Big Lies

[pbrower2a]

(02-18-2017, 02:30 AM)Classic-Xer Wrote: As they say, money makes the world go round. That's American talk.  A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into the establishment of a long standing American business. A lot of blood and sweat went into establishing a life long career with higher wages that paid off school loans and a couple thousand in grants with the tax dollars that were contributed over the following years. I helped out others (family members and close friends) over the years who were in dire straits and really needed some help. I've helped past employees through tough times. I have donated a fair amount of money to various groups like the veterans, 9/11 fund, hurricane Katrina, the disabled and so forth. I've done volunteer work for non profit organizations and I've held board positions with no expectations of being compensated. I'm not a fan of dependency. I don't like being used or being taken advantage of by people. So, I don't go over board with the notion of helping people. I limit the amount of my commitment both financially and time wise.

According to Christopher Isherwood, author of The Berlin Stories and I Am a Camera, the idea that money makes the world go around isn't particularly American. It applies with a vengeance when people are in extreme distress of need. When people aren't in such severe economic distress as they were in Germany around 1930 they might let something else drive the world (as a metaphor in contrast to angular momentum, gravitation, and basic realities of matter) -- like happiness, reason, hope, love, kindness, courage, creativity, or fun.

I will take mindless hedonism over rational greed as something to make the world go around. You know well what I think of mindless hedonism. I have noticed that greed and materialism are most common in people in economic distress.