I see a jerk....
.
The piano was playing in the background, hitting just enough off notes to help form the overall impression of a swank trendy lounge. Shloimie, Isaac and Yanky were waiting for their meals of steak and lamb chops. The complimentary rolls were disappearing one by one as they talked in a tone just a tad too loud for the restaurant they were in. Yanky was just finishing a story about a steal of a deal he had pulled off at work the other day when Shloimie called out "listen to my steal of a deal."
"You know my property on East Birch St, it's a mess. It's full of leaves and tree limbs and all kinds of garbage. I called a guy up, some Mexican guy, and he wanted $200 for the job."
"That's a good price", said Yanky.
"I started bargaining, the guy didn't know what hit him..he ended up agreeing to do it for $75!", said Shloimie triumphantly.
"Wow, how did you do that..?"
"The guy saw I wouldn't budge....that's the key to bargaining.."
Just then their food showed up..
About 30 miles away Pedro was serving dinner in his small uptown apartment. He was tired. He held his face in his hands and looked at his young daughter with sadness in his eyes.
"I'm sorry Rosita but Papa couldn't get chicken today so we will have soup with the bread from yesterday.", he said in his heavy accented voice.
"Hopefully tomorrow God will send some more money our way...", he said as his eyes turned toward the window and the setting sun.
Some people look at this and see the free market at work. They see Capitalism in all it's glory.
I see evil.
I see evil hiding behind such lofty terms as "free market" and "economic freedom"
They see an aggressive entrepeneur...
I see a jerk...
.
The piano was playing in the background, hitting just enough off notes to help form the overall impression of a swank trendy lounge. Shloimie, Isaac and Yanky were waiting for their meals of steak and lamb chops. The complimentary rolls were disappearing one by one as they talked in a tone just a tad too loud for the restaurant they were in. Yanky was just finishing a story about a steal of a deal he had pulled off at work the other day when Shloimie called out "listen to my steal of a deal."
"You know my property on East Birch St, it's a mess. It's full of leaves and tree limbs and all kinds of garbage. I called a guy up, some Mexican guy, and he wanted $200 for the job."
"That's a good price", said Yanky.
"I started bargaining, the guy didn't know what hit him..he ended up agreeing to do it for $75!", said Shloimie triumphantly.
"Wow, how did you do that..?"
"The guy saw I wouldn't budge....that's the key to bargaining.."
Just then their food showed up..
About 30 miles away Pedro was serving dinner in his small uptown apartment. He was tired. He held his face in his hands and looked at his young daughter with sadness in his eyes.
"I'm sorry Rosita but Papa couldn't get chicken today so we will have soup with the bread from yesterday.", he said in his heavy accented voice.
"Hopefully tomorrow God will send some more money our way...", he said as his eyes turned toward the window and the setting sun.
Some people look at this and see the free market at work. They see Capitalism in all it's glory.
I see evil.
I see evil hiding behind such lofty terms as "free market" and "economic freedom"
They see an aggressive entrepeneur...
I see a jerk...
.
posted by David_on_the_Lake at 3:09 PM
6 Comments:
Quite thought provoking, although I cant say I fully agree.
Hmm I'm not sure I agree either.
Sure Pedro's situation is sad to read about, but is Shloimi personally responsible to better his situation? What if he had nothing to renovate, then Perdro gets absolutely noting (which is still far less than 75$).
Ps, does Rista's mom have a job?
It's the ultimate example of exploitation.
Shloimie could clearly afford the fair market price but decides to exploit Pedro desperation BECAUSE HE COULD.
It's like a game to him...
Nah, not a game. It's Capitalism. And if Pedro is a hard worker, he will one day open up a landscaping company, and hire some guys, who he will also pay as little as he can. Because that's how HE will get ahead.
anonymous
Just because it has a fancy name (capitalism) doesn't strip away the inherent evil in this story.
Just like Communists hid behind their fancy slogans..
I'm completely with David on this. See, if you'd turn the situation around to the way Nazi's used to treat the Jews, it's a similar situation. The Nazi's exploited the Jews, simply because they were able to. Now I know the example is not exactly comparable to this piece of writing, but you kinda get the idea. Props to David! It takes a man with a sensitive soul to create a work of art such as this.
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