Thoughts on B&E

There's an old saying, "Nice guys finish last." And you know what?  It's true.

Being an optimist now-a-days is hard.  I want to believe in the inherent goodness of people, despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.  That we'd all help each-other when in need, when in reality, our only need is to help ourselves.  It's an incredibly selfish worldview, and one I'm learning more and more is truer than ever.

Pictured: Murder

I recently moved to Baltimore, Maryland, or as the locals lovingly refer to it, Bodymore, Murderland.  We bought a nice little house at the end of a dead end street, surrounded by old folks.  Being a 27 year old surround by elderly, I felt right at home.  I truly did, I really enjoyed the sense of community I felt from the area.  We painted the walls, bought new furniture, and overall made ourselves at home.  We also didn't think anything of leaving our car, in our own driveway, with the GPS unit out for God and everybody to see.

Pictured: An invitation to rob your vehicle.

So it was on a cold Tuesday morning that I walked outside to start my car, try and warm it up for the drive to work, when I opened the door and found my front seat covered in the paperwork that used to be stored in my glove compartment.  I looked around, and noticed that no windows were broken, no sign of forced entry, and nothing in the backseat was touched.  But I did notice a few things were missing.

1. My GPS Unit
2. A bluetooth speaker
3. My iPod Touch (filled with classic rock and Show tunes)
4. An Altoids canister filled with Change
5. $37 in cash (for unexpected tolls)
6. Various chords and cables

The interesting thing?  All of my paperwork was left, registration and all of that.  They even left my Dashcam, for some reason.  Only a few "Easy sell" items were stolen, no damage to the car, no attempt to steal it.  It was like a gentleman burglar didn't want to inconvenience me too much whist selling my possessions for crack.  I didn't get the "Oh my God, I've been robbed, I feel so violated!" feeling you're supposed to get.  I just felt sad, that after all the breaks I've cut humanity, humanity can't find it in itself to just be cool.

Fuck you in particular!

I give to charity, every chance I get.  I donate to worthy causes, I've even funded some of my friends when they campaign for money.  I buy stuff for others, I give my time to those who ask of it, and in general volunteer anything I have whenever I can.  Yet, it seems, when it's time to reward those who do, it's those who do for themselves that get theirs.  And it makes sense!  It really does, I'm not complaining about people working hard and getting what they worked for.  I'm complaining about people like me.

I know what sort of person robbed me.  It was a young male, probably white (considering my area) who probably works at a minimum wage job a few days a week, but wants to be more.  The problem is, we've devalued hard work in favor of 'Hustling.'  

Mostly other people's things

We as a society have placed value on doing whatever we need to do to make money, especially young inner-city youths.  People, not much younger than me, not much poorer than I was at that age, are resorting to crime and violence to pay for the lifestyle glorified by their icons in the media.  They're lead to believe that if they keep 'hustin,' they too will be living the good life.  It's the sort of mentality that seems to be keeping the prison industry sitting pretty.  And it's weird to me that nobody seems to be paying attention.  Or if they are, they know exactly what their doing.

By promoting music, television, and movies that promote street crime as romantic, they are instilling that sense that this is the best option for the downtrodden.  Rarely is working hard and doing what's right championed as a way to get ahead.  Even in big business, everyday we see companies getting away with more and more outrageous errs in judgement (Freedom Industries, this drink's for you) and getting away with barely more than a slap on the wrist.  How are you supposed to win the game by playing by the rules?

But then is that why we have rules?  To keep those who are dumb enough to obey them out of the way, and make room for those who are not burdened by such things?  If we can't force the biggest companies and congressmen to follow the rules, how can we expect a kid on the street to know right from wrong?  Maybe it's not entirely the fault of media icons, as their "brands" are in essence also a company, and playing by that set of rules.  Are there sets of rules for each socio-economic class?  Are schmucks like me destined to fail because we lack the ability to break the rules when they benefit ourselves?

This tirade is getting dangerously close to a political rant, something I'm going to try to avoid in this blog for at least a little while longer.  This started off as a way for me to vent my frustration at being robbed, and ended up with trying to wrap my tiny brain around how the world works.  And the world works in a way that doesn't make sense to me.  I mean, I get it, those who do, do (ha).  Be that on the street making moves, or in a boardroom... also making moves, the world seems to be run by those who don't really care how their decisions affect someone else.  And why would they?  No one ever got ahead by putting others first. 

Are they bad guys?  Maybe.  Maybe they just understand the world better than I do.  I still believe people are good, maybe not those with power, but people, as a whole, are good.  Does that make me a Good Guy?  Or a Dumb Guy?

I prefer a Hopeful guy.