In my previous post about Venezuela's current condition, I updated you on the matter currently at hand. I discussed the fallout of peaceful protest into the breaking point between the Chavista regime and the frustrated opposition, as well as the recent inundation of Cuban forces.
I then left you with a quote essentially guilt tripping you into taking a stance with the goal of having you share the news.
What I began thinking afterwards was that I didn't suggest an alternative. My self-interests kicked in with the sole ambition of raising awareness - I just want the corruption and violence to end. As to exactly how this tyranny should end, I have no clue. You can't just hire a group of mercenaries to just kill the leaders in Venezuela, they would just be replaced by the next men in the pecking order. Hell, if the current president of Venezuela is an Ex-Bus driver, there is very little stopping anyone else from taking over.
A coup by the people is nearly impossible as well since they are unarmed, and fighting against an unhesitant and heavily armed force.
The irony in all this is that you, me, and everyone else long determined the outcome of these events. Just like a butterfly effect, our actions since the dawn of capitalism and free-market economics have created a world that disregards empathy in the aim for corporate domination.
Consumers are the rulers in the world economy, and companies only seek to serve whatever it is we demand. If you demand lower and lower prices with increased quality, then it shall be so. But human nature doesn't look behind the facade of a junior chicken and all of its negative connotations. Somewhere in another part of the world some slave busted his ass for the iPhone you own.
And this disconnect between consumerism and the people who suffer as a consequence is what breeds contempt in nations such as Ukraine, Thailand, Venezuela, and the rest of the world. This enables corrupt politicians to promise change, and thus lunatics like Castro, Chavez, and Yanukovych are initially hailed as heroes, to the eventual surprise of the many, who realize these leaders' ulterior motives.
Reasonably then, the only way to end global corruption is to either reduce our consumption of products, or accept to pay a fair price for the goods we seem to need so much*. Only then will the world prosper for a prolonged period.
*You're already seeing this at locations like Starbucks or other coffee shops that sell fair trade coffees at a premium. The benefit you get is that your consumption of the product is now guilt-free.
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