Money isn't always evil.
When you are dealing with a population of such a large size with such variance in morals, you really do have to find something that can appeal to all of them. Money! Our country doesn’t run on our morals (though it is nice to think) as much as it does on money and economic advancement. We are capitalists not socialists. Look at what the prospect of money has done to the work force. It’s hard to imagine many people going to work if they weren’t being paid. Would you ever think that if we appealed to people’s “better side� and told them that it would better our society if they worked for free, that many people would go to work willingly? It’s a wonderfully idealistic thought and completely unrealistic. The same thing applies to leading sustainable lives. We need incentives if we are to limit our freedom!
People have talked a lot about the wealthy who are unwilling to comply or just don’t care and continue to drive their SUVs. However, I think that one demographic we often forget in our society is the lower class working families who are struggling just to survive. How could you possibly care what is happening to your environment if you can barely support yourself and your family? The tactic of appealing to people’s emotions and their “better nature� cannot be feasible when there are so many other things to worry about in our world for many people. Of course I’m not saying that such people don’t care, but that for humans, survival is always most important. If you can’t survive now, what difference does it make what happens in the future?
The ability to have time or means to take care of the world is a privilege that many people don’t have. Before we are to tackle this issue at a global(or even national) level in terms of appealing to people’s “better sides�, we must eliminate all other factors that are most immediately important. Only when there are no wars or famine or squalor, can we expect everyone to think of what we are doing to future generations. Until than we have to think in terms of self-interest. Many people don’t have any other way to live.
Comments
I think you present a very realistic point of view. I agree that people do need incentives in order to take action. And many people simply don't have the means or options to act as environmentally-friendly as they might want to. Historical issues, such as Easter Island, do show us how social issues taking precedence over environmentalism can be dangerous. However, social issues almost always seem to outweigh environmental issues in our world. You said that only when there are no wars, famines, squalar, etc will people be able to think of future generations. Eliminating all of those things seems almost impossible...
Posted by: Nicole Bredeson | April 27, 2007 4:08 AM
very well articulated, and the examples work. i agree with your point, and it's too bad our society has to be this way. once people have been influence by the market to be environmentally friendly, then hopefully they will realize the ethical/moral side to it too.
Posted by: kat m | April 27, 2007 4:36 AM
First, a clear distinction has to be made between THE LOVE of money and money itself. In addition to this God is not anti-money, or anti-wealth, He is anti-money WORSHIP.
I feel that the greed of money makes it evil as a person always wants more and more, consequently there is never enough materialistic properties that person wants.
Posted by: work at home | July 17, 2007 8:32 AM
Money isn't even, but the love of it is. It is fine to encourage people to make money, but not at the expense of everything else.
Posted by: Matt Keegan | March 7, 2008 2:51 PM
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Posted by: AccountingCrossing | April 4, 2008 11:11 PM
AccountingCrossingconstantly tracks the hiring needs of more than 250,000 employers.
* Fastest-growing job database in the world
* Jobs from Fortune 500 and other top companies
* Hundreds of employees finding and adding jobs around the clock
Posted by: Accounting Crossing | April 4, 2008 11:13 PM
yeah sure..
people being not aware of what they are doing and where they are going, many are always a burden to the society.. its good if they change..
regards,
http://healthybee.org
Posted by: karthi | April 16, 2008 3:39 AM
Just say no to evil $'s, if there is any way ;)
-and Yes to a life of being and living in Mercy and Grace -(Chi Flow)-
>growing in personal responsibly and teaching by example may be something to consider here. Sometimes we (in the West) do get too much into our heads, like nonstop!
Think *balance* for a change. The healthy bee has much to share it seams And I feel...
Tai Chi has much to offer for getting on with being in-touch with your “better side� as well as helping to get rid of stress and expanding Peace-of-Mind: www.TaiChiEssentials.com/benefits-of-tai-chi.php
Posted by: Benefits Of Tai Chi | April 20, 2008 8:09 PM
I feel that the greed of money makes it evil as a person always wants more and more, consequently there is never enough for that person wants.
Posted by: Marlboro | May 20, 2008 2:24 PM
Money is simply a tool, In the right hands money can feed the homeless, help heal the planet, or save the life of a young child. In the wrong hands money can become very harmfull, and the lenghts tham many people go to accuire money is equally frightful.
Posted by: Michael | August 28, 2008 9:08 PM
When I read this title "Money isn't always evil", immediately grabbed my attention.
I always say society is "injecting" so many bad things about money, that people live their lives under this thinking.
They make us thing that being "poor" is better than being Succesful.
They don't have want us to succeed financially because we could represent some harm to the system?
I don't know...
Cheers!
Alex.
Posted by: Alex Kei | October 31, 2008 4:54 PM
growing in personal responsibly and teaching by example may be something to consider here. Sometimes we (in the West) do get too much into our heads, like nonstop!
Think *balance* for a change. The healthy bee has much to share it seams And I feel...
Posted by: cigarettes online | January 20, 2009 7:51 AM
nice article, i'll let you chew on this :
" The more you know, the more you realize the less you know and the less you know the more you want to know. The person who knows that he knows not, knows all but the person who knows not that he knows all, knows not and yet is happy. Ignorance is bliss"
Posted by: cigarettes online | January 20, 2009 8:35 AM
Nice Article Will
Posted by: Billy | January 24, 2009 1:20 PM
yes
Posted by: Camel | February 19, 2009 1:11 PM
No it isn't for me ever. If it is for you just give it to me. :) Nice article btw.
Posted by: Kumar | March 1, 2009 11:41 AM
Very true information. Some people don't know how to handle money, and they let the money change them. Others can control themselves. My brother came into multi-millions of dollars a few years ago. He has not really changed at all.
Posted by: Bowling Dude | June 29, 2009 4:21 PM