Greed Rules my Heart. Self-Righteousness Be the Root of my Beliefs. For This the Cup of the Hemlock Be Handed To Me

After we had relieved the cows of the fullness of their bags and was preparing the milk to be delivered grandpa continued his little lecture and I listened quietly.

“Socialism, in its ideal form, would be a form of economics that would eliminate the need of profits. Without the element of profits in an economy we then could eliminate the need of money. And all persons in a society would be treated as equals when it came to the distribution of the goods produced. This would require that all able bodied persons produce those goods or perform those services as needed by the society consensually and willingly.

Now, if we look at the concept in the above paragraph we have conceptually eliminated greed because all would be treated as equals in terms of their needs and desires. We have conceptually eliminated the inequality of power because there is no such thing as money. From this concept we abide by the socialistic ideal of providing for the needs of all from the abilities of each.

It would be a society ruled by compassion and all would know justice. A society ruled in this manner would need no government because there would be no need of laws in a society where compassion and justice exist. Without governments ruling over a society, the concept of war would no longer exist and the world would live in peace and harmony.

A concept such as this relies on one underlying principle, that all men are inherently good and moral. It would also create a society that counters the concept of money being the root of all evil. It would be a society created that eliminated all of the causes of the imperfections of life, as we know it. It would truly be a society where the people ruled instead of being ruled.

We have eliminated the concept of free enterprise that even its advocates admit is driven by greed. We have eliminated injustice by equalizing the power of each and every man. We have fulfilled all of the promises of the founding fathers of a nation where justice exists for all. Man would be free of its greatest evil, greed. And a society where the needs of every man are met will be a society that the God-given rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness will be fully realized.

It would appear that those who do not advocate a socialistic society as conceived above are wrong. It would appear that those who advocate a free enterprise system of economics are wrong. Only the greedy would be against socialism. Only ignorance and stupidity would prevent a society from providing justice for all. Only those without compassion could not be for the redistribution of the wealth, as it exists now. At least that is what those on the left wing of politics would accuse those of the right wing of politics.”

Grandpa paused at this point and it appeared as if there was a great roar of silence that filled the vastness of the walls of the barn. When he continued I could hear a whispered defiance in his voice that seemed to reach his very soul that day.

“If that were the case then I sit in silence as I listen while all call me a fool. If that were the case I sit in silence blinded by my own ignorance and stupidity. If that were the case then I sit in silence without compassion in my heart. If that were the case then I sit in silence, as I am judged guilty of being wrong in all of my political and social beliefs. I sit in silence as the verdict of arrogance and self-righteousness is pronounced upon my head and heart.

I sit in silence for the words of a fool are without wisdom. I sit in silence for the words of the ignorant are without knowledge. I sit in silence as the cup of the hemlock is handed to me to sip from, as only those without compassion deserve. My legacy will be the legacy of the dishonored.”

With these words said, he looked at me with the saddest of eyes piercing my very soul. It was as if he could see what the future held for me and he knew that he was helpless to prevent it.