On Greed and Popcorn

      The other day, I was eating popcorn at this same computer table that I am sitting at now. Suddenly I had a strange urge to shove an entire handful of popcorn in my mouth at once. Thinking about it now logically, that most likely is an impossible thing to do, unless you have the mouth of a shark. Nonetheless, I did it – I grabbed a handful of popcorn and of course only some made it in my mouth.

      I was soon on my knees, crawling underneath the computer desk, trying to clean-up all the popcorn that fell on the floor and all I could think about was what a donkey move that was and how I deserved to be on my knees, crawling around on the ground! Did I really need to eat fists-full of popcorn at a time? Not like there was anyone here to eat my popcorn or anything; just shot myself in the foot for not thinking and for being greedy.

      This bothered me more than one would expect because I think greed is a viciously nasty breach of morality. I personally think greed is detrimental to any society. If fractures us, it breeds envy, selfishness and most of all it negates Life through its ignorance.

      Many people think greed is good though. There is a news program everyday on the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) called the “The Lang & O’Leary Exchange”. Kevin O’Leary, a Canadian entrepreneur who is one of the TV hosts, tells the public each and every day things such as: “Greed is good” and “Money is all that matters.” Indeed, Mr. O’Leary is a successful venture capitalist. Yet, I am not sure if preaching greed everyday on national television at seven o’clock is a good thing?

      I have come to a point in my life where I cannot blame the status-quo on politicians, or on anyone else except the general public. We live in the world which we created. Luckily, I am on the younger side and do not feel greatly responsible for the misery and despair hovering around. I am also trying to do anything I can think of to change things. Real change is possible, we only have to look at Tunisia, Egypt, or Libya right now … it is only when we want it bad enough though.

      The following is an Ojibwa saying if I am not mistaking:

                         “Only when the last tree has been cut down,

                          Only after the last river has been poisoned,

                          Only after the last fish has been caught,

                          Only then, will you find that money cannot be eaten.”