Silenced, Spent, and Still Serving: The Pyramid We Pretend Doesn’t Exist

You’re not crazy. You’re just not allowed to speak.You’re not crazy. You’re just not allowed to speak.

Look around. Everyone is exhausted, overworked, silenced, and somehow still being told they should be grateful. That if they just worked harder, smiled more, stayed positive, didn’t complain — they’d be okay.

We all know the truth: that isn’t working.

I’ve lived in Canada for over 35 years. I’ve paid my taxes. I’ve worked low-paying jobs. I’ve tried to follow the rules, keep my head down, and believe the promise — that if you do everything right, life will eventually make space for you. But it never did. And for millions of others, it never will. Because we’re not living in a fair system. We’re living inside a structure — one built to extract from the bottom and elevate those who already have more than they’ll ever need.

It’s not just that the rich are rich. It’s that the system is designed — legally, economically, socially — to keep them at the top, and to keep everyone else silent and compliant.

A system built on silence

We are told we live in free societies. In reality, freedom has become a branding exercise. You can speak freely — until your words question power. You can protest — until it becomes inconvenient. You can ask for justice — but only if you can afford the legal fees.

The truth is, silence is the most valuable commodity in capitalism. Keeping the working class silent. Keeping immigrants grateful. Keeping the poor ashamed. Keeping women “difficult,” the sick “lazy,” and the unemployed “undeserving.” The moment someone speaks up, the system deploys its favorite tools: shame, isolation, or straight-up censorship.

This is the real crisis — not just economic inequality, but engineered invisibility. You're not just excluded from wealth. You're excluded from the right to name what's happening to you.

We’ve seen this pyramid before

In 1911, a now-famous socialist poster laid it all out. The Pyramid of the Capitalist System showed the structure: the people at the bottom carry everyone above them — the bosses, clergy, police, military, and elite. “We work for all,” it read. “We feed all.” Meanwhile, the top layers simply lived off the labor of the rest.

That was more than a century ago. And yet, when you look at our world today — has anything changed?

Put that 1911 image next to its modern-day counterpart, and the answer is obvious. The aesthetics have changed — suits instead of crowns, billionaires instead of barons — but the structure is nearly identical. The wealthy and powerful are perched above society, and below them are the people who get up at 4 a.m. to work, care for others, clean, build, and survive.

But today, there’s a new twist: the poor aren’t just holding up the rich. They’re told they’re crazy for noticing.

This isn’t a glitch — it’s the blueprint

We are told to believe in “equal opportunity,” “free speech,” and “democracy.” But in practice, rights are rationed — and always priced. You want legal protection? Better afford a lawyer at $800 an hour. You want healthcare? Hope you have benefits. You want housing? Better have a spotless credit score and a down payment. You want to question why billionaires pay no taxes? Good luck getting airtime.

The system is not broken. It is performing exactly as it was designed to. And one of its most insidious functions is convincing you that your struggle is your fault — not the result of a rigged game.

Meanwhile, the top grows richer. CEOs get bonuses for layoffs. Tech bros buy their fifth home. Politicians serve donors, not citizens. Immigrants are blamed for wages they don’t set. And working-class people are told they’re “privileged” if they dare complain — even as they slip further into debt, burnout, and silence.

What happens when we all stop speaking?

The scariest part of this isn’t just what the system takes from people — it’s what it conditions them to stop expecting. To not expect fairness. To not expect rest. To not expect dignity. To not expect a voice.

And when you finally do speak, you’re labeled angry, negative, divisive, or out of touch.

I’ve spoken up. I’ve asked why I’m still fighting to survive after decades of contributing to a country I was told would protect me. I’ve questioned why the wealthy pay less in taxes than I do. I’ve challenged the idea that this is just the way things are. And every time, I’ve been told I’m being too much.

But I’m not too much. I’m just not quiet. And neither should you be.

Let’s stop pretending

Let’s stop pretending the system is fair. Let’s stop pretending it can be fixed with a vote or a panel discussion or a hashtag. Let’s stop pretending that silence is dignity, that gratitude is morality, or that struggle is character-building.

And most of all, let’s stop pretending we don’t see the pyramid — the same one that’s been there for over a hundred years.

It’s time to speak.
Because silence is no longer a survival strategy — it’s complicity.

✊ Call to Action:

If you see the pyramid, name it.
If you carry it, say so.
If you’re being silenced, speak louder.
The only thing more dangerous than rage right now is pretending everything is fine.

Don't miss the next installment of this series:
SOCIETY AUTOPSY – A SERIES ON LATE-STAGE CAPITALISM
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