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| Unchecked greed is destroying our planet. |
Greed is a problem that must be addressed. We have recognized this for a long time, but so far sating our greed has been too enticing.
The Great Dictator, a 1940 American political satire comedy-drama film written, directed, produced, scored by and starring Charlie Chaplin, cast its gaze on the problems created by the poison of greed.
"We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness - not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another.
In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.
Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.
We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little.
More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost...."
Gandhi said something similar when he said, "Earth provides enough for everyone's need, but not for everyone's greed."
Kindness and gentleness are the antidotes to greed. They can be used to cultivate contentment and quell the call of covetousness.
Everything changes when we are kind and gentle with ourselves, others, and the Earth. Then we see that there is enough for everyone. Life can be free and beautiful.
Greed has entered in charity as well,charity bosses are pocketing six-figure salaries funded by public.
ReplyDeleteSaffron (Australia)
Saffron,
DeleteWe have been discouraging friends and family from donating to the MS Society for that very reason. While we have personally benefited from MSS donations, and appreciate the good work that can happen, the organization has been co-opted by the pharmaceutical industry and self-interested bureaucrats.
I was an avid community volunteer for various charities for several years. I gave many hours of my time and skills over 3 or 4 years. At times it was over 100 hours a month. It gave me the opportunity to see the numbers and see how intensely competitive and greedy the paid personnel were and the lengths they would go to get money. And how manipulative they were to get volunteers to do the work. I also saw how little the people in charge actually cared about the people the organization was helping. I just quit most all volunteer work because of it. I found ways to help people one on one after that. Just me, listening and hearing about people in my small world with a problem I could help with. It works much better for me.
DeleteThere was a great movement going on in perhaps the most well-known world wide charity I volunteered for to make charities for them to be more like businesses. Several I've been involved with have become just that, only they still get non profit benefits like not having to pay taxes, qualifying to get government grants, etc,
I've wondered if the government is making it extra easy for charities so they will organize and take care of social problems that the government simply does not want to deal with.
Much can be learned by embedding oneself in charities and other situations.
That's a gracious comment Gregg. Nicely said.
It is also making us very unkind.
ReplyDeleteIn news here in Europe politicians talk about how to prevent refugees from entering the EU, and more locally how can we prevent refugees from entering our country. We want the riches to ourselves, and not even want to share with people running from wars we created, took part in and/or profit from. It is wrong in so many aspects. To talk this way should be met with protest and love for the ones talked this way about. It's just not what happens.
Why is it ok to talk this way? Why are not everyone outraged? So few are the voices that speak up and draw similarities and point to the fact that we are talking about people living in misery, people who have lost everything.
Everything will collapse if we keep the greed running. And I'm no longer sure it's the environment which will give in first...
/Terese
Terese,
DeleteI am happy to say that there's no tear gas or razor wire around Canada's borders when it comes to refuges. Our previous government was anti-refugee - more compassionate citizens voted them out of office last October.
Our new government has just completed the settlement of 25,000 Syrian refugees, and is working on the next phase to bring more.
That is an interesting thought - which will collapse first? The environment or our capacity to let greed rampage unchecked?
Hope its ok to comment twice. This hit a nerve. My thought on refugees is these are extremely desperate people. Human beings. What is wrong with humanity for not finding some solutions for this? It just angers me. I've been looking for ways to help the people coming in here. I tutor and have thought of figuring out how I can tutor/mentor to help someone or a family. It seems I'll get that opportunity when I relocate.
DeleteYES! I've been wathcing Canada welcoming a lot of refugees!! YAY!
From the looks of current politics here in the U.S., it's not a stretch to think of something giving in before the environment. This is crazy scary.