Musings – Who’s worth what?

RJ Pisko

RJ Pisko, Columnist

I have never been a hero worshipper.  Heroes – I mean Hollywood Hype Heroes, professional sports icons and their ilk – hold no personal interest for me.  Hollywood hunks and sports and pop music heartthrobs, I feel, are a symptom.  A symptom of a crippled society, a society that encourages hero worship in lieu of a  wholesome personal self-awareness and sense of well-being – and that of  others too.  We are so in need of entertainment and vicarious lives that we forget the needs and well-being of our most unfortunate; children in poverty.

I think if we all had those traits – self-awareness and a sense of wellness - that actors, pro sports stars and pop musicians wouldn’t be making many times what Presidents and Prime Ministers make.  Those in charge of entire countries aren’t (usually) talentless bums – they too have special skills (if only at the polls), and surely should be making a salary on a par with, say, a star hoopster.  Same goes for tireless scientists who spend a lifetime developing synthetics that can cure cancers only to see drug company execs reap obscene benefits from a scientist’s hard labor.  Same idea for teachers, health care professionals and other passionates who weave the fabric of our society, who make our wealth possible.


But wait – I don’t mean to suggest that a great statesman, teacher, or nurse for example, should make as much as a steroid freak with a batting average of .370 – I DO mean to suggest that a talented sports star, actor/actress, or pop singer or CEO perhaps shouldn’t be reimbursed in the multiple millions per year, nor should professional sports team owners gnash their teeth over their choice of a new Lamborghini or a couple extra Benzes. But what might happen to all that revenue if it doesn’t go into the pockets of players, owners, and stars?  Gee I don’t know – any ideas?

Celebrity salaries are, I think (speaking as a layman with no expertise in economics) are a reflection of how much profit a “star” can generate for a speculator.  The huge amounts of money generated by “stars” might be, in my opinion (and I’ve been called pink) might be put to better use than encouraging more and more self-indulgent opulence.

But just a thought – a couple of years ago, Canadian children in Labrador were featured in World Vision’s catalogue – and last year, too, as children of low income single parents were featured.    I think it’s shameful when our government is more concerned with Canada’s “economic future” (read Northern Gateway Pipeline, etc.) than sick, undernourished and addicted children in our least fortunate communities and their plight globally focused like that.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if these fat-salaried megastars gave a bit more, either voluntarily or through a revised tax structure?  (I am fully aware of the philanthropic efforts of many, many “heroes” and their organizations – but all that leftover wealth surely isn’t necessary for the comfort of one person or family).

I think I’ve picked on our “heroes” enough for one column – there are many others deserving of mention too – the mega rich top two percent of income earners are all, I think, more responsible for the overall well-being of our country than those struggling to make ends meet.

But what if you think I’m absolutely, totally, embarrassingly wrong?    Well I’m OK with that – been wrong before.  All I’m saying is that there is an inherently evil disparity between the rich and the poor.  Always has been.  Always will be.  Looking forward to comments – more fodder for future rants.

Canada is consistently ranked in the top 10 by the United Nations ‘quality of life’ index, yet over 600,000 Canadian children currently live in unsafe housing, face hunger or poor health, and have limited opportunities for growth and development. The reality that a significant number of Canadian children are inhibited from fulfilling their full potential because of poverty requires us to respond. “Nothing in today’s society is more disgraceful than the marginalization of some young people who are driven to isolation and despair. We must not tolerate such disparities.”     ~The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean.

Research shows that those most vulnerable to poverty are children and youth living in single-parent families, new Canadian (refugee and immigrant) families and Aboriginal families. The focus of World Vision’s response is therefore upon these children – particularly those living in five of Canada’s largest cities: Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Hamilton and Montréal. 

Quoted from World Vision Canadian Programs web page – here: www.worldvision.ca/Programs-and-Projects/Canadian-Programs/Pages/Canadian-Programs.aspx

Photo by Chris, Creative Commons

Finally, from the venerable Lewis Thomas ( The Lives of a Cell: Notes of a Biology Watcher, The Medusa and the Snail, and Late Night Thoughts on Listening to Mahler's Ninth Symphony et. al. – all excellent cerebral musings) `` A society can be judged by the way it treats its most unfortunate .  .  .``

Note: The opinions expressed by columnists and letter writers are theirs and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Pincher Creek Voice.