To: Electronic Telegraph <et.letters@telegraph.co.uk>
Re:
Money . . . 
Date: Mon 30 December 2002

 

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Dear Sir/Madam,

So long as the misuse of Money remains an integral, legal and accepted part of our social and economic system, as well as its acquisition serving as our principal measure of "success", we should not be surprised at the corruption it causes (The year of the $6,000 shower curtains,  27 December 2002).

Money is undoubtedly one of man's greatest inventions, without which civilised society would be impossible. Most of what we do is either for or with Money. It is the most versatile - in some ways almost magical - form of power.

And as we know, power corrupts . . .

Money doesn't only make the world go round, it also determines where we are going. If we are threatening our own children's future by plundering Earth's natural resources, decimating its biodiversity and disrupting its climate and life-supporting ecosystems, it is primarily because we are making, spending and investing Money doing so.

And this is so, because instead of cultivating the wise, fair and responsible use of Money, a fine art has been made of its irresponsible, though perfectly legal, misuse for short-sighted, material gain.

Bill Gates has bent and broken the law (relating to fair business practice) to get there, but is still admired and feted as the world's most "successful" (because richest) man.

It is this kind of attitude - encouraged by your newspaper and the rest of the media - which provides the basis of the very corruption you report and lament.