Greed is more deadly than terrorism

[Cyrano]

It’s difficult to grasp the mindset of the super wealthy. They already have almost everything. So what do they want? The answer is simple. They want everything else. And when they have it all, they’ll go looking for more.

Do they ever think about the billions of others inhabiting this planet? Do they ever spend one second seeing other humans as anything but sponges to be wrung dry? I don’t think so.

Before Ronald Reagan came along, we were probably the most prosperous civilization in the history of the world. We’ve been sliding downhill ever since and it has accelerated during the past eight years. The “official” statistics don’t tell us about the millions who are losing or have lost their jobs, their savings, their homes, their cars, or the ability to pay for medical care, prescriptions, and even food. And it’s all come about due to the unfettered greed of a relatively small number of people.

Remember Saint Ronnie’s “Morning in America” line of crap? Well right now, it’s just about midnight in America. And unless we begin to institute radical change, we may never again see morning.

Perhaps it’s time to start treating greed as a mental illness. One that’s far more dangerous than the demented mind of a serial killer. Because greed is on the verge of killing the futures of us all.

[Warpy]

1. There are a couple of corollaries to this one

Poverty is the worst WMD devised by men.

Wealth concentration is the root cause of poverty.

Only when we as a country recognize these two things can we begin to become part of the rest of the world and grow up enough to govern ourselves.

[kentuck]

2. Greed is infinite.

There are no boundaries.

[DailyGrind51]

3. More people are destroyed by the consequences of poverty

in one month (Katrina, homelessness, malnutrition, death for lack of health insurance, etc.) than have been destroyed in acts of terrorism in 40 years, even if you include things like Oklahoma City and KKK crimes.

[Uncle Joe]

4. I believe greed is a mental illness.

Webster's definition and this from an 1977 edition, I've noticed some words become redefined or mellowed in my 1980s edition after Reagen became President. I don't currently have the newer one with me, but I will check this particular word out later.

greed; excessive desire for acquiring or having ; desire for more than one needs or deserves; greediness; avarice; cupidity.

I bolded a keyword.

The corporate media have been promoting greed as necessary for the economy without any reference to the word excessive and it's ultimate implications. In this regard an individual mental illness becomes transformed in to a national or even global one.

Thanks for the thread, Cyrano.

[kentuck]

5. Greed is like cocaine...

it makes you want more. It's an addiction.

[Uncle Joe]

7. And yet, is wanting a home, clothes or a car for transportation greed?

I believe it can be, but isn't necessarily so, this is why I bolded the word excessive.

I believe this is how the corporate media fuzz up the picture by not making a distinction between survival needs and excessive wants in relation to a healthy and or sustainable economy.

[undeterred]

6. Carter was a reasonable man who nobody listened to.

Its been one lie after another since then, leading us down the path of destruction. Clinton included.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

8. bingo

Greed is the most dangerous and destructive mental illness on Earth.

Unemployed for three of he last four years here (Aspergers and depression - people hate me on first non-glance) lost my car last summer and was foreclosed out of my house last winter. If not for some well heeled friends, ironically, the most prominent being a conservative - he refuses to call himself a Repig any longer - who has lived with depression, I would be dead or on the streets now.

Great post, Cyrano, and a great thread.

The ChimpH8r in Minnesota.

[Cyrano]

9. Sorry to hear about your situation, ChimpH8R

As I said in the OP, there is no way of knowing how many are there with you. But given current conditions, common sense says that there are millions.

I think this environment is similar to what existed during the great depression of the '30s. When FDR came into office, he almost immediately started putting public works programs in place to help the countless millions who had been crushed due to the greed that was allowed to flourish by previous administrations.

History never repeats itself exactly the same way. But sometimes, I tend to be an idealist and it's just possible that if Obama wins, he may turn out to be another FDR. This may just be wishful thinking, but at the moment, it's a positive thought to cling to.

Conversely, if the rethugs once again steal the election, I believe we'll see blood flowing in the streets during the coming four years. People can be pushed only so far and IMO, we're almost there.

I'd say "good luck" to you, but far more than luck is needed now. What's required is enlightened, compassionate, far-seeing leadership to start to pull us out of the dark place we're in. Be well.

Cyrano

[kimmerspixelated]

10. If one believes in the anti-christ

I would have to say it is not a person but a thing- and that thing is greed!
It is horrible and destructive.. but very much a devil.

Likewise, the "second coming of Christ" is certainly not about Christ himself, but the conciousness that is supposed to come to the planet, in which Eckhart Tolle has explained quite well in A NEW EARTH, and THE POWER OF NOW.

[earth mom]

11. I remember being completely blindsided in the 80s by the greed is good crap.

I grew up in the 60s and 70s where WE THE PEOPLE were going to save the planet by recycling and building fuel efficient cars. I remember all the grand plans to help everyone in this country and the world and I believed in it with all my heart. Then along came the 80s and Reagan and GREED and it knocked me off my ass because it was just the exact opposite of how I'd been brought up. I didn't understand why so many people I knew were suddenly business majors in college and who sneered at me because I was pursuing liberal arts. Yep, they were insane kool aid drinkers!

IMHO, the ONLY good thing about the 80s was the music.