Wealth

I heard two things in the news this week that struck me. We have an energy crisis because we are paying the price for freedom, from which I can conclude that the finger is being pointed at Russia, and I read that there are now 600,000 families living in the Netherlands who can no longer afford the energy bill, and because of the energy suppliers are left out in the cold. It seems that one thing has to do with the other, but I doubt that it really is. Monopoly is played at a high level.

Bag of money or Allowance

Eneco recently came out honestly: in the last months of 2022 they had made a tidy profit of one hundred and seventeen million euros, on the backs of their energy customers. Of course this was accompanied by the well-known hobby horse that they would invest in green energy, such as nuclear reactors, wind farms, solar panels, etc. Probably at their home then, because if this had already happened on a large scale years ago, the energy would not be so expensive now. Because they have done this too little in due course, the well is now filled in and that calf drowned years ago.

But then comes the fun part: it doesn’t really matter, because green electricity is also expensive. It’s not as easy as with the game Monopoly. I sometimes think that the entire Ukraine situation is being used to get the Netherlands off the gas, because that was the aim all along, wasn’t it? It only revolves around one thing, and that is again money.

And they can say that it is invested, but who controls such a thing? You don’t have to worry about Eneco CEO As Tempelman, he can easily pay his energy bill and is well off with an annual income of just under a million euros. He won’t shower cold for a day and he won’t eat a cold evening either.

The Sucker

I have to explain this. We are the suckers with gas. As a non-Groninger, I can hardly imagine what it must be like to feel like you’re living in a gigantic vibrator once in a while, although it seems to be anything but satisfying. If your entire holdings are shaking, then that’s something. Especially when you find out that it turns out to be for nothing.

It is often very difficult to compensate for the damage to the houses, but now the best thing; Belgium pays twice as little as we do, while it is our gas that they use. When I heard that, I felt completely sorry for the people of Groningen: then you just got screwed twice, without a condom, and without kissing.

Monopoly

Due to all the monopolistic relationships within our country, and most likely also outside, the gap between rich and poor is only getting bigger and bigger. We just have to accept it. As with the board game, free parking is unique these days, and if you don’t follow the rules you’ll end up in jail, while the wealthy gorge themselves on the real estate, which they rent out for exorbitant sums. Gosh, how come there are so many shops empty? Because paying the rent on such a property is one thing, but how the hell are you going to heat up a retail property with today’s prices?

The proportions have never been clearer and more and more like Monopoly the board game: the world is flat, and the rich play the game and are always the winners. The only difference is that in this case it concerns the real crackers instead of worthless money in all kinds of different colors.