Below, you can learn about Caine, a 9-year-old small business owner in LA.
Caine's Arcade from Nirvan Mullick on Vimeo.
This story has been called "heart-warming" and "inspiring" by almost everyone who reads it. But perhaps Caine's fans haven't considered the danger involved in rewarding a small boy for his creativity and hard-work.
Donors have contributed to a college fund for Caine in excess of $54,000. Presumably, his father didn't charge for the cardboard boxes and housed the arcade rent-free, indicating every dollar of Caine's money is profit.
Do you understand what this means, fellow members of the 99%? We have unwittingly encouraged a future businessman to continue down the path of greed! After one, "harmless" display of support for a 9-year-old entrepreneur, it's very likely this boy developed a taste for money which will progress into adulthood.
If you don't believe me, consider the ticket price policies adopted by Caine's Arcade. With no overhead for electricity or employee salaries, why does Caine need to charge $1 for regular admission? If that's not bad enough, he up-sells every customer on the Fun Pass, which is twice the cost for the same games.
Like all businessmen, Caine wants to squeeze his customers for as much as possible.
Mark my words, that boy will use every penny of his $54,000 to major in business--while the other kids in his neighborhood get left behind. In fact, he might just get the bright idea to hire some of his friends, to run the arcade while he's in school running miles ahead of them. And do you think those other children will ever earn more than the owner himself? No way.
In short, I haven't heard one word about sending the IRS after Caine, to claim society's fair share of his business, and I'm concerned about America's future if this enterprising spirit goes unchecked. He could build the next WalMart, Apple, or Chuck-E-Cheese empire! He could be a billionaire!
Caine made twice as much as I did this year, and he did it with CARDBOARD. Do we really want to celebrate this destruction of equality?
It's really too bad you are so dead-set on mocking other perspectives instead of critically considering social issues in a sincere way.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with all of this theoretical personal growth that is coming from this blog.
Aesop. Moliere. Jonathan Swift. Edgar Allen Poe. George Orwell. Just a very short list of people who understand the difference between "mocking" and "satire."
Delete(Meanwhile, I take it you believe mocking is "absolutely wrong"? I apologize for that last sentence, then.)
Satire is a form of artistic expression, for sure. It's also a way of mocking beliefs. That's kind of the point. I never said it was "absolutely wrong" ... I said it seems inconsistent with your personal growth goals.
DeleteNope. The Bible doesn't say satire is a sin. In fact, I may profit from it someday.
DeleteOh that's right, Jesus communicated his beliefs by mocking others. Plus, it's not like you're *really* working on being self-righteous, that was just one of those one-time statements that made you feel good at the time.
DeleteSo...you think I'm being inconsistent with my personal beliefs.
DeleteIs that wrong?
I think the word you are looking for is hypocritical. If you're looking for Biblical evidence, Matthew 23 might be a good place to look. So is Luke 6.
DeleteI'd say it's especially hypocritical for someone who spends so much time criticizing and mocking others. You claim to be about personal growth, and yet you aim all of this "artistic expression" at others. Mockery is some interesting "sacrificial love."
I know "criticism" is a big sin for Agnostic Theists, but Christians believe right and wrong exist. When an idea or practice is wrong, we must expose it with truth. Jesus used parables and hyperbole. I ask tongue-in-cheek questions. It hasn't been offensive to the other 250 people who've read the post.
DeleteOnly the person who believes we can't know right and wrong thinks I'm handling my blog the wrong way.
Or they are smarter than me and do not argue with people who have no interest in discourse. (I count 3 comments besides mine, and one is your dad.) I should take a cue from them.
DeleteYou want to use the "no interest in discourse" line again? I guess you've forgotten how much you've taught me, in roughly 50 back-and-forth posts:
DeleteConclusion 1: no one can say another's beliefs are wrong. We can't even say, for sure, whether people "should" sacrifice children. ("Should" is a tricky word.)
Conclusion 2: even if the government provides everything a person needs and he/she doesn't "HAVE TO" work, that person will still contribute out of love for community. A Capitalistic system of community-minded volunteerism is too unstable.
Conclusion 3: even though there are very few people who say "racism is bad"--most of us (even black people) are racist in our hearts.
Conclusion 4: Jesus would be disappointed with my use of satire, even though He used the technique himself. (http://thejesusquestion.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/jesus-the-satirist/) In fact, most people think Amanda is hypocritical, but only one, nameless person is brave enough to say she's wrong. (Er, I mean, "MIGHT be wrong.")
Also, at the end of these long, question-dodging, speeches, I say, "Thanks for the thoughts, Nony." So, you're gutsy for suggesting I'm anti-discourse after all the time I've invested in you, personally, examining your thoughts. Why should we keep discussing, when you won't say I'm wrong....and we'll never know Real Truth anyway?
*Whoops, that should say "very few people say racism is GOOD."*
DeleteI don't think we should keep discussing (that's my point), because you'd rather write pithy "conclusions" about earnest beliefs I hold instead of engaging in real discussion. Just because you put words down doesn't mean you're actually engaging in discourse. The attitude matters. And that was my point about others being smarter than me - people rarely comment on your blog (Christians and non-Christians alike) because you don't encourage discussion. Which, if that's not your goal, fair enough. But you seem to be asking for accountability and discussion by posting, and then get defensive/annoyed/etc when it's offered (unless someone agrees with you, in which case obviously that's not threatening). ("I'm not hypocritical!" right after a post in which you discuss that you struggle with empathy and Christ-like love.) I'm making the same point about your soul that you are making about mine - it's really your business and your journey, but I feel you are losing out by the way you are acting.
DeleteAlso, a word on being anonymous. I found you via Facebook, which means I know your full name and other personal information you make public. You might want to be careful about just how UN-anonymous you are. I am sure I could find your home address in a matter of minutes (I don't care to try, of course). I choose to be very careful about my online presence. I could tell you my first name, but what does that really achieve as far as me being less anonymous in a meaningful way to you? For me, it's simply easier not to log in to any kind of account... sheer convenience. I think you overstate the value of putting a name with a comment when there is no other interaction. You are putting all of this personal information out into the cyber-universe, and then you are shocked/offended when others are more careful about it. This is another example of how you get really nasty with people without caring to consider things fully. Again, your prerogative, but I think you lose out in the end.
I wish you the best.
(I should note that I make the comment about safety because I've received threatening hate mail after voicing support for certain elements of immigration reform. I also think a (non-anonymous) person can voice their opinion while being careful about privacy - I'm not proposing a dichotomy. I just think the internet is a particularly tricky medium.)
DeleteIt must be awful to live a life where everything is confusing, complicated, and scary...
DeleteI see your point, Peach. It's going to be more difficult to keep "no child left behind" when some children insist on racing forward at fantastic speed.
ReplyDeleteHopefully somebody explains to him that "the man" is evil, before it's too late.
DeleteWhat sort of drone will this boy make if he actually uses his brain? Maybe someone will get him hooked on drugs, so he'll turn out alright.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading, Christopher. :)
DeleteJust found your blog. Enjoyed your wit. Looking forward to reading more in the future.
ReplyDeleteTruly appreciated. Thanks!
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