Forum Post: Replacing greed: how to create the change
Posted 13 years ago on Nov. 20, 2011, 6:23 a.m. EST by scorecard
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Speaking as one of the 2%, who has sat in many many executive sessions with the 1%, the change you seek will not happen unless you change the cultural reward structure within these organizations and our country. A difficult task, but not impossible. Winning. Winning at all costs, Winning to get the tens of millions of dollars in executive compensation is bred into these bones of these people. They need to win. Up until now we, as a culture, have defined winning as making money--we can change that. We can redefine winning as successfully developing people and organizations so that they can learn, create, and grow. That is, we must redefine winning as demonstrating real leadership. Executives must be recognized for making their organizations strong and vibrant, not making themselves so indispensable as to justify the high compensation packages. How can we make this change? Stop watching the TV shows that glorify greed (read Real Housewives, et al.) Start blogging about organizations that develop employees and have an egalitarian culture. Start a corporate citizen scorecard that is made public. Support investigative journals into the abuses of power within corporations--and government. Ultimately, we create the leaders that we get. We are obligated as a people to create better ones.
We were all born with a natural instinct to gather and store for survival. A natural instinct to care for family and community. This is human nature.
When modern society was formed, we began to sell out our natural instincts. Survival turned into survival with a little more elbow room. Then survival with a little more elbow room and a nice view. Then survival with a little more elbow room, a nice view, and something pretty to hang around our neck.
Fast forward a few thousand years. With the industrial revolution, came mechanized transportation, modern housing, air conditioning, and television.
We had become somewhat spoiled. Somewhat motivated. Still relatively down to Earth. Still modest enough to appreciate one another, care for one another, and work towards a common goal.
Along the way, the potential for increased personal wealth became more and more intoxicating. Now, the vast overwhelming majority want to be rich. They want it so badly, they are willing to sell out basic morality to attain it. They WILL sell out basic morality if given the opportunity.
How can I be so sure? That's easy. Human nature plus years of corrupt influence plus opportunity.
Mother Nature did not plan for modern society. She did not plan for extreme personal wealth. Once attained, we become fully intoxicated. We simply can not process the concept without being corrupted by it. Without compromising our basic morality.
Extreme personal wealth is the single greatest corrupt influence of modern society. With every 'zero' on the paycheck, our basic instincts to care for family and community are compromised.
Those of you who still aren't convinced, consider this:
If God himself gave you the power to end poverty, bring about world peace, and take a bonus of $100,000,000 for yourself, would you do it?
If God himself gave you the power to end poverty, bring about world peace, OR take a bonus of $100,000,000 for yourself, which would you choose?
Which would the vast overwhelming majority choose?
Why are the richest men and women in the world so incredibly determined to get even richer?
How did the world's wealth become so incredibly concentrated?
Why is the concept of a partial redistribution for the good of all so incredibly divisive and controversial?
How is it that virtually every developed nation in the world has become riddled with fear, instability, and rising debt?
How have so many world leaders and those affiliated become even richer as their own economies falter?
The answer is greed. An obsessive desire for extreme personal wealth. It's become a worldwide epidemic. Smashing through moral character like a runaway train.
Not only is the greatest concentration of wealth in world history the single greatest underlying cause of economic instability. The very concept of extreme personal wealth is the most intoxicating and corrupt influence in the history of mankind.
There will be no recovery. In fact, this crisis will drag on worldwide for many years and eventually cause the fall of modern society. It happened before. It will happen again.
Greed kills. It will be our downfall.