The Cold Shoulder of Capitalism
The recent cold here in the Chicagoland area, and this article has me thinking about other people who are putting a price on human life. Those companies who provide us with some of the basic essentials that are needed in today's society. Heat, is an excellent example right now as temperatures dip into the frigid. But some people are having their heat turned off for non-payment.
This article, at the same site, mentions that as of December 23rd there had already been 8 cold-related deaths in cook county. An article at another site talks of one this year, but I haven't been able to find stats for how many have died in January, while our temperatures have been dramatically dipping.
Now, apparently public aid is trying to do something to help people get their heat turned back on. That's all well and good, but it's obviously not working well enough. There are certain basic needs that a human being has - food, water, and shelter! In my opinion, shelter in this day and age should include heat and/or air circulation such to keep one from freezing or sweltering to death! It sounds like the shelters are full up. So what are the rest of the people without heat supposed to do? Those shelters are supposed to be for those without homes at all, aren't they? Because the people who do have homes are supposed to have heat!
But, if you can't afford it, you're SOL. Oh, and it's all well and good if you managed to scrape enough together to pay an outrageous gas bill, but if you couldn't pay the electric then you are still screwed if any part of your heater needs electricity to work. So there's another pocket you have to line in order to survive the winter. Or you could just pay an outrageous electric bill instead if you have electric heat.
We've "evolved" beyond being able to just huddle around the fireplace. We rely upon the technical marvels we've created to supposedly make our lives easier. But we also seem to be charging for those technical marvels even after we've taken them forward to the point where we can't do without them.
Apparently it is no longer "survival of the fittest" in our society, it is now "survival of the greediest" instead. I didn't know the rights to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" came with a clause - "assuming you can afford it."
Somebody turn up the heat for crying out loud. Or else throw open the doors to the office buildings of the gas and electric companies and public aid and let the people without heat sleep there until their heat has been restored. How's that for a solution? Maybe they could sleep at City Hall until the Mayor does something about it? I'll bet they've got heat.
This article, at the same site, mentions that as of December 23rd there had already been 8 cold-related deaths in cook county. An article at another site talks of one this year, but I haven't been able to find stats for how many have died in January, while our temperatures have been dramatically dipping.
Now, apparently public aid is trying to do something to help people get their heat turned back on. That's all well and good, but it's obviously not working well enough. There are certain basic needs that a human being has - food, water, and shelter! In my opinion, shelter in this day and age should include heat and/or air circulation such to keep one from freezing or sweltering to death! It sounds like the shelters are full up. So what are the rest of the people without heat supposed to do? Those shelters are supposed to be for those without homes at all, aren't they? Because the people who do have homes are supposed to have heat!
But, if you can't afford it, you're SOL. Oh, and it's all well and good if you managed to scrape enough together to pay an outrageous gas bill, but if you couldn't pay the electric then you are still screwed if any part of your heater needs electricity to work. So there's another pocket you have to line in order to survive the winter. Or you could just pay an outrageous electric bill instead if you have electric heat.
We've "evolved" beyond being able to just huddle around the fireplace. We rely upon the technical marvels we've created to supposedly make our lives easier. But we also seem to be charging for those technical marvels even after we've taken them forward to the point where we can't do without them.
Apparently it is no longer "survival of the fittest" in our society, it is now "survival of the greediest" instead. I didn't know the rights to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" came with a clause - "assuming you can afford it."
Somebody turn up the heat for crying out loud. Or else throw open the doors to the office buildings of the gas and electric companies and public aid and let the people without heat sleep there until their heat has been restored. How's that for a solution? Maybe they could sleep at City Hall until the Mayor does something about it? I'll bet they've got heat.
posted by RaynDragon at 1:18 PM
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