Greed is Not a Virtue and Sharing (Charity) is Not a Sin

As the government spent more and more on wars that fattened the corporate and banking coffers, the tax-based income to fund those wars became thinner and thinner.

(HARRISVILLE, N.H.) - I credit David Korten (well known Economist, Author, and co-founder of “YES!” magazine) with the statement that spawned the title of this opinion piece.

For the purpose of this discussion, we will consider the seven virtues to be prudence, justice, restraint, courage, faith, hope, and charity. Similarly, we will consider the seven deadly sins to be wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony. Again, for the purpose of this discussion, we will not tie these virtues or sins to religion but rather to common sense and innate moral righteousness.

Those of us who are old enough to look back more than 4 or 5 decades remember having certain moral basics instilled in us during our growth years. These moral basics were likely taught at home and reinforced in school, church, and/or community. The keys (or most basic of basics) was that (1) Honesty was the best policy and (2) Cooperation and Sharing were two of the keys to making most (if not all) community endeavors work. Together, these two keys helped to create an environment of fairness and reasonableness, which in turn generated a higher level of tolerance by all.

In my opinion, these key moral basics began to dissolve during the late 1960’s and have gone rather quickly downhill ever since. As the social morality that spawned and sustained these key moral basics deteriorated, the keys themselves were replaced by other beliefs that were fabricated and nourished by corporate America and the World Banks that owned it. The economic markets of the world, led by Wall Street, rationalized GREED and quickly moved it from the position of “A Necessary Evil” to a “Required Element to Sustain National Growth”.

The fact that the Second World War finally pulled the U.S. out of the Great Depression was not lost on Corporate America, Wall Street, and the World Banks that owned our government. The politicians whose election and re-election campaigns were financed by the mega-wealthy entities faced and succumbed to increasing pressure to repeat the process on different scales, again and again. War was and still is a very profitable endeavor for banks and corporations, which is why we seem to be involved, at some level, in one or more of them continually.

Corporations (and their Wall Street owners and the World banks that own Wall Street) became the embodiment of GREED. No longer satisfied with reasonable profits and sustainable growth rates they pursued growth at all costs. Limited natural resources were plundered so wars to acquire more natural resources were entered into. The loss of human life was not and is not considered a cost factor to this growth. Before long, the U.S. government (controlled by the World Banks) was forced into a growth addiction and increased its debt to levels that simply could not be sustained and balanced that debt on the backs of the middle-income taxpayers while sheltering the Ultra-Rich. Over time, the number of backs that made-up the group shouldering that debt-load became fewer and fewer . . . to the point where everyone can clearly see that in the not too distant future, there will only be the poor and the ultra-rich remaining.

In an effort to keep the profit levels up, Corporate America began off shoring jobs once held by U.S. citizens. They rationalized this move by saying this was done to help the poorer peoples of the world. If that was a true statement, why wouldn’t they pay the new jobholders off shore a fair wage for the work done? I know for a fact that IT jobs off shored to India were costing the company I had worked for 1/3 of what was being paid to the U.S. citizens who previously held those jobs and, in addition, no benefits were paid to the new employees off shore. Meanwhile, previously tax-paying U.S. citizens became unemployed and the tax base left to pay the ever-growing National tab became insufficient.

As the government spent more and more on wars that fattened the corporate and banking coffers, the tax-based income to fund those wars became thinner and thinner. More and more citizens lost their jobs increasing the demand for existing social programs funded by an ever-shrinking tax base. The worsening cycle of spend and borrow sooner or later takes a toll . . . especially when you continually reduce the number of people left to carry the load.

When you consider what tax rate is actually being paid by some of the most profitable corporate giants (like GE) as compared to the family struggling to survive on an average salary, words such as gluttony, criminal, and greedy spring to mind . . . not words such as sharing, prudent, or charitable.

Writer Robert Collinsworth is an American who isn't hesitant to talk about the good side of his country, and that is a welcome thing in this day and age. Salem-News.com admittedly, is very critical of both American politics, as well as those of other nations that we perceive is being wrong in their motives and actions. At the same time, within these structures we criticize, are many outstanding people who make each day a better place for all those around them. They embody and personify the American spirit that is sometimes fleeting, but always present.

These are some of the things Robert takes into account when writing commentary that is designed reach people, to "get them thinking" in his words, and indeed it does. Salem-News.com's goal is for all people to be on the same page, we appreciate Bob's more conservative approach toward that same goal."

You can write to Bob Collingsworth at this email address: colli2@webryders.net