One of the writing prompts we are using at our writers’ group is ‘reflections’.
I like to think I spend the right amount of time reflecting on things.
It’s always good to look at what you’ve done, consider what you’d do differently, how it could be made better.
I don’t over-do it, but I do do it.
As part of the bigger picture, I often wonder what can be shared that can be classed as ‘wisdom’. What, if anything, have I learned through reflection that can be seen as the dreaded ‘wisdom’ by someone else.
What is ‘wisdom’?
Apart from one of those words that sounds nonsensical as soon as you say it a few times?
I think that question is one for another day.
Anyway, where was I… oh yes…
Reflections.
As I amble in to my Autumnal years, I can’t help feeling that I’ve figured something out, something big, something fundamental.
It’s taken me some time, but I get it now.
Money isn’t the root of all evil, greed is.
Greed.
As in, ‘an inordinate or insatiable longing for unneeded excess, especially for excess of wealth, status, or power.’
There’s nothing wrong with ambition. Nothing wrong with money. It’s greed that’s the evil at work everywhere I look.
What causes greed? Is it that the excess is a form of validation for those suffering from it?
Can we do anything about it?
Well, surprisingly, yes we can!
We can stop looking up to people who are greedy. We can stop using them as role-models. We can make it clear that we are not impressed by their greed and what it ‘accomplishes’.
We can make those in power aware that we are not going to support the greedy excesses of corporations, people or any organisations.
We have some control.
I’m not talking about ambition, drive, dedication or the desire for money. I’m talking about greed.
We have to take back some control of how we view and treat the greedy. We have to make it clear that we believe there is such a thing as ‘enough’.
Greed is eating away at all cultures. Once it gets its claws in, it changes everything for the worse.
And of course, greed is really about control.