Money was once merely a tool – today, it is worshipped like a god. We live for it, sacrifice time and values to obtain it and increasingly measure our worth by it. Nations obey its laws, relationships crumble in its pursuit and the planet suffers to satisfy its hunger. Still, the devotion deepens.

We have traded meaning for materialism. Where humanity once sought purpose, wisdom and connection, we now chase numbers on a screen. Billionaires are elevated to celebrity status, corporations are revered, and poverty is viewed not as systemic failure but as personal weakness.

Yet, this god is insatiable. The more it receives, the more it demands. In a finite world, we have created an economic system that expects infinite growth. We exploit people, deplete resources and poison ecosystems – all to feed this engine of wealth.

Politics, rather than being a call to serve, has become a stage for self-

interest. Most politicians are no longer public servants but performers, their campaigns crafted for optics, not outcomes. Once elected, they serve not the people but the wealthy patrons behind the curtain.

Money dictates policy. It silences opposition and protects power.

Ideas that once sparked progress are now business models. A clever product, app or platform can turn its creator into a billionaire overnight. These individuals then ascend into positions of influence, advising governments, shaping narratives and teaching the next generation of leaders not how to lead but how to manipulate and dominate. Their goal: not justice or unity but control dressed up as innovation.

They are not modern-day Robin Hoods. They do not redistribute wealth. They consolidate it. Wrapped in the language of ‘disruption’ and ‘efficiency’ they widen inequality, hoard resources and rewrite the rules in their favour – all while branding themselves as saviours.

Politics is no longer a path to progress – it is theatre- Ray Azzopardi

The media, once a guardian of truth, now often serves as a megaphone for wealth. Much of it is owned by conglomerates and tied to political agendas, crafting a reality that benefits the few. While a few outlets remain truly independent and committed to honest reporting, they are increasingly drowned out or pushed to the margins.

The public is not informed – it is managed. Fed outrage, hope and division in careful doses, voters are kept loyal and distracted. And once their vote is cast, they are forgotten until the next cycle.

And, still, we wonder: Why are so many so unquestioning? So loyal to broken systems? Because this machine doesn’t want critical thinkers – it wants devoted fans. Voters act like sports supporters, cheering for ‘their side’ even as their rights vanish and their futures shrink. Politics is no longer a path to progress – it is theatre. And the audience no longer realises they are part of the performance.

This is the design: a small group lives in luxury while the majority fights for what remains. Citizens are not empowered – they are exploited. Their labour, their data, their attention and even their despair are harvested and converted into more power for the few. In return, they are thrown small comforts and empty distractions, just enough to keep them passive.

And, perhaps most tragically, we worship those who harm us. These false idols – wealthy, untouchable and insulated – are treated as heroes. We admire their success, imitate their lifestyles and defend them against accountability, even as they strip away our future and our dignity.

It is time to awaken. We are not free in a system that trades our autonomy for convenience and our consent for control. Our standard of living, like our privacy, is being eroded – if not already handed over to forces far beyond our reach. If we do not stop venerating those who exploit us, we will continue down this path – until there is nothing left but the silence of our obedience.

Ray Azzopardi

Ray Azzopardi has a deep interest in social justice, media integrity and the interrelation of wealth and power.