Tag Archives: wealth

RISE OF SELFISHNESS

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And how to overcome it as well as unbridled meanness….
Or: “There will always be someone out there who needs what you have to give.” I just read this on Facebook this morning, and it got me thinking (Oh! No!). Sometimes people are just mean, and I just don’t get it. They lash out when they are uncomfortable with a subject or person who disagrees with them. I have noticed that men and women speak differently when discussing an uncomfortable subject or when they want you to just agree with them, even if they are wrong. They just want you to believe in them no matter how you feel. It is hard for some men to listen without interrupting a conversation with a woman. Sometimes I think they just want to make their point without an argument, but, hey, if we women don’t agree with them, aren’t we allowed to argue back? In this age of the biggest bigot/misogynist in office, apparently, women aren’t allowed to ask questions and demand answers. Apparently, they are just supposed to smile and look pretty and agree with all the lies coming out of his mouth. (Thank you, Kaitlin Collins, for standing up to you know who.)

 I grew up in the South, where women were supposed to just smile and look pretty. But it was interesting to note the dynamics when the men left the room. Yeah, we were supposed to do most of the cooking and cleanup, but when we women got together, all I could say was: “Lawdy, Mercy!” Look out for what we all had to say! We had this kind of conversation where we all talked over each other, but we heard it all. And even if we disagreed, we could come to terms with it and still love the conversation. No one got too mad, and we still cared about each other in the end.

So it’s not wrong to disagree with each other, we just have to understand that we come from different mindsets. We as women tend to be helpers. And yes, sometimes we are mean to each other and selfish, but we can come to terms with it and do what’s right for our families and friends. Most of us aren’t too petty with each other. And sometimes we rise above all of it and agree on something our men say. Amazing, isn’t it? I would like for all men and women to get along, rise above petty, selfish government, and do the right thing. Mr. Rogers said it so well: “Look for the helpers. There are always people who are helping.”

My point is, this rise of selfishness wasn’t invented by the ugly, ill-tempered man in office. It’s been around a long time, and many interesting books have been written about it. One suggestion I have is a book by James Lincoln Collier, published in 1991. It is enlightening to see that this idea hasn’t gone away, even though we wish it would.
https://www.amazon.com/Selfishness-America-James-Lincoln-Collier/dp/0195052773

Andrew Carnegie believed in giving away wealth during one’s lifetime. His 1889 essay, The Gospel of Wealth, includes one of his most famous quotes: “The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced.” Carnegie’s message argues that the wealthy have a moral obligation to act as trustees of their wealth and distribute it for the public good during their lifetimes rather than hoard it or leave it behind. 
Context: Carnegie, who rose from poverty to become one of the wealthiest people in history, believed that accumulated wealth should be used to benefit society, not merely passed down or wasted.
The Philosophy: He argued that surplus wealth is a trust fund to be administered for the community, aiming to help those who will help themselves, such as through libraries and education.
Application: Carnegie lived by this creed, ultimately donating roughly 90% of his fortune ($350 million) to various philanthropic causes.
Legacy: This statement is considered a foundational document in modern philanthropy and a direct critique of selfishness. He believed that failing to use one’s wealth for the benefit of society was a profound moral failure.

Let’s hope the billionaire cult leaders take heed and do the right thing in the coming years. I love you all on this beautiful Super Bowl Sunday. Take heed, but it’s okay to have a little fun on the way!

How Did You Get This Way?

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Weren’t you loved enough when you were little? I am referring to the outrageous acts of shameful behavior (to get attention) that are going on with some of our billionaires (you know who I am talking about) and that guy in office. I would love to send these two lists to their mothers and fathers and ask them “Why?” And “What happened to their parenting of these children that made them behave this way as adults?” And why are 25% of the population still enamored with these folks? Why are people giving them the attention and worship that they do NOT deserve?

Maybe the parents of these disgruntled yet very loud people should look back into history and learn from the best. I can start them out! Here are 25 of history’s greatest moms (taken from the website):

Mental Floss

  1. Marie Curie
  2. Sojourner Truth
  3. Abigail Adams
  4. Irena Sendler
  5. Kathy Headlee
  6. Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
  7. Hoelun
  8. Candy Lightner
  9. Waris Dirie
  10. Indira Gandhi
  11. Anne-Marie Slaughter
  12. Madam C.J. Walker
  13. 13. Dana Suskind
  14. Nancy Edison
  15. Julie Andrews
  16. Lou Xiaoying
  17. Princess Diana
  18. Erma Bombeck
  19. Theresa Kachindamoto
  20. Angelina Jolie
  21. Mary Kay Ash
  22. Mary Maxwell Gates
  23. Alberta King
  24. Wilma Mankiller
  25. Ann Jarvis

And interestingly enough there were only 10 dads listed In history that I could find in this website:

Listverse
1.         William Jackson Smart
2.         J.R.R. Tolkien
3.         Eddie Koiki Mabo
4.         Amasa Coleman Lee
5.         John Holter
6.         Chiune “Sempo” Sugihara
7.         Frederick Kohner
8.         Joseph Friedman
9.         Candido Jacuzzi
10.       Amilcare Anguissola

A Forbes Magazine article quoted two authors regarding why the rich are different:
The author F. Scott Fitzgerald is credited with saying: “The rich are different from you and me.” And Ernest Hemingway is supposed to have responded: “Yes, they have more money.” In fact, the actual words Fitzgerald used in his short story “The Rich Boy” (1926) are: “Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me. They possess and enjoy [it] early, and it does something to them, makes them soft, where we are hard, cynical where we are trustful, in a way that, unless you were born rich, it is very difficult to understand.” Forbes Study

While I don’t agree with all of the study’s test results, overall, I think there is some validity to look into this kind of research further and include data from the recent behaviors of those billionaires who are making the most noise (in the negative of ways). I think we little people should ask why they are throwing huge tantrums in public and not helping fix the problems instead of making more problems with their drama and actions. They don’t deserve the attention they are getting and if they were in my school, they would probably have been asked to sit in the corner for a while and think about their outbursts (or getting a swat on their bottoms (back in my day).

When we were kids, we learned to share and share alike, because none of us had a lot to give. It seems that some of the poorest people are the kindest people and give what they can no matter how small. For the most part, they nurture their children and care more about their neighbors. But, it isn’t just a small-town thing, or a poor people thing. It’s about all parents caring and teaching their children how to behave. It’s about parents and teachers nurturing them when they were young, and showing them how to give meaningfully to others, especially when they inherit ALL their wealth. It’s about believing in a polite democratic society that helps everyone, not just perpetuate the 2%.

I always find it interesting that the ex-wives, like MacKenzie Scott, give away their wealth. Sure, it doesn’t necessarily sustain the organizations long-term, but it is a huge gift either way. Why doesn’t her ex-husband do the same? He seems to just give it away to his wealthy friends for political reasons.

You don’t have to give it all away but giving is a noble endeavor, no matter how much you give. Hopefully, it also humbles you into understanding the underdog and why we must always help them.

As we head towards a revolution because of this disparity of wealth, we still worship the super-rich. I cannot hold all this in my head. There is a really spot-on article about this from last December in Psychology Today and I encourage you to read and discuss it for some answers you are seeking: Why Do We Hero-Worship Billionaires

So, yeah, probably a little bit preachy tonight, but I ponder these things to help others move their thoughts along. I love you all and hope you can give your hearts over to doing the right thing every day that you live on this planet!