Adam Smith's "Moral Sentiments" Thwart The Real But Barbarous Impulses Of Capitalism
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The Theory of Moral Sentiments
Adam Smith
"This disposition to admire, and almost to worship, the rich and powerful, and to despise or, at least, neglect persons of poor and mean conditions, though necessary both to establish and to maintain the distinction of ranks and the order of society, is, at the same time, the great and most universal cause of the corruption of our moral sentiments."
Adam Smith
"A full belly does not believe in hunger."
Italian Proverb
The Rich Believe They Are Rewarded Because They're Deserving. Not So The Scum
"The Poor Are More Than Twice As Charitable As The Rich"
"Most Of The Rich Think The Poor Have It Easy," Washington Post
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James' Epistle: "Judgment Without Mercy Will Be Shown To Anyone Who Has Not Shown Mercy"
Alan: Even if we set aside the observation that a philanthropist is someone who gives away what he should give back, most of The 5% are skinflints, especially when viewed against the generosity of the poor.
Luke 21:1-4
Good News Translation
The Widow's Offering
21 Jesus looked around and saw rich people dropping their gifts in the Temple treasury, 2 and he also saw a very poor widow dropping in two little copper coins. 3 He said, “I tell you that this poor widow put in more than all the others.4 For the others offered their gifts from what they had to spare of their riches; but she, poor as she is, gave all she had to live on.”
Alan: How do biblical literalists interpret Jesus' straightforward assurance that "this poor widow's two cents are worth more than all the others?" If nothing else, Yeshua seems to be validating moral relativity.
Alan: How do biblical literalists interpret Jesus' straightforward assurance that "this poor widow's two cents are worth more than all the others?" If nothing else, Yeshua seems to be validating moral relativity.
Lesson Of The Widow's Mite
"The need for financial security was too deeply engrained. That singular fear is probably the greatest obstacle to moral action in today's society. There are arguments that one can live simply on a large salary while using the excess for good works, but we have never seen them lived out." Janet and Rob Aldridge who quit Lockheed after 25 years. Prior to his resignation, Aldridge was in charge of designing the Maneuvering Re-entry Vehicle (MARV) for the Trident missile.
"It is true that we might do a vast amount of good if we were wealthy, but it is also highly improbable, not many do; and the art of growing rich is not only quite distinct form that of doing good, but the practice of the one does not at all train a man for practicing the other... It is a mere illusion that, above a certain income, the personal desires will be satisfied and leave a wider margin for the generous impulse. It is as difficult to be generous, or anything else...on thirty thousand as on two thousand a year." Robert Louis Stevenson
"The merely rich are not rich enough to rule the modern market. The things that change modern history, the big national and international loans, the big educational and philanthropic foundations, the purchase of numberless newspapers, the big prices paid for peerages, the big expenses often incurred in elections - these are getting too big for everybody except the misers; the men with the largest of earthly fortunes and the smallest of earthly aims. There are two other odd and rather important things to be said about them. The first is this: that with this aristocracy we do not have the chance of a lucky variety in types which belongs to larger and looser aristocracies. The moderately rich include all kinds of people even good people. Even priests are sometimes saints; and even soldiers are sometimes heroes. Some doctors have really grown wealthy by curing their patients and not by flattering them; some brewers have been known to sell beer. But among the Very Rich you will never find a really generous man, even by accident. They may give their money away, but they will never give themselves away; they are egoistic, secretive, dry as old bones. To be smart enough to get all that money you must be dull enough to want it." G.K. Chesterton
"The present position which we, the educated and well-to-do classes occupy, is that of the Old Man of the Sea, riding on the poor man's back; only, unlike the Old Man of the Sea, we are very sorry for the poor man, very sorry; and we will do almost anything for the poor man's relief. We will not only supply him with food sufficient to keep him on his legs, but we will teach and instruct him and point out to him the beauties of the landscape; we will discourse sweet music to him and give him abundance of good advice. Yes, we will do almost anything for the poor man, anything but get off his back." Tolstoy
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