There is a famous old song saying ‘The Best Things in Life are Free’. Nevertheless, does that saying hold well in today’s world. The stage which humankind has reached, the statement is fast loosing its value. The best things in life are definitely not free anymore.
We need to understand what the best things in life are. The clean air we breathe. The clean water we drink. The food we eat. Are they not the best things we have? There was a time when these things used to be free. They would not cost you money. In fact, there was no money. Mother Nature provided for us all. However, does it any more? The answer would definitely be no. Not anymore. We have taken a lot from her but have forgotten that she needs our attention too. Today, clean air is a luxury with all the pollution around created by our doings. If you want clean air, you need to pay for it. As for water, it will not be too long before we start shelling out the copper for use of each drop of water. In addition, for food, the prices are ever increasing. We bring in technology into all spheres of our daily activities. However, technology comes with a price tag on it. So using pesticides, artificial manure and other things used to enhance the quality of our crops escalate the costs of our crops evermore. (Lamb, 251)
In the current phase through which human kind is passing through everything is all about money. When Linda told Johnny that she was pregnant, both of them were filled with joy. It was all they wanted: to have a family of their own. Linda and John had a beautiful daughter named Sara. She is ten months old now. Now, John and Linda, both, have to work throughout the day to make ends meet. They work to plan Sara’s future, to pay her school fees, to pay her baby food, to pay for her nanny. The best thing in life for them does not get their attention as much it deserves anymore. (Lamb, 226)
What if we could go back to the countrysides, enjoy the serene greenery, eat the food we get, drink the water we find? Nevertheless, where do we find it? Countrysides are fast disappearing in the name of industrialization. To enjoy the serene view of nature we travel to national parks, forest reserves or resorts built to provide excellent views. However, in the process we end up paying a fortune for the rights to admission. We need to pay for what was quite naturally free: the sight of nature. However, it is not anymore. In addition, the question is would we just eat any food we find? Drink any water we get? The answer in actuality is that we are too conscious about its processing and worry where is it coming from. Thus, we are willing to pay for our basic survival.
The way we have and are being brought up, the notion of something being free has become so rare that we are overcome with happiness whenever someone offers us with something free although in veracity it is not. Consider the marketing strategies of ‘Buy two get one free’. We all know that there are some hidden calculations, which make up for the free item. However, sales are increased because the word “free” affects the psyche of the buyer. It would be extraordinary if we get anything free in reality. In addition, undeniably, the best things in life are not free.
Works Cited
Lamb, Davis; Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization; (Wellington: National Book Trust. 2004).