The Profit Principle
I hardly need say anything about this – since it is the principle that makes our world go ’round. Except that recently we have taken a look at it and found it wanting. It is not the only thing in the world, it seems – only a small part of it. Shocking!
Anyone will admit this, reluctantly – but immediately balk at discussing it further. This is one of those things one does not talk about – at least not in polite society.
But behind the Profit Principle (which was basically nothing but greed) there was something even more fundamental – the religious belief that humans were all-important, and they were entitled to more. And even, without too much of a stretch – everything.
This wasn’t too much of a problem when there were not too many of us. But that is no longer the case. The has been so many of us so long that we are running out of everything. Those at the top of the food chain are not too worried – after all their problem is too much food, not too little. But they are beginning to worry about gasoline.
And something else – jobs. They no longer grow on trees.
Bravo for calling a spade a spade:
Profit = Greed
Yes! a tough connversation for polite company.
Yesterday, I managed to have a half hour conversation in which I attempted to demonstrate that money dissolves social relations. It seems people become very threatened when questions are raised about the compromises we’ve all had to make just to survive in this social formation. The understandable pride in achieving a modest success at this survival appears to circumscribe much thought beyond seeing opportunities and making the most of them. The search for truth becomes drowned in comfort and its continued maintenance. An attitude of “I can’t do anything about the system; therfore, why even bother questioning it,” overtakes us.
The phrase “thinking outside the box” has become very fashionable this past decade. But, lamentably, as Lao Tze commented over 2500 years ago, “when there is much talk of the way, the way has been lost.”
Despite straining each others’ tolerance somewhat, and frequently indicating a readiness at any moment to suspend the discussion, we managed to stay polite for the duration of the conversation. But, after all, my partner in this discussion was my wife. There was, one would say, an imperative to to remain courteous.