Success and Happiness, Morality and Choices

I was just now reading an article about some wealthy folks showing their asses at a private event. When I say "wealthy" I'm talking billionaire-wealthy. Apparently these are folks who have chosen money as their Master.

At first, I was angry, then I realized that my anger won't change the way people choose to live their lives. As a matter of fact, my anger and disappointment means nothing to these people. So I gave up on the wasted emotions and started to wonder about what drives certain people. What drives some people to be selfless and others to be unashamedly greedy? What makes some of us lose little pieces of our humanity?

Think about people who started out with good intentions before they got caught up in pursuing money or fame. I can think of a lot of so-called pastors and Christians who didn't just backslide but bobsledded down into greed. I can look back ten or twelve years to some celebrities who started out in the church and have ended up making themselves into gods. And I'm talking here about people who literally have tried to re-name themselves after God or Jesus. Calling that mess the Illuminati is like portraying the Devil as a little fork-tongued man in red tights. You name something and people forget about everything but the label.

If anyone needs proof that good and evil exist, all they need to do is look at the world around them. I have a belief that we become taken over, in essence, by whatever we exalt higher than all else. Fame or looks or money. As far as money, there's really no stopping anyone from becoming rich other than the limits they set for themselves. I think that, if a person could put everything else in life second to the goal of becoming rich (or beautiful or famous), then they will be rich (or beautiful or famous).

A lot of us are gated in by our personal convictions. Financially, my own life is in shambles right now, but I've had chances to change that fact. There are just a lot of things I refuse to do to have more money or "security". I don't care what your religious beliefs (or non-beliefs) are, most of us have a gatekeeper in our hearts. This sentry is what keeps us from acting on certain impulses and desires. I have a strict 'gatekeeper' while I know people with more lenient ones.

On the other hand, I see people of my class (I really do hate that word) who will do some things for happiness that they wouldn't do for money. For instance, I know women who'd never trick for money, but they will let one man turn them out - all in the name of 'love'.

When I think of the few wealthy folks mentioned in the article I read, I equate them to poorer people I know. These folks I personally know of might not kill you for a dollar but they'd kill you over a pair of shoes, a piece of jewelry, or a lover.

Some people have managed to reach financial security without selling their souls, but there are some people (in my opinion) who will always think that 'more' is never enough. They are like the anorexics who will diet themselves to death.

What drives us - rich and poor - to even consider some desires? Is it some sort of fear? Or is a desperate emptiness we are trying to fill? Soul hunger? Needing to feel- what?

Because I am of Christian beliefs, I think of what Christ said about one not being able to serve two Masters. In some ways, most of us are guilty of at least struggling with trying not to serve another Master. (I struggle with being prideful and holding grudges.) Are we any better than a billionaire who jokes about the poor when we joke among ourselves about someone not as attractive or smart or popular?

Still, I pity rich people just as they might pity me. Maybe they pity me for my faith. I'm sure they believe that I, in some way, deserve my poverty. I pity that they have chosen money over compassion and charity. I pity that everything they have lived for will die with them. They will die beautiful, maybe, and rich, maybe, but they will be a dead empty body just like I will one day be. What's the difference? Well, we will find out.

Peace
--Free

P.S.: Hope this post is fairly coherent. It's been a loooong day for me.