The New Greed - Who Benefits?

Although I have not read his book, I have the reviews and heard a few radio interviews.  The book is 'Slow Getting Up' by Nate Jackson, a former Denver Broncos football player. It exposes a life of slavery for an average NFL football player. I have no reason not to believe him and was shocked to hear this well spoken man describe his six years as a Y-chromosome grunt. Granted the young men who manage to make the big time made it their personal goal. Nonetheless, as CNN pointed out, the NFL has become a $9.3 billion money machine. It used to be just a game! Greed has become the new game and the slam-banging players are the disposable components needed to generate that kind of wealth. The Roman Gladiators now look like child's play! Guts-Glory*RAM, says the truck ad!

I have heard it said that each of us should strive to be the very best we can. As good as that sounds it can be dangerous as well. How often do we read about professional athletes taking drugs 'to be the best they can'.  Someone once wrote that a half-truth taken as a whole truth becomes an untruth. There is a proper place for self interest, but when we go overboard, we call it greed. The clerk in the local hardware store is not there because he or she is benevolent! Their motive is self-interest, that is to make a living. So was Bernie Madoff out to make a living with his 50 million dollar Ponzi scheme!

This then raises the question how or who decides what is greed and what is greedy self-interest? Traditionally greed has been defined an inordinate desire for wealth, goods, success, power or fame. The bottom line is greedy people are never satisfied no matter how much they have. Did not some of the banks in the U.S. grant loans to customers knowing that they could not afford it? Many businesses no longer consider the customer Number #1, rather it is the shareholder, the investor or their friends and relatives in upper management!

In my working days, during a summer period, I was assigned a specific task by my supervisor. I worked long and hard to have it completed before the beginning of the fall semester. When my task was completed it was taken to the Board Room for approval. My boss presented the material, and it was unanimously approved. He bowed and scraped, and not once mentioned my name. He took all the credit! Bully for him, because most of the people there knew who had done the work. Greed does not always produce lasting rewards!

Like so many citizens we are becoming more and more mistrusting of our institutions - whether they be the post-office, banks, our schools and even our various governments. Sometimes survival of the institution becomes more important than the service it provides! Who can we trust to put the greater common good first and foremost. The Federal Government, in its recent Throne Speech, said the budget would be balanced by 2015! Is there not a Federal election around that time? We all want a balanced budget, if that is indeed a possible reality! But, as one report said, is cutting staffing for veterans health care right now something worth doing to balance a budget? Perhaps there are too many civil servants and there is a need to cut 28,000  jobs. But at what cost to the environment, rail safety, native people, food processing, health care etc. Can we blame someone for thinking the real motive is winning the next election or the need to satisfy some politicians greed for power! 

It was once said "in media stat virtue" (Probably Horace the Roman poet) - virtue stands in the middle. Virtue is the balancing point between not enough and too much. The Catholics and Anglicans had a great debate about that back in the 1700's! I am not sure that is a correct way at looking at behaviour. Perhaps, sometimes the Middle-world is not where we need to be. But of this I am sure - excessive greed serves no one in the end.

And that's Dick's View of the World this Week