It has been said, “People who follow the crowd are soon lost in it.” Having lived in this world beyond three-quarters of a century, I am forced to believe that the confused state of today’s society (and subsequent economy) is no mere accident but by well calculated design. The principle and practice may be the same but the results in “an ever advancing society” are far more detrimental and far reaching.
The formula is basically the same as that used by early slave masters, few in comparison, to easily control hundreds of slaves. “Discover their differences, magnify them then pit them against one another. You can then control them for hundreds of years, if not thousands. It’s so easy that even a child can do it.” The primary differences today are the sizes of the plantations and types of enslavement. The common denominators today remain egotism and greed.
We have all heard it said that the only thing dumber than doing the same thing and expecting different results is doing the same thing and expecting better results. The easier part is making others believe they can either do it, or benefit from assisting you to do it. Why otherwise, in a fast maturing society of constantly advancing science and technology to make things better, are society and people getting worse? It’s the same old plantation theory weaving its magic on the fertile plantations of the minds of men–made easy through the manipulative forces of today’s audio and video games and programming in the name of “entertainment.”
As greed is defined by Webster as “intense and selfish desire,” one may be able to avoid greed by early detection of selfishness, always more obvious in others than in oneself. Some self-analization tests include: *I must be first–constantly seeking individuals and opportunities that give us a feeling of having the competitive edge. Its by-products include envy, jealousy and covetousness, among others. *What will others think or say? This often entails doing things that make us appear kind, thoughtful, caring and altruistic simply to impress others, but we are assured in the Holy Writings that right actions done for wrong reasons nullifies them in the sight of God. *Frequently finding fault with others. We must remember that mankind is not perfect. If we look only for the imperfections we will always be unhappy. Instead, to “see in every human being only that which is worthy of praise,” uplifts and enriches all concerned. Also Using sarcasm–hurting the feelings of others with cutting remarks to get attention or a laugh–and the list goes on.
Therefore, “Free thyself from the fetters of this world and loose thyself from the prison of self,” we are challenged in the Baha’i Holy Scriptures, for “No veil is greater than egotism and no matter how thin the covering may be, will eventually veil man entirely and prevent him from receiving the Eternal Bounty.”
