GREED

Dear Friend,

I work at a store. It's not a large or extremely expensive store; it's reasonably priced and the expected quality that cheap labour creates.

While I am not, what I would consider "greedy" I do like my material possessions. Some of them very much.

However it is the greed of the everyday person that can still shock me.

I watch person after person pull out their plastic god from their wallets, swiping to get what they believe will make them happy.

I watch card after card get declined, only to have them shout in happiness and relief when the third card works and they can purchase their $300.00 worth of items.

In my mind I see bills, debt, a giant hole in which they are digging themselves ever deeper. Is it the belief that if you buy this thing, it will make you happy?

It's true of course.

Material things do make you happy - but it is a fleeting happiness. You're happy until it wears out, runs out, becomes obsolete or something else comes and tempts you along.

Am I a materialist? Yes I am.

I love my stuff, the junk that fills up my life. Like a child, I cling to it and scream when it's taken away.

Can I excuse and justify myself by saying I was born this way? That I came into a world where stuff means everything? Where paper bills are enough to kill and be killed for? That I will strive my entire life just to have more stuff that clutters my life?

I can try.

But I believe that every person, in some sense, truly hates money. That we are a willing slave to it.

Money makes the world go 'round, it's said. I believe that it is the love of money that makes the world go around.

We are the ones that put value into money. Money itself is no more then paper and metal.

Dear friend, I know this sounds like idealistic garbage that no person could change; and I would agree. No one can change this.

And tomorrow I will work again for money, and spend money, and stash money away.

But I can't help but be disgusted.

Sincerely,

Mute

The Marketing Guy

Dear Friend,

Somehow today, through no fault of my own, I ended up at a Marketing, pyramid-scheme presentation.
My roommate insisted that this was supposed to be a party. At least that was the implication when she told me about it the evening before.
In my mind I pictured a get together with several people, food, coffee and possibly some chatting.
What a got was a hotel conference room, full of zombie-like smiling people, no coffee and certainly no food.
I sat there listening to people talk about how they became rich in a matter of seconds and how I too, could also be that lucky for the reasonable price of $399.00.
I sat, half-listening, half counting the tiles on the wall and wondering how much oil he had to use to get his hair to stay that way.
There were three presenters: The slick maverick complete with tie and gold necklaces, the casual-looking overweight man, funny and amazingly ordinary, and of course, the kind older gentleman who assured everything in its entirety.
I was amazed how so many people could take this presentation seriously. They sat side by side, grinning ear to ear and clapping randomly at parts I really didn’t understand.
And yet somehow, like all the others I began to see how this could work, and started smiling myself.
It was like sinking into an ocean. I was surrounded, bombarded and bedazzled into thinking this too-good-to-be-true could actually be true!
Thank God I was able to get out of there before I signed my life away to a pyramid scheme.
Naturally I will be more careful when accepting party invites from now on.

Sincerely,
Mute

The Beginning

Dear Friend,

This is my first letter to you; though really it is mostly for my own benefit.
It's quite possible no one will ever read this and I find it fairly comforting - the freedom to write what I want.
Why not just write in a journal then? Possibly because I find the thought of someone stumbling upon this lonely little blog intriguing.
For the sake of anonymity I won't be sharing details of my life, but more the thoughts and ideas I glean from it.
For understanding purposes, this I can share:
I am finished secondary education.
I am currently working
I live in a house with room-mates
I live in a large city.

Well my dear friend - here's to a lovely one-sided relationship.

Sincerely,
Mute