It's pretty much a clichéd staple of crime fiction. The lure of easy "found" money. The ethical dilemma. Would you take it if you could get away with it? The found suitcase. The accidental discovery. The hidden treasure unearthed without attached malice. Yesterday, I met someone who believed they would not take the money under any advantageous circumstance. Even with every caveat and scenario of getting away with it I presented...they were firm in their affirmation of no. Of course this person was of advanced age and swore up and down that they had everything they needed, that money only causes problems (my fictional point exactly) so I changed my tactics. What if you could help others anonymously with the found money? What if a big pile of cash could save someone's life, would you feel justified in taking it? It gave them pause, but again they said they wouldn't because it was against their beliefs. I didn't believe them. Not to besmirch their "faith" or "character" but I just believe greed is a stain of our nature. A survival instinct. The dark engine essence and the real echo from the garden. Makes for good reading, right? And why? It's the black cloud that we can never outrun. Ever. Onward.
4/18/12
We're All Liars
It's pretty much a clichéd staple of crime fiction. The lure of easy "found" money. The ethical dilemma. Would you take it if you could get away with it? The found suitcase. The accidental discovery. The hidden treasure unearthed without attached malice. Yesterday, I met someone who believed they would not take the money under any advantageous circumstance. Even with every caveat and scenario of getting away with it I presented...they were firm in their affirmation of no. Of course this person was of advanced age and swore up and down that they had everything they needed, that money only causes problems (my fictional point exactly) so I changed my tactics. What if you could help others anonymously with the found money? What if a big pile of cash could save someone's life, would you feel justified in taking it? It gave them pause, but again they said they wouldn't because it was against their beliefs. I didn't believe them. Not to besmirch their "faith" or "character" but I just believe greed is a stain of our nature. A survival instinct. The dark engine essence and the real echo from the garden. Makes for good reading, right? And why? It's the black cloud that we can never outrun. Ever. Onward.