There is naught to oppose but ourselves.

 A man of goodness must necessarily take issue with the current state of affairs.  He decries a world bent on its’ own self destruction.  The biospheric suicide of his own species, among others.  A mass of humanity subject to abject poverty, despite excess material conditions.  A world of despair and pain inflicted upon each other, by each other.  So the man of goodness makes inquiries upon whom he should address his concerns.  His local officials nod grimly, and some may even agree with his heartfelt pleas for change.  “We are doing the best we can with what we have.” or “This is just the way things are.” is their reply.  So the man of goodness is told to take his complaints to the state.  The state officials provide a similar story.  A man of goodness is a persistent one.  So he takes his complaints to the nation’s capital.  “Ah, my friend, you have no one to blame but yourselves!”  says the federal official.  “You yourself cast votes for the very people you take issue with.  Your own neighbors joined hands with you in doing so.  Perhaps your complaints would be better heard there.”  A man of goodness is also a discerning one.  He comes to understand that regulatory capture and lobbyists have taken hold of the government he finds himself subject to.  So he brings his complaints to the corporation, in the hopes that his pleas may finally be heard.  “We answer only to the shareholders, you’ll find many of your neighbors among them, perhaps even yourself.”  So he is left with a similar conclusion as before.  But still, he keeps searching, for there must be some elite to which he can speak.  So he seeks out the largest shareholder and at last his laments are heard.  A man of goodness is also a convincing one.  The chief shareholder is converted, and in an act of goodwill decides to give away an entire fortune.  But our man of goodness has only decapitated the hydra, and in its’ place, two more grow back.  The next day, the corporation has a new chief shareholder, and an altogether new corporation has sprung up to dispense the fortune bequeathed by the convert.  The man of goodness reels in disgust, shocked and dismayed by his failure.  He sought out what could not be found.  Attempted to reason with this very nothing.  Despaired when his efforts were absorbed by this vacuum.  At last, the man of goodness is left to reconcile himself.  And there is no escape from the truthful conclusion.  He paid the tax.  He worked the job which paid the tax.  He bought the product which was made by the job.  As did his neighbors.  As did theirs.  He finally understands.  He has been chasing shadows, a dog after its’ own tail.  There has been no tangible entity to confront.  As such, nothing to hear his concerns and certainly nothing to redress them.  With nothing to hear his concerns, then only he himself remains.  Things are this way because he acted so.  Things will continue to be this way until he acts differently.  As do his neighbors.  As do theirs.