By Carl Sampson
The other day I was eavesdropping on a conversation about capitalism. The gist of it was that capitalism is bad and some people have too much money, while others don’t have enough.
Furthermore, according to this discussion, rich people are not nice enough or generous enough.
As Deion Sanders, my new favorite college football coach, would say, that’s a bunch of bull junk.
It is an argument borne of ignorance and, I suppose, jealousy.
The world population is about 7 billion. Of these, some are flat out evil. They twist everything in a way that feeds their ego and their agenda. Interestingly, some politicians fall into this category. Right, Mr. Putin?
Others are wonderful people. They are kind and generous and the sort of people you depend on when the going gets rough. My wife falls into that category.
Still others are in the middle. They aren’t all bad, and they aren’t all good. They do the best they can but occasionally – often? – fall short. I’m in that category.
For all of these people, money is not what makes them good or bad. Poor people can be evil, and so can rich people. Conversely, poor people can be saints, and so can rich people.
No matter the size of their investment accounts, people are who they are. A hint to those who fall short: you can change.
It’s been said that sports build character. If that’s true, you could also say that money reveals character.
Some rich people feed their narcissism with their money. They buy fancy houses, cars, yachts, jets, and even islands. Which is good for their ego. But they can also fund charities whose goals include feeding the poor, helping the arts and other good deeds.
Some poor people are generous. They may not have a lot of money but they share their spirit and their time with others. It is a truly marvelous thing to see.
I occasionally buy a lottery ticket, especially when the prize gets really big. As I lay down my hard-earned dollars I start day dreaming about what I could do with a billion dollars. I’d pay off the mortgage, then I’d look into building a theater complex for plays and concerts – “Now playing at the CarlDome: Taylor Swift!”
And why not?
A newspaper I read has a real estate section. I call it the funny pages. Every Friday, it features some of the most gawdawful ugly houses in the nation. The price tags can run past $100 million.
Seriously, one movie star’s tile bathroom looked as though a Lego box threw up on the walls and floor.
I’m sure she’s a good person – or at least I hope she is. I hope she donates to the needy and other charities. That would be nice.
But I’d still need a blindfold to use that bathroom.
Money doesn’t give anyone good or bad taste, just as it doesn’t make them good or bad.
That is entirely up to the person they see in the mirror.
Carl Sampson is a freelance writer and editor. He lives in Stayton.
