Greed Or Contentment: We MUST Make A Choice!

Well I could just agree with you as many points I do or I could pick out all the areas your also wrong but I won't except one area an that is the statement that if we all live within our means it will somehow magically make it all better. It is easy to say stop buying what you don't need unless you are someone who makes the money the buy what they need buy selling someone thing people don't need. Which is most of us How many people work for a company that provides Just what people Need and not what they want?

Unless people buy no one else can Sell and if you can't sell your goods (or services) you can even buy even if you decide to just spend on what you need. If every one only bought what they need then only those who produce necessities would have any money to spend or they have to convince people that the need what they are selling.

It is not that simple to say it is Greed alone that leads to this What is needed is social planing I know americans HATE social Planning that sounds too much like Socialism and that means taking away personal liberty and that SUCKS but when the free market turns on them and individualism and personal greed is turned against them oh all of a sudden something must be done about this greed. As long as it does not mean taking away anything I have that is.

It is not possible to have both individual freedom to keep what ever you can earn and or take out of the resources and also have equal distribution of those resources. So you always have to have some social planing how much does that CEO owe to his employees? how much to the investors ? How much is too much and also how much contribution to society is required to get a stake of that society?

We set values on one persons contribution over another's NBA basketball stars make millions while the guy that just made your lunch at the fast food joint makes Minimum wage. Now Let me ask you which would you do without lunch for a year or watching the NBA for a year? In that contacts the guy that made your lunch is more important then a star NBA player both are just a employee that provides you a service one entertainment the other food yet the guy providing something that in no way can be justified as a NEED makes way more.

THere is some food for thought

Great hub...well written and witty....Thanks for sharing.

Generally, in the USA, we have been so spoiled for so long, that we simply expect to always be gaining more (even if we don't work for it), we expect instant solutions to any problem that comes along, we expect good things to be handed to us and life to be easy.  We have not, as a nation, had to face any real sacrifice since the days of WW II.  Each family faces various challenges, but still, overall, most things just go along well.

We build bigger, fancier houses, and think that is just normal.  Few people today would choose to live in a house that seemed quite adequate to our grandparents.  We buy fancier cars with standard features that were extrem luxuries (or didn't even exist) 40 years ago.  We have fancy "entertainment centers" and eat out frequently, etc.  And most of this we do using borrowed money; often without considering carefully if we can really afford to pay it back.  And the federal and many state governments do the same things.  They spend exorbitant sums on totally unnecessary things.  I don't see much inclination to slow down.  It will be interesting to see where this leads, but it won't be pleasant.

Amen!!! So very true. We have to have the best and the next thing on the market. We have allowed ourselves to be pulled into the idea that we would always have enough and get more and more. Nothing is gauranteed. We've got learn to live with we have and not sacrifice that for what we don't have.

We have been bruised,scorned and embarassed and money to me is the root of evil, we all enjoy and spend it. But we should spend it wisely. :) Great Article!!! All that is happening is in Revelation :)

Greed came with the package of flesh that I had when I arrived on this planet. 

I refer to it as the sin nature and I believe the Bible supports that belief.

Contentment is something “learned by submission”.  “having food and clothing let us be content with that”. 1 Tim 6:8 “…I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content”. Phil 4:11

I agree with you. I hear so many folks arguing politics.  I hear so many criticizing our leaders and I’m not saying that it is without reason, but….  The Bible tells us to pray for our leaders. I hear few calling for prayer.

Thank you for the call to pray. I needed that. Thumbs up ~ eddie

Don't know how I missed this hub earlier Rob. Excellent provocative writing. I like the passion with which you write and sense the deep concern you have for the direction the nation is taking. You are right all of us are responsible for where the nation is because our contribution to the "I want it and I want it now" mentality.

You also quote Sec. Paulson stating America has been humbled and I'm reminded how often I hear "America is the greatest nation in the world." As a resident of this country I don't dispute the statement at all. America is the greatest nation in the world but with greatness comes responsibility both to ourselves and the rest of the world. This present crisis should surely be a lesson that we can't have our cake and eat it. Seems we already bit off a huge chunk of it.

Hi Rob, It's not like somebody came and stole all the money now is it?

I think this problem has a lot to do with the banks overloading the system. People tend to be over optimistic with credit when spending, but payback's a bitch.

The best thing I can think of for people to do is put out as much value as possible into the world, in whatever way they can. Half of the problem is that a lot of the money isn't backed by something of value.

To make money you have to get it from someone, and if you're not backing it up with service or a product that has value, you're draining the economy. Now what large organization do you know of that does that?

Try over delivering and see where that gets you.

Hi Rob, I agree - we brought this on ourselves. I don't think we live as well because we don't know how to be content...and still...we are always rushing off to get more. I hope we learn this difficult lesson. :)

Good one Rob. Folk have to learn not to overconsume. But it's an uphill struggle, against the forces of advertising, peer pressure and irresponsible 'role models'

Good hub, Rob. Do you think we'll ever learn balance?

Excellent hub, excellent ideas & comments.

We have been greedy and now we're having to pay for it.

Land has long been considered a good investment, but people often forget the basic rules to buy low and sell high.

real estate taxes have ruined the ability of people to live simply, because even if you own your home, it can be taken away if you fail to pay the taxes on the land!  So how can anyone be totally self-sufficient these days?

One of my ggg-grandfather's brothers became a millionaire by running a farm back in the 1870's.  He took excellent care of his parents, children and grandchildren, leaving them with actual wealth, not just paper money wealth.

I like the way to bring light to this problem.

I believe this Scripture is not a commentary on those who have wealth, but those (rich or poor) who desire it with a passion. This love of money sets in motion a path(s) of temptation of which many have fallen from the faith.

We choose where we set our hearts; will it be on God, or will it be avarice?

Thumbs up!