Commuter rail, education, healthcare, farming, fishing, the self-employed… Anyone might think I'm listing sectors with no connection to each other, but the reality is very different. Either they aren't functioning as they should, or they're on strike and mobilizing because they're fed up with the situation.
The other day, talking to a teacher who was on strike, I asked her the million-dollar question: why don't they call a general strike? Her answer was clear: everyone's looking out for themselves. And this got me thinking. On the one hand, I think she's right; we've become profoundly individualistic. On the other, I also think that perhaps it's not in the interest of those organizing these mobilizations for the discontent to become widespread.
Another image that came to mind is that of a frog in a pot on a slow burner. The water heats up little by little, and the frog doesn't perceive the danger until it's too late. Perhaps the same thing is happening to us: we're burning up inside and we barely notice.
Haven't we really realized that something's wrong? That the discontent is widespread? That many of our leaders don't seem to be looking out for the common good? What more has to happen for us to wake up and fill the streets?
The situation is becoming unsustainable. And yet, it could still get worse. If there's anyone who doesn't see it, perhaps they should start questioning what's going on around them.
