not repeat them here in today's blog. Suffice it to say, that we can get away with working a lot less than we currently do. A LOT LESS.

This perversion of logic is about the same as the fact that we have more than double the amount needed to feed everyone alive on this planet, yet at least 50% are still struggling to feed themselves. We only need to work a tiny amount to maintain a happy lifestyle yet we struggle to get a lot of money that we can never enjoy because we no longer have the time to enjoy our money.

Since we have the technology to produce a well-fed and happy population, we should allow artists, scientists and athletes to thrive in our society. No more struggling for these people. They should not need to beg for money from corporate sponsors or from government grants. We do have an ample amount of time available for this: technological innovation has allowed it. So why do we still have the artist jumping hoops to get crumbs? Why does the scientist have to answer to corporate demands that his science leads to marketable results? (If we frown when we hear how the military is using scientists to upgrade military capabilities, should we not frown even more when corporations use scientists to upgrade their profit?) And lastly, why should the athlete beg for money to train and compete?

The saying goes that the one who pays the piper chooses the tune. The one with the money does not know art, does not know science, does not know sport. Why should that person dictate how to draw, what to research and when to compete? Historically, the ones who had the most money had achieved it through deceit and theft. Without pointing any fingers to any specific individual, have we evolved out of that habit? The richest Roman of his time had achieved his wealth by being a firefighter. Whenever there was a fire somewhere in Rome, he would show up and purchase the burning building from the owner at a fraction of its worth and then he would use his employees to put the fire out. Society would want such a man to dictate tomorrow's science? Society would want such a coward to tell us which paintings to view? (the artist will not paint something that offends his patron... so the patron does dictate the contents) Society would want such a thief to sponsor a sporting event?

Our society has the resources to feed everyone well. Our society has the technology so that we only need to work a fraction of the time needed for a comfortable lifestyle. Why are we robbing ourselves of scientific discoveries waiting to happen? Why are we robbing ourselves of innovative art which we can enjoy? Why are we robbing ourselves of practicing some sport and competing in fun with friends around the world as well as watching those who surpass us in abilities?

There are some of us who are driven to be scientific discoverers, some of us who are driven to express ourselves artistically, some of us who are driven to compete as an athlete.... why not allow these people to pursue these activities without obstacle? Why do they need to prove to anyone what they want to do? We have the funding available as a society, so we need to implement it. But like the overabundance of food is burned instead of feeding the hungry; we shall do this with the funding as well and burn it up in nonsensical pursuits, while unrecognized Beethovens, Einsteins and Gretskys will continue working in some Third world nation's farm or some Industrialized nation's McDonalds in a slave-wage environment to further some blind rich thief's pursuit for even yet more profit at society's expense.