I just chanced upon the documentary
The Cove yesterday and was flabbergasted that our love for something or someone could be capitalized by some organizations to the extent they are willing to kill for profits. Now, it’s not just about a million or even 10 or 100 million dollars. It’s a billion dollar industry! What’s the Cove all about? Well, it began with our love for
Flipper, the dolphin! You like to swim with dolphins in the theme parks? That may be a great and life changing activity for you or your child… but, do you know that results in thousands of dolphins being killed each year just to find that Flipper you all are looking for in SeaWorld or wherever that may be?!
"Greed, for lack of a better word, is good"
Who said that? In the movie Wall Street, Gordon Gekko did.
I worked in the financial arena for more than a decade. If there is anything, it is greed that I’m facing each and every single day of my life. Others’ greed, mine & the rest of the world. I know what you are thinking now… that I’m all for greed or I’m speaking against it or are you totally confused by now? ;-)
What is it about greed, a negative connotation to many people, that I’ve something to review about? Greed is greed. As simple as that. The difficult part comes from determining the right and wrong of this human nature. Anything excessive is certainly not good for any individuals or organizations & the world at large. Having said that, we then will have to define what is excessive again. It’ll be on and on. No definite answer. I don’t wish to dwell on that. What I wish to do is to simply share a personal experience, an “inside” perspective.
Greed… for better or for worse, we have a certain degree of it. It may be in monetary terms or it may be in other forms of recognition (think fame). Now, I can’t say it’s totally a bad thing. With a little greed, we are able to propel ourselves to higher and worthy goals. Greed directed properly can make the world a better place to live. What one consider greed is more important to that very person than the world at large. Oh, we all judged others no matter what we said about trying not to. Otherwise, you won’t even think about the word greed because you won’t think the other party is greedy.
What I’m trying to say is essentially how much value do you think yourself is worth or entitled to in life. I do not wish to propose that anyone who’s earning over 10 millions a year is not greedy. Obviously, someone or many in the world think that very person is entitled to that amount of money. It’s an economic equation. It is not about others or trying to “approve” of others. I’d like to direct the focus onto ourselves instead. You know yourself well, you know there is a line when you think you became greedy. We may try to deny that but no matter how much you lie to the rest of the world, when it comes to the truth of the matter, you can never lie to yourself. Hence, look inside, it is not about what others make or if others are greedy. It is about yourself. It is your nature, it is your life, it is your truth that is ultimately of importance to you. When you crossed that line, you know it yourself. It is ok as long as you are conscious of it, chart the course appropriately and master your weaknesses. That’s when we can look into the mirror every morning and face ourselves and be happy with ourselves!
I guess what I’m trying to say greed is not bad per se. It is bad when it is taken to the extreme and it is bad when one dwells on it and make it one’s second nature. My experience is that when confronted with greed or being tempted by it, if I can overcome it and be conscious of its effects on my thoughts and behaviors, then it is a triumph which I will be able to carry with for the rest of my life; one which I can be proud of even when everything has been taken away from me! That’s the positive side of having faced greed in the face! It can be an uplifting force if directly appropriately!
One last observation is that whatever that comes from the inside, changes can be effected only internally. If each and everyone of us can restraint ourselves in this regard, then greed will not have such dire consequences in the world! Blaming others or pointing fingers is pointless! Imho, it doesn't change anything for permanence!
