April 5th, 2024. Everything came out alright.

It’s an overwhelming kind of day. The oppressiveness of the heavy rains, the 90s grunge that is pounding from my speakers, lack of sleep. You could argue I’m blanketing myself in that oppression a bit, but it’s not entirely self-imposed.

Capitalism is OFFENSIVELY oppressive and I’m in the THICK of it.

It adds too many differing motivations, and none of them are for the greater good, a term so misused and maligned as to oft imply war crimes and eugenics. Capitalism, almost by definition, means self-interest, and we are notoriously short-sighted, tribal creatures, to the point that self-interest can almost NEVER be reconciled with the good of your neighbour or your neighbourhood. I feel like the main purpose of government is to push back against the forces of an open market economy to make sure we don’t free-market ourselves right into a collective grave.

Its why straight up democracy doesn’t work. 90% of people will only vote with themselves in mind.

Taxes and estate planning. Making sure things stay complicated enough that someone with a bit of money can barely afford to plan to keep it. I absolutely believe in the need for government, and taxation’s just about the only way that can exist (in a capitalist society), but the idea that you’d make it so complicated as to invite, even require, an entire layer of businesses that solely exists to untangle it for the layman… I try to see the good in things, but trying to leave money to someone else, trying to “protect assets”, simply should NOT be so hard. But without layers of legalese and gotchas and catches, we’ve simply got a system that incentivizes taking advantage of one another.

And people WITH money don’t even see the problem with it. It’s like a fish not understanding why we get all huffy about flooding. It’s just the medium in which they subsist. They’ve always had plenty, they’ll always have plenty, and can’t even imagine what it’s like to not have it.

I’m grateful for where I’m at. In the dead of night I worry that I haven’t even worked THAT HARD to be here. Just been consistent and persistent and lucky to boot. But I’m also VERY aware of friends that don’t think twice about the ease-of-Life that comes with THEIR Livelihoods. Who don’t think twice about seeing a doctor, or who’s biggest worry about a twinge in their chest is the HEALTH implications, not the financial.

Honestly – It’s been a good week. I’m doing okay. I’m wrapping up my taxes and though I’m not going to be smacked as hard as I was last year (we were busy NOT taking any deductions, had to pay a lot of money to show we made enough money to buy a house – see above) I think we’re still going to be hit harder than I’d like. COVID incentives are wrapping up, and frankly, we did well. It’s how percentages work. But I’m one of the few people who says “we should pay our share” and believe that it applies to myself.

Music’s been good this week. Morsbergers twice in one week, both nights SLOW, but a slight pall on things, but recording with Acacia, playing with Daniel Lee and Seth Kibel, playing with Kristen and Joey and furthering my Complicated Musical Relationship with Juels Bland – it’s all good.

Oh – and burying the lede, all of this is in the mentally-relaxed place of my colonoscopy having gone well and it all, finally, at least for 10 years, being firmly in the rear (haha) view mirror.

Happy Friday, friends.