What is Greed?

It is the downfall of humanity. The perverse factor that brings people's moral factor to zero. You are willing to sell anything, and do anything in order to have that last red cent shining in the corner, under the bed, already weighted down with so many of the other material goods you own.

That's a corrupting strain. More severe than the virulent strain of the 1912 flu. It corrodes from the inside-out. You are not seen for any good you do, but for the multitude and varied acts of cruelty just to get ahead.

I was talking with my Mother. Yes despite our disagreements and my unwillingness to do as she says. (She's a moral, and upstanding woman, but that doesn't mean her methods are mine, or that mine are not moral or equally upstanding. We're just different) But anyway, I was talking to her, and how I hold a grudge against the old work place.

People keep telling me I should sue, file for workers comp under the unemployment laws. Etc. But I truly don't feel like bothering. Why? It would require me going through a lot of steps, jumping a lot of hoops, and wasting my time...making line. Sorry. I don't wanna. Yes, I wasn't paid overtime for almost a full year, butttt, am just lazy and I don't like doing line.

That doesn't mean I don't think about it all. I was telling her that greed again is the subject of what happened. The owner of that particular place allowed greed to be the contributing factor of how he operates, and treats his employees. He gives apparent price breaks, but guess what? Those breaks? He takes them out of the kids working for him. He's got the (and no, am not being racist here) "made in China" mentality, but is attempting to get his cheap labor here. Under the table. Yep, he works mostly under the table.

My whole thing is that I can't stand the laxness of some parties morality, and the ability to turn on and off that button. Either you're what you say you are? Or your not. You can't play the game of good Samaritan, kind soul (bull) and the next undercut those around you just to get what you want. I want to be in business. That's a fact. There's no doubt that I've being trying to start something up, and give a service that is worthwhile, but you know what my key ingredient is? Being straight and up front. I don't employ subterfuge, I don't cheat others, I am not willing to take from others so that I may fulfill any baseness on my part when it comes to wanting what others have: on top of my own hoard. (That is being base! Being so shallow that you find a need to fill yourself because you don't have much bottom. What must be the state of your character? Your moral compass must go up, down and all around.)

They accused me of trying to do business similar to theirs? I told them up front. Maybe in the future, for now? Am just being a broker. And guess what, yes I told them this: it's a free market, I was straight with you, I started this line...only after leaving your place. What more can you ask for? No a thing. Be happy am not bringing down your particular house of cards. (The free market part I said it exactly that, the rest am rephrasing.)

That my friends is called coveting. I don't, and there are some that should learn the lesson. They are willing to drop everything, sell their own soul, and cheat the very last one of those that would give them a solid bond: to have more. Greed. You have someone working by your side diligently, but they suddenly stand in the way of your bigger is always better delusions of grandeur? You begin to shuffle them out of the way, they don't produce as much.

In Corporate America that's the way the game is played. The older you get, the more you get paid. But if you don't keep excelling? You are suddenly just OLD, not older, not valuable, just old and in need of being removed. RETIRED. Right. That sucks. I don't like the corporate mentality. The infamous rat race.

I've got something of an in between mentality. I don't agree with removing those that aren't able to produce the same. That? It's called bleeding your resources because you only like the newer shinier models. You never know when an old school approach will trump the gadget wizardry of modern day replacements. It's wise to keep up with the times. Get to know what you're facing and moving along, but you don't throw away the hammer because you found yourself a nail gun. What happens when you only need one nail, and it takes more time to set up the gun, than simply pick up that hammer...and give it a quick couple of swings. Done.

With the rush to amass more, be bigger, be better? Some people forget to breathe, and figure out that MONEY? Doesn't make you a better person. It just makes you a person with MONEY. Comes down to how much are you willing to sell? Yourself? Your soul? Your morals? Your family? Friends? Ask yourself that. And then is when you know how far gone you are and how nasty your particular strain of greed is.

Because it's a strain, and don't think only some have it. No. We all do. The difference? Some take the time to diagnose and combat it if it's nasty in them, others? They're lucky and don't suffer it much at all. I know some people that are happy having almost nothing at all. They make enough to eat, enough to keep shelter and are not attached to the material things. What happens with them? They don't suffer if they lose it all. They know how to restart, and no problem they are soon back up.

What happens to those that have untold riches? That amass vast quantities of money? They are some of the poorest people out there. Why? They suffer fear of the future, of what may be. You see? They know that as far high as they've placed themselves, the fall? The fall would be quite hard. Getting that high up again? Would be a big sacrifice.

No. You don't need to be a monk, give up all your possessions and roam the land with a hand before you begging for a loaf of bread, but you also don't need the gold engraved plaque with your name on it, on a private suite at the top floor either to be happy.

Where's the happy medium. Truthfully? I hope to make enough to carry a laptop with me so that I can write, art materials so that I can create art and just roam. One day? I would love to be that: A wondering soul. That? Requires money, and I understand that. The difference? I want to make enough to be able to do that, but not so much I'll be afraid of losing it all, so I'll spend my life stepping on others to keep it safe...and forgetting my ultimate goal. Be free. Be giving and share, despite the pitfalls I believe there's something out there that eventually brings us full circle and we meet up with a reward. It doesn't happen immediately, perhaps takes a lifetime, but how much more at peace are you knowing you did someone else a kindness than crying over what you don't have and someone else does?

Work hard, make enough to manage to live in peace, and don't start dreaming of greener pastures when you already have really good ones beneath your feet. Fine expand if you feel the need, but don't forget to keep a good moral compass because if you step on others it adds up? It all adds up in the end. Am just saying.

That's called greed.