Is Money Really the Root of all Evil?

[Unwitting Observer]

I would modify that by saying we are the only species CAPABLE of what we would define as evil. An unfortunate side-effect of sentience. Although I would question the unfortunately popular belief that evil is an intrinsic quality in man. If anything, I think it's the opposite. You can look at biology, how many animals kill they're own kind as a matter of habit, it's quite rare. All creatures have natural behavior patterns, humans are no different, although studying something inevitably changes it, and what exactly would be a natural environment for a human being is open to debate, we can extrapolate. Clearly humans must be social, cooperative animals, otherwise society wouldn't exist. If we were all as atavistic and greedy as the far right wants us to believe, largely because they themselves are, we never would've made it past the stone age. Look at the "social constants" between human socities, from Queens to Calcutta, you'll find striking fundamental similarities, division of labor, marriage, religion, and morality, these systems of morality are also remarkably similar. For instance, no society promotes indiscriminate murder as a matter of policy. There are war zones, ethnic conflicts, the United States has quite a bit of blood on it's hands, but even the most horrific episodes of destruction of human life took place within certain confines.
A society like this couldn't function, just like a society where everyone lies all of the time. Even in the United States where the crime rates are very high, proportionate to our population, it's pretty small. The worst acts of premeditated evil grow from systemic root causes, specifically, religion, unchecked capitalism, and the state.



I'd prefer to say they are a "manifestation" of power, like firearms, etc.

I like your posts.

 

[Albion]

It was a rhetorical link. You didn't have to click.

That's easy for you to say but when someone puts up a link from a website allworldknowledge, I feel compelled to click on the link. As said I was grateful for it, me and Barry Basin are suitably enlightened.

 

[nogodsnomasters85]

I like your posts.

Why thank you.

 

[nogodsnomasters85]

Can you do us all a favor, put down the bong, Stop The Sermons and get a 9-5 job like the rest of us? Thanks in Advance.

I am gainfully employed, although not full time I work about 30-something odd hours a week when not in school. In my defense the chain I work at like many other businesses in this new service economy, all but refuses to hire full time, you have to be there for years and get in good with the higher ups, when I applied I was told "Don't even ask, the answer is "No."" This is a common technique to get workers to work nearly full time while screwing them out of benefits. Thankfully, I've been there long enough where I've got most of the benefits of a full-timer. It sucks but I'm not going to make much more anywhere else and it's union. Job security in this economy is something precious. ............But you're quite correct about the pot smoking. As for the sermons,......I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[Alcoholic Afternoons]

I am gainfully employed, although not full time I work about 30-something odd hours a week when not in school. In my defense the chain I work at like many other businesses in this new service economy, all but refuses to hire full time, you have to be there for years and get in good with the higher ups, when I applied I was told "Don't even ask, the answer is "No."" This is a common technique to get workers to work nearly full time while screwing them out of benefits. Thankfully, I've been there long enough where I've got most of the benefits of a full-timer. It sucks but I'm not going to make much more anywhere else and it's union. Job security in this economy is something precious. ............But you're quite correct about the pot smoking. As for the sermons,......I wouldn't hold my breath.

By way of compromise, would you consider at least using short paragraphs instead of block typing? On those occasions I'm inclined to read your long posts, that would help a lot. Especially when I'm drunk, and there's quite a bit of overlap there.

Thanks.

 

[Buzzetta]

It is absolutely not the root of all evil.

 

[nogodsnomasters85]

I'll say it again: The worst acts of premeditated evil grow from systemic root causes, specifically, religion, unchecked capitalism, and the state.

 

[Years Of Refuse]

Humans are the root of all evil , money is merely a bonus to them .

 

[Thistown]

I wouldn't call money "evil" more like " a herion addiction." Money makes the world go around. Some people have it and some people don't. Like me I have no money. I have a job that pays well, but since I have some much debt, I can't even make head way. So basically I am poor in a sense. So what am I always looking for? MORE MONEY!! I need money to pay bills. live, and have some sort of social life, some fun!! Money does make people do evil things though if you want to put it that way. People rob banks, rob others and down right just makes people greedy. Greedy = addiction. Actaully I hate money... I want everything for free! Like the song from the Flying lizards

[youtube]v/insVgcOVVDQ&hl[/youtube]

 

[Anaesthesine]

At the end of the Nuremberg trials, a psychologist stated that: "Evil is a lack of empathy, a total incapacity to feel with their fellow man.... evil acts stem from a lack of empathy." There you have it - from a clinical source who studied the ultimate evil up close.

Anything that disengages a person from feelings of empathy (greed, fear, a lack of imagination) - all these things give rise to evil.

So if one is generous, fearless and imaginative, it's a pretty safe bet that you're a damn fine person - incorruptible, kind and true. No religion, no money, no philosophy, no political system could ever turn such a person to evil.

A lack of empathy is the root of all evil.

 

[Cassius]

A lack of empathy is the root of all evil.

 

[meat_is_murder19]

Most rich people look unhappy iv never seen alan sugar smile.Money cant buy u everything in life.

 

[Dow Jones]

Money cant buy u everything in life.

I'm willing to test this theory. Any donations?

 

[Kewpie]

Most rich people look unhappy iv never seen alan sugar smile. Money cant buy u everything in life.

They're only worrying about losing money.
Greed makes them very insecure and unhappy I suppose.

 

[IDon'tOweYouAnything23]

A lack of empathy is the root of all evil.

Completely agree. Murders who are classed has evil display a total lack of empathy with their victim. That's evil IMO



Money only becomes evil when the love of it numbs other human emotions I think.