This comment was by Paul Hurst on Tom Matlack’s post “The Disease of More.”
Just four thoughts, none are originally my own:
1: Free your mind, and your ass will follow.
I love that song, can’t remember the artist. If you are enslaved by your own addictions, the first step is free yourself from yourself.
2: The Buddha’s main teachings: (my paraphrasing)
a: life is suffering
b: the cause of suffering is craving or desire
c: to escape suffering, eliminate cravings as much as possible
3: North Americans are the 1%, compared to the rest of the planet. People don’t starve to death here. The poorest often die of overdosing on very expensive narcotics.
4: Roughly 5% of humans have Psychopathic Personality Disorder according to Dr. Robert Hare of the University of British Columbia (Snakes in Suits)
Logically, though, every country would have the same percentage, and every country would have psychopaths in leadership positions. I suspect it has been this way since the dawn of humanity.
Just check out Shakespeare, or world history of the last 5 thousand years.
There is nothing new under the sun.
—
photo: pagedooley / flickr