Three great forces rule the world: stupidity, fear and greed. -Albert Einstein
Any so-called material thing that you want is merely a symbol: you want it not for itself, but because it will content your spirit for the moment. -Mark Twain
Much of our activity these days is nothing more than a cheap anesthetic to deaden the pain of an empty life. -Unknown
This war has been motivated by pride or arrogance, by a desire to control oil wealth, by a desire to implant our programs. (talking about the Iraq war) - Jimmy Carter
The motivation for war is simple. The U.S. government started the war with Iraq in order to make it easy for U.S. corporations to do business in other countries. They intend to use cheap labor in those countries, which will make Americans rich. -Michael Moore
No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power. - P.J. O'Rourke
There can be no doubt this is a world populated with people who are infatuated with money and power. From the very start, most of us are taught by society, advertisers and even some parents that our lives should be geared toward the accumulation of wealth and materials.
You must follow these steps (nonconformity to these rules will label you as freak or outcast)
1) Go to college
2) Get a high paying job
3) Make lots of money
4) Have yard monkeys
5) Covet what others have
6) But, most importantly, be a good consumer and BUY-BUY-BUY all of those symbolic things (new cars, houses, electronic gadgets, jewelry, clothes and so on) that you know you must have to fill that void you wistfully call a soul.
Afterwards, you may die knowing you conformed to the hallowed rules of society and realize it was all meaningless.
Too late.
Then you're thrown into a box and put in the ground to become food for maggots.
But hey, this little diatribe won't prevent anyone from doing what is expected of them in this society. Greed is the main motivator. It is the BE ALL-END ALL of your daily lives. And look around you now. The economy. The hunger of the poor. Global warming. Wars.
Our greed makes these things.
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12 comments:
Aha! A kindred spirit!Yes, yes, and yes.
And all of that truth in a blunt, humorous package. Well done.
Thank you much. good to know I have a kindred spirit during these chaotic times.
"all we are is dust in the wind"
I used to be motivated by my desire to have things. I worked in retail, for the love of pete, selling expensive things to people who wanted to buy expensive things. I even write a blog on expensive washing machines.
And yet, I have found my motivations have shifted from accumulating things (I do not even own a tv, let alone a flat panel) to planning for survival when the shit hits the fan in the coming year(s).
I think our civilization is approaching a rude awakening, and the lifestyle to which we have become accustomed will be no more. Our consumerism, coupled with our political apathy, has gotten us to this point, and will be our ultimate undoing.
Have a great weekend!
I think we are capable of addressing and solving the poverty created by the class structure, self-interest, individual and corporate greed, conquests and wars and, the inappropriate distribution of resources including water and food that lead to starvation and death all over the planet.
IMO it's shameful that earth's most wealthy nations continue to destroy other cultures and peoples simply to fuel unsustainable lifestyles, to shore up oil & gas based economies, and to feed the greed of individuals and corporate shareholders.
More shameful still is the spin doctoring by politicians encouraging those who vote for them to continue pursuing "the American dream", while ignoring the poverty of their own citizens and diverting funding away from addressing their needs. Instead the tax dollars are being spent to fuel huge military budgets that result in Americans witnessing their own sons and daughters being sacrificed on battlefields and brought home in body bags.
The two most recent posts on my blog directly relate to these issues. I hope you will visit and read them.
Kick ass dude ya have my beliefs in a nut shell but unfortunately without greed there can be no moving forward for the earth without the greed for money there would be no internet or tv or any of the good things in life which is a hell of a shame!
awesome post! I wuv you lmao
Very cool post. There is so much stress on material wealth. For some reason the price of your car and house is a gauge of your societal worth and happiness. Ecspecially in the west, there isn't much tolerance for nonmaterialistic pursuits.
1 - Didnt go to college. This is not starting well.
2 - I have a high paying job. That is better then failing at No. 1.
3 - But they dont pay me the money I should, so I have a job that SHOULD pay high, but I dont have lots of money. Back to being shite.
4 - I have a squirrel. Is that OK?
5 - The "others" all want to stroke my squirrel. I dont let the men.
6 - see 3. I need more squirrels.
Wonderful quote collection. Yeah, people think that if they just buy, buy and buy they'll silence that inner voice that warns them about their stupidity.
I've subscribed to your blog. :)
This entire post is completely true. Would you mind if I wrote a similar story on my blog and posted a link to your's?
www.mushroomattack.blogspot.com
Man it's been a long weekend. Almost every spare moment taken up with something we had to do with either family or friends.
I'm finally able to get back into the wonderful, wacky world of Blogging.
Sorry I haven't reponded to all the comments recently but I'm going to try to now:
Ocean: Well said!
brad: I'm glad your motivations have shifted. People feel they need "things" to fill the void.
timethief: You have too many points I agree on and maybe only 1 I do not. I'm glad you made such a well thought comment to this post. I'll be visting your site as soo as I'm done catching up with everyone. :)
Damian, or should I call you Damo, for short?: You are a sick twisted individual. Stick a shrimp in the Barbi, you Aussie dude!
j.alden page: You are in the same groove in what I'm thinking. Let's do a Vulcan mind meld and see what happens.
Sy, dude: I wouldn't let my own cat pet your "squirrel". You pervert! Why can't you be a wholesome gentleman like me!
Karen Zara: I couldn't agree more. This greed of ours is a disease. And thank you for subscribing.
lydia: sorry I'm getting back to you late. No, that's fine if you want to link that back to me. Thanks for asking!
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