The Cost of Paradise

By Theodore Donaghue

What is the cost of living in the modern age? What is the meaning of life? What is the reason for our Nihilism and what is the cure? What does living in a Capitalist society really mean.
The journey is from ideology to freedom.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Theodore Donaghue
• Release date: Aug 6, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301801411

Book preview

PART 1

Chapter 1

He stood there, not knowing what to do. This is the production part of town. There are no stores, no parks, not even a place to sit. Just mile after mile of identical gray buildings whose purpose is not evident by the outside of the building. How does one pick a direction to go when every direction brings a person to a building that cannot be entered? For no other reason then it was the way to his apartment, he turned left and began to walk.

He realized he didn't have his termination book or worker card on him. He felt sick to his stomach. He had never broken the law before. He couldn't sit because it was still working hours. He steadied himself and then began to walk.

The street he was walking down was Enoch Street. At every intersection, he stopped and looked down the street, trying to gauge where here was, but every street looked the same. When he crossed Lamach Street, he realized he was close to his living quarters. His building was the next block down. He couldn't get in without his worker card but he wanted one final look where he had lived for the last twenty years. What treasures had he in his apartment? A small bed and next to the bed was a nightstand upon which was his alarm clock and television. At the foot of the bed was a small refrigerator and on top of the refrigerator was a small plug in burner to make his meals. One pot, one plate, a spoon, a knife, and a fork rounded out his kitchen. On the other side of the bed was a small shower and inside the shower was the sink and the toilet. His second pair of shoes was under the bed and in the closet was two set of work clothes. All his worldly possessions fitting into a space of one hundred and eighty seven feet. But that was inside, where he couldn't go. He had one final look at the building and then he continued on his journey to nowhere. He walked for hours. It soon turned to twilight and even that moment passed, and it was dark.

Soon after he heard a noise. He looked around trying to pinpoint the sound. Then he saw what made the noise. Busses coming down the street. As the busses came down the street, the streetlights turned on the block just before the busses reached that block.

Two busses led this procession. Side by side, these busses moved with the other in military precision. Stopping at the end of a block, waiting thirty seconds, then moving on. After the lead buses, were paired buses, wave after wave as far as the eye could see. At every stop, the bus let a few workers off. The workers silently walked toward their living quarters. Every worker dressed identically. Kaki colored shirts and pants with a black vest. The same uniform he had worn for years.

As the workers walked toward their building, there was no conversation, no lingering, no friendliness between any of the workers. At each building entrance, the workers formed a line. They waited for the worker at the door to slide their worker card. That allowed the worker access to the building. Every single time a worker slides their worker card; it is noted in a computer and tracked. Any worker who deviates from their routine is automatically investigated. Any slight deviation in the daily schedule of a worker is considered a job performance issue.

The march of busses continued for hours. Then just as quickly as it began, it ended. The lights turned off. He was tired. He picked out a spot next to a building entrance, laid down and fell asleep.

The next morning, he was awakened by the workers pouring out of their buildings. As the streetlights only turned on when the busses arrived, the workers stood in the dark. The march of the busses began and streets lit up. The workers entered the busses and were driven off. After a couple of hours, the busses no longer came and the streetlights turned off.

He got up and began his walk to nowhere. Within the hour, the sun rose. The second day was no different then the first day. Mile after mile of walking besides indistinguishable gray buildings. He kept on walking because he had nothing else. The second night came like first night, the march of the busses, the workers silent walk home and then darkness. Once again alone. He was struggling after two days without food or water.

He reached the intersection of Enoch and Nod. Because he was so tired, he turned left on Nod Street. He didn't notice nor cared, but there was something different about this street. It softly sloped downwards. In his exhaustion, he just walked. The gray buildings which had been his only companion, came to an end. He continued to walk as the paved road turned to dirt. He walked until he began walking on something soft, something other then dirt. This he noticed. He bent down, touched the ground. It was wet and slick. Grass. He looked up. He could see the stars in the sky directly above him, but the stars were blocked out in a circle around him. He walked toward the darkness and saw trees. He was in a meadow surrounded by trees. Seeing flashes of light shining through the trees, walking toward them, passing a tree line and he found himself in another meadow. This meadow was lit with lanterns that were hanging from tree limbs and poles. There were people at the picnic tables eating. People were at fireplaces cooking food. It smelled heavenly. He tried to walk toward the food but his exhaustion won and he passed out.

Chapter 2

He opened his eyes. He saw a white canvas fabric overhead. He looked left and right but could only see this canvas. He was in a tent. At his feet, a zipper, leading up to the roof of the structure. He rose and unzipped the tent. It was so bright outside, it blinded him. When his eyes adjusted, he saw he was in a meadow surrounded by trees with grass on the ground. In the distance a sound, running water. He tried to remember last night. He recalled seeing people. He couldn't see or hear anybody now. He was left to wonder if he had dreamt the people, but he was in a tent and someone had to put him there, so he wasn't dreaming.

But it was the sound of the water that enticed him. He had lived in this city his whole life. He could not imagine a river in the midst of all those gray buildings.

He tried to locate the river by sound. There was an opening in the trees near where the sound seemed to come from, so he headed there. As he walked, he saw a well-worn path also heading for the same opening, he walked until he reached that path and then continued on toward the sound. The path changed direction at what seemed to be the end of the tree line and then he saw it. It wasn't a river but a small stream; it wasn't even much of a stream, but to him, it could have been the Nile river. He sat down on a small rock outcrop near the stream. Watching as the water flowed by. Even in his wildest dreams, he never thought he would see such a beautiful scene. Sitting there in the warm sunshine beside the steam, he began to cry.

Softly a voice came from the direction of the meadow he had just come from, Hello, hello, are you there? A woman. She saw him and came closer. She ask How are you feeling? I am feeling fine, thank you. Do I have you to thank for taking care of me? Yes and your welcome. You must be hungry, let's go find you some food and water. You slept for three days and from the looks of it, you needed it. I would love some food, but I don't have a worker card. She smiled, No, you can't pay for it, but around here, we have a different way of doing things, different priorities. Follow me. He did. They walked down stream for another hundred yards and then turned into another opening in the trees where there was another path. This path went away from the stream into the forest. There seemed to be other trails crossing this trail at intervals. Past an opening in the trees was another meadow. A clearing that had benches and tables and a cooking platform where dozens of people were making preparation for a meal. This is what he saw before he fainted.

Sitting at various tables were people engaged in conversation. She led him to an empty table and motioned him to sit, which he did. She continued on to another table and spoke to a small group of people. She returned and said, We are still a while away from dinner, but we can rustle up some food for you if you can wait a few minutes. He replied he could wait. She said, While we're waiting for some food, would you mind talking to someone? No, I don't mind at all. She smiled Great, wait here and I will be right back with your food. She got a bowl of what looked like soup and some bread from one of the cooks and then went to the table with the small group of people and one man separated himself from the group. This man was slightly taller than she was but surprisingly, he had hair. Not a full head of hair as he seemed to be thinning on top. The two of them reached his table. The man reached his table and put out his hand, Hello there, my name is Fred, I am pleased to meet you. How are you feeling He said nothing. I understand what you are going through, I know this is a big shock and a major adjustment for you and no one expects you to adjust anytime soon, so don't worry. For now, just eat the food and rest. Soon we will talk, but not until you are ready, enjoy. With that, he left. She said, If you want any more food, just go up to the platform, ask for it. For now I leave you and if you have any questions; please ask me, I'll be over there with Fred and his group. The soup and bread was good and he had three helpings of both. After eating, he felt tired and he went to the woman and asked, I'm tired but I don't know where to go. She replied, No problem, follow me. He did and she led him back to the tent where he woke up earlier. This is the tent for visitors. Stay as long as you like, sleep as long as you like. He went into the tent and promptly fell asleep.

He woke up. In the distance, he heard voices. Laughing, happy voices. He could also smell food. Hunger drove him out of the tent. He tried to get his bearing but with the darkness, he had no sense of direction. He faced the direction where the voices seemed to be the loudest and he started to walk that way. He walked slowly because he could not see the ground and was unsure of the footing. After some miscues, he found the clearing where the dining area was set up. It was far more crowded than before and dinner, if in fact this was dinner, was already in full swing. Table after table was full of people eating, talking, laughing. He could not remember ever seeing this before, seeing so many people be…. happy. As for getting the food, he didn't know what to do. He reached the nearest table and a few people looked up and said hello. He replied in kind. He must have looked confused because someone said to him to just grab a plate and get what you want from the cooks. He looked and saw a table full of plates, silverware and cups next to the cooking area. He walked up and got a plate and some silverware and went to the first pot and ask for food. The cook was amused. Don't you even want to know what it is I guess so, what it is? The cook replied, This is beef stew and over there is chicken and rice and on that table is just about every salad known to man. Help yourself my friend. He did so. He had never known a meal like this. A meal that wasn't supervised and where workers weren't given exact portions. It was a freedom he had never known. With his food, he walked back to the tables, found a quiet spot and began to eat. He was surprised, this food had taste and texture. He had never eaten anything like this. The most surprising thing was, for the first time in his life, he was given time to enjoy it. No one was timing his meal, rushing him through it. He ate slowly, tasting every bite. After an hour, he had eaten only a half of his plate but he was full. As he sat at the table, two people approached him. It was the woman he had met and Fred. They stopped before him and the man spoke first, How was your dinner, you didn't eat much. He replied, I have never had a meal like that, it was…I don't even have a word for that meal or for the whole experience, thank you. Fred, You don't have to thank us. Your pleasure is enough for us. Did you sleep well? Yes, I did, very much so. It's amazing how much more peaceful one can sleep when you don't have to rush off the minute you wake up. The same for the meal, it was, well, thank you. The woman spoke, How do you feel. He paused and said, I honestly don't know. I've never had an experience like this, I just don't know what I am feeling. Fred Well, I understand what you're going through, I did it myself many years ago. Soon, you will be able to put words to your feelings and emotions. For now, just take your time. Right now you are decompressing from a lifetime of pressure, stress, and constant work with no time just to be yourself. You have been a tool your entire life. Now you can rest because it takes time for human beings to recover from a lifetime of use without pause. Fred hesitated and then asked, Do you have a name The question surprise him. No, I don't. I have been number 9444266 for as long as I can remember. I don't even know if I was born with a name. Fred shook his head No, you weren't born with a name. You have been a number your whole life. You don't have a name to call your own, thus I make my first offer to you. Take your time with this, but pick out a name for yourself. Everyone who comes here has the same issue, they have been a number. Now people eventually pick out a name, some taking years to do so, but in the end, they do choose a name. You cannot begin to reclaim your life until you find a name, a name freely chosen by you. My name is Fred, which is short for Friedrich, I wasn't born with this name but after twenty years of work, of just being a number, I chose this name. It is the first name of somebody I admire. To begin the process of healing, you have to reclaim your name. If you cannot come up with a name immediately, there is no shame in that. Be patient and at some point, a name will come to you. Listen closely, for your name can come from anywhere or anyone. This is the first step with coming to terms with your past, finding a name for yourself. You can then begin to move from past to present to future. It has taken some of us years to nameourselves, so don't rush. Are you tired? No, I'm not tired. Can you tell me where the stream is? Fredsmiled. No problem, I understand. Just take that path over there and it leads you to the stream. The pathFred pointed to was behind him. He pushed his plate away and began to walk toward the path. Withthedarkness, it took him a while to reach the path. He walked the path to the end, where he reached thestream. After a walk downstream, he found a rock to sit upon. He listened to the water as it flowed. Therewas no other sound in the universe. As he listened, he pondered this question, what was his name?

Chapter 3

He awoke the next morning with the sun gently beaming on his body. He fell asleep next to the stream. He awoke with a thought he had never had before, what would today bring? He had never woken up looking forward to the day. Another new sensation. He found his way to his tent and found several changes of clothing waiting for him. He changed into the new clothes. He walked with his old clothes until he found a garbage can and with a small flourish, he dumped the borrowed clothes into the garbage can. Once again, he was in clothes that weren't his, but this time it felt different. These clothes were better fitting. The next item on his agenda was finding a shower but he hadn't seen those yet. He began to walk toward the food area. Once again, he heard voices coming from there, laughing and talking, people enjoying themselves. When he arrived, he found the whole area full of people. He had no idea that there were so many people in this area. The whole clearing had a look of a party with balloons and banners and dancing. He walked to a nearby group and asked someone Is this some sort of special day here? The response from the man wasn't something he expected, No, friend, this is Sunday and on Sunday, we celebrate the passage of the week. Sunday is a day of rest, a day of celebration. He had never heard of such a thing, a day of rest. He walked into the crowd, all of whom seem to be having a good time. He spotted a familiar face, the woman's. He suddenly realized he didn't know her name. He was afraid to talk to her because of this, but she saw him and came over, leaving him no choice. He began first, Hello, I don't mean to be rude but I don't know your name She smiled, After all you have been through, I know you were a bit overwhelmed, my name is Eve. Here, let me take you to Fred. He is somewhere in this crowd. They walked through the crowd for a few minutes before they found him. They spotted him sitting at a table with several other people. The people at the table seemed to be having an animated conversation. Fred saw them and waved them over. He sat next to Fred waiting for the conversation to end and end it did. Fred began first How are you feeling I feel pretty good, thank you for asking. I am glad to hear of it. You have had a couple of days to rest and to begin your recovery and to acclimate yourself to our little community. I think it is time for you to begin the next step which is to decide what you want to do next.

He paused and said, I need to know my choices. Fred "Excellent answer my friend. Yes, you do need to know your choices. Right now, you can't work in the corporations because you don't have a worker card, they won't hire you without it. We can change who you are and get you a new worker card and send you back out there or there is another choice. You can work here. There are plenty of jobs around here you can do and by doing them, you can get room and board for work done. But know this, you have nothing. You will not get any kind of benefits from the outside world. You have been fired for, I am guessing insubordination and job performances issues. Fired for insubordination, just like Adam and Eve. The original sin was insubordination to god. Anyway you won't get any type of retirement or assistance from the outside world. That's the reason for firing you for insubordination.

It permanently clears you off the books. Trust me, workers never get their promised pensions, social security, or unemployment benefits or workers compensation. All they have to do is fire you for insubordination and job performance issues and the laws are very clear, you get nothing. So when you went into that manager's office, he had orders to fire you for insubordination and job performance issues. All he had to do was find something to get you on, raise your head, roll your eyes, failure to answer a question, smiling, not smiling, it didn't matter what you did. If you didn't do a thing, they would get you on that. You never had a chance. So, you have been fired and now you are here, which leads us back to the question, what you are going to do? Perhaps the best choice for you until you can decide what you want to do is to work here. This is what we offer. You only work five hours a day, working jobs around the community. The rest of the day is yours, to engage in study or community work or playing the guitar, whatever you decide. If you decide to stay with us, you work twenty five hours a week, but you decide the hours, either morning, afternoon or evening. You can spend one week cooking for the community or cleaning the community or some combination of work for the community. Some people here are gardeners, and some are carpenters.

What you do is based on helping the community in some fashion. We all work together to keep this community going. Now I mentioned study, we have classes in just about everything. To improve yourself as you decide. The reason for this is simple, here it is not about the hours worked, but the hours you can improve yourself. How you improve yourself is your decision, not ours. You can stay for as long as you like but know this, we don't have many rules, but a violation of the rules is really punishable only one-way, banishment. We have very little crime around here because of this rule, but know, once you make a choice, you are bound by our rules.

So what do you want to do? Here was a choice he never had before. He said the first thing that came to mind, I want to know everything Fred laughed. You want to know everything? Only philosophers want to know everything. We can teach you to ask the right questions and then perhaps, you can teach others. For teaching is part of the possible work, you can do here. It is part of improving the community. It is a circle here. We help you and you help us. Did you know that the Greeks believe in something called Arête, and people can achieve their Arête, which means excellence. This excellence was bound up with the notion of fulfillment of purpose or function. This idea was also tied up with community for it was only within the polis, the community that one could achieve Arête. We help you find your goals, your excellence and you help us maintain the community and keep it strong. We believe this to be a fair trade and one that doesn't exploit either party. So give it some time and think about it, we can wait." He had never been given a choice before. He was dumbfounded. Now he had two choices, to find a name and decide a future.

Chapter 4

A day later, he was eating lunch when Eve stopped by his table. They exchanged the usual pleasantries. Eve sat down and they talked about the weather and how it was going for him. Finally Eve came to the point. How did it happen? How did you happen to come here? He pushed his plate away and told his story.

"What does a typical day in paradise look like? The alarm clock goes off at 4:30 in the morning. Time is limited; I have to be at work by 6:00 a.m. I shower and shave. After eating some toast, I leave the apartment at exactly 5:15. I reach the bus stop at 5:22. While there, I clear my mind of negative thoughts. After years of working for a corporation, I know what's expected of me. No negative thoughts about the corporation, that is ground for termination as spelled out on page two hundred and fifty seven of the termination book.

The buses arrive at 5:27. On the bus, I check my vest for my termination book and worker card. You must have both on you at all times. Failure to do so is punishable by prison as listed in the termination book, page one. I arrived at work at 5:47. I must be at work ten minutes early as dictated by the termination book, page four. I wait, then clock in at precisely 5:58. Walking to my workstation, I step on the plastic floor mat at 5:59 and twenty three seconds. I have to be at my workstation and working by 6:00 A.M. or face termination, per page sixty-two.

I worked in an immense, brightly lit room. This room has hundreds of conveyer belts going from one end wall to the other end wall. Each conveyer belt comes out of a hole in the wall. Each end wall looked like a long row of mouse holes. Besides every conveyer belt is a workstation. The workstations are staggered along the conveyer belts, some workstations are next to the near wall, some workstations are in the center