The Politics Of Money

I am a child of the 50’s; a baby-boomer born at the tale end of the economic boom that marked the end of World War II. We witnessed the single greatest shift in spirituality, science, philosophy, and economics in history.  There had never been a generation quite like ours before and there may never be another like it again.

The 60’s ushered in an explosion of technology beginning with our ‘Race To The Moon,' heart transplants, and artificial intelligence. Along with unparalleled scientific discovery, we witnessed a radical shift in thinking with  the advent of the Peace Movement, Women’s Liberation, Equal Rights, and Free Love; all arguably noble, if not humanistic pursuits. The Bible and our Judeo-Christian heritage began its move from the front to the back as Eastern Philosophy, astrology and various voodoo spiritualist dogmas began to permeate our cultural thinking and slowly erode our once firm belief in absolutes and the simple concept of ‘Right and Wrong.’  We now find ourselves stuck in a smorgasbord of ‘feel good’ philosophies; slaves to the empty pursuit of spiritual meanderings, relativity of truth, political correctness, and vain celebrity worship. 

Factor in the advent of widespread corrupt corporate power-lust and its stranglehold on our government, and we find ourselves feeling controlled, uncertain, and unloved. 

We have become a very small cog in a big machine. 

While apologists can argue that much of this outward ‘religiosity’ and the rejection of absolutes, coupled with our cultural embrace of relative thinking and situational ethics has been a positive force of enlightenment, it has ultimately proven to be nothing more than the natural result of years of rationalization and the hardening of our collective heart. While the overall direction of this ‘realignment’ might suggest a ‘Shangri La’ of social, economic and spiritual openness, the opposite has proven to be true.  It’s beginning to feel like nothing more than a thinly veiled and malevolently designed consolidation of power; the only objective being to tighten the noose on our liberties while numbing us to the true consequences of our actions while stealthily picking our pockets.  The ‘god’ of this world has made his presence clearly known to those who have eyes to see.

The problem is we’re not seeing.

Is it mere coincidence that we find ourselves tossed about upon a sea of opposing and often confusing social and economic dogmas?  Is it an accident that we are constantly pulled left and right by claims of spiritual prosperity that lead nowhere?  When did relativist thinking take such hold?  When did the philosophy of ‘Looking out for number one’ become so powerful?  Is it really ‘okay’ to think of oneself first?  The popular “I’m okay, you’re okay,” philosophy is turning out to be less than okay.

Ayn Rand once wrote, "Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good, you ask for your own destruction. When money ceases to become the means by which men deal with one another, then men become the tools of other men. Blood, whips and guns- or dollars. Take your choice--there is no other." 

What a myopic and sadly distorted vision of the world. One only has to follow her premise to its logical conclusion to see the utter folly of her thinking.   History is rife with examples that stand in stark contrast.  Every war, every sadistic dictator, every proud crusade had, at its center, the quest for riches and the power that riches bring.  “Blood, whips and guns” have always been the tool of the oppressor in his dogged pursuit of riches, not the other way around.  Historically speaking, the love of money has never been a liberator.  It has always been a cruel taskmaster, enslaving those who pursue it. 

And I soundly reject the notion that money is some kind of ‘end-all- be-all’ solution for mankind’s dealings with one other.  There is no evidence to support the contention that money is a positive contributing factor in reasonable and civilized interpersonal relationships.  None whatsoever.  Sorry.

Grand historical references to the contrary are clear and are many. Sadly, we have grown adept at looking to the broad strokes of history and condemning the obvious as we skillfully skirt the essence of these lessons and avoid the application of them in our lives.

It is the smallest drop of water applied over time that cracks the heartiest of granite.  Our moral erosion, the subtleties of which pass almost unnoticed, has been steady and encompassing.  We only have to look as far as our wallets for validation of this truth. 

How many of us would rather pray for someone in need or 'put positive energy and thoughts out there,' than give out of our own need?  Why is it we feel guilty when we turn a blind eye and try and justify our own selfishness?  Why is it that the needs of a friend or family member become a nuisance over time?  How is it we can so easily scoff at those who seek government assistance and accuse them of seeking a hand out, all the while ignoring our part in the solution?  We become enraged at the needy and critical of a government that tries to help but refuse to help ourselves.  We claim to embrace the concept of charity, but do little to ease the burden of those who are less fortunate. Caring for the poor is okay, as long as it isn’t coming from our tax dollars, right? When did the politics of money overshadow the greater good?  When did it become right to care so little?  How did we shift the burden of caring for the poor and out-of- work to the shoulders of unnamed charities?

Man is a selfish beast.  We want what is ours and don’t much care for sharing.  We would rather stand strong in our point of view than acknowledge that we are a part of the problem.  We have become numb and polarized by the onslaught of our world and its baggage. We have somehow become firmly entrenched in being ‘right’ even when we are clearly wrong. 

Money is the tender of the god of this world.  Power is the objective. The love of money truly is the root of all evil.  The subtle seduction that began forty years ago has taken its toll. It has taken us hostage, hardened us, and blinded us to what really matters.  All of the pseudo-spiritual philosophy and so-called social awareness has done nothing to create the sense of urgency we need to face the challenges before us in our dealings with each other.  Instead, they have created a bloated, inward-looking numbness of feigned concern and confusing rhetoric, and we are lost as a result.

We have forgotten a fundamental and unchanging truth.  It has always been better to give than to receive.