Last week, I wanted to write a blog post on the Amazon union situation that appeared on the news and watched Killer Mike once again make an inspiring speech for his people in Georgia. Also, I heard about Senator Bernie Sanders going back and forth with Amazon on Twitter. I’m a fan of Bernie because he has compassion for people, albeit, I disagree with some of his solutions. After all, I don’t think they could work. I wanted to be objective and do a deep dive research on Amazon, but I was overwhelmed by all the information and lacked the time for it. Thus, I lacked the motivation to continue. I don’t mind criticizing Amazon because I use it and love it. As the saying goes, your harshest critics are your biggest fans. Of course, many Amazon employees are fine with their jobs, and perhaps are happy with them. Working at Amazon for young folks could be a stepping stone to getting some money and sustaining themselves for basic needs. From there they could find their passion, or if they do have one already, they could use that money to fund their dreams. I still question how big a company should get, and if it is truly beneficial for our society in the long run.
Moreover, I want what’s best for everyone. That means advocating for justice, good health, and the prosperity of the human condition. There have been many complaints by Amazon employees that should never go unnoticed. At the same time, many people are happy working there. Amazon’s growth and power are real, and on a large scale, it is difficult for any company to maintain order. I can imagine a Twilight or a Black Mirror episode of a dystopian future where the majority of people are warehouse employees packaging and delivering products alongside robots, does it sound familiar? Think of it this way, there is so much wasted potential when Amazon is hiring and firing people in droves to package and deliver goods to people among other services. Not to mention, I think of Alan Watts’ speech about people in the modern world obliterating distance and time for complete instant gratification. In other words, Amazon is a driving mechanism in this theory. The thought experiment could be blown into proportion and is very unlikely that it could ever happen. I’m not blind to all the good Amazon has done for people too. Yet, it is a cautionary tale to ask things like, is Amazon Prime priming us for a dystopian future of instant gratification? Think about it.
When thinking about people’s experiences, I find that the journey is just as important as the destination, maybe even more so. For example, when we read a story or watch a movie, we don’t go straight from the climax to the most exciting part. No, we start from the beginning, why? Because we wouldn’t know the exciting part without the dull parts. The best stories have a general build-up (tension) and character development. When many artists or basketball players are interviewed, they say the process is important, or the process of creating is the fun part or a necessary drag. All those countless hours of practice are vital to achieving success and expounding it further, prolonging gratification, and creating purpose. What I am left to wonder is why in this modern world people feel the need for instant gratification?
Social Scholarly 