Based on generalizations rather than individual acquaintances, such divisions create a feeling of moral superiority over the target of one’s comparison. Consider the Occupy Movement of the early 2010s as an example. Currents of ill feelings toward the “rich” today still flow deeply and often openly. Still, it’s not just the wealthy who make such comparisons. Such comparisons that involve differences in financial standing are among the easiest to make. Vainglory requires a comparison of one’s circumstances with those of others to establish a sense of financial or ethical dominance. The more money and riches a person has, the greater danger they have of vainglory and pride. It doesn’t take much to see how money gets involved in most of these sins. They are vainglory (pride), avarice (greed), lust, envy, gluttony, wrath (anger), and sloth. In the fourth century AD, the Christian monk, Evagrius Ponticus identified the eight evil thoughts that Pope Gregory I first transformed into the seven deadly sins in the sixth century and which Thomas Aquinas reinforced in the thirteenth century. For three millennia, we have found money a favorite target to blame.Īdd to our human tendencies some major religious beliefs that cast a potentially very negative light on money, and money can easily be seen as evil. Economically, that usually involves blaming the system. Humans aren’t always the most trusting, and when our individual circumstances take a downturn, we often tend to seek fault elsewhere. Money had to be accepted by all as valuable, not just enforced from above. When compared to the previous monetary system of “gifting and debt,” not only did we have to change the way we thought about what was valuable, but we had to imbue much more collective trust into the process of exchange. For nearly 3,000 years, since coins were first used in the kingdom of Lydia (much of present-day Turkey), we humans have been able to exchange our work for coins and then exchange those coins for other goods and services. Humans have an interesting, deep, but often confusing relationship with money. Such media sensationalism colors society’s general feelings about money.īut aside from the history and credos behind our hatred of money, most consumers seem to go through various stages of their relationship with it, from ignorance to fancy, from estrangement and anger to acceptance and partnership. Large-scale frauds make the news regularly while an individual’s long-term, slow-building investments remain private matters. In the fourth century, St Jerome wrote vehemently against the wealth accumulating activities of merchants, all but denying any possibility of their acceptance in the eyes of God. From anti-capitalist and occupy movements to anti-western societies, the anger over the seeming unfairness of financial matters tends to focus on money. While the expression “money is the root of all evil” has a religious origin in the Bible, its sentiment is easily understood across religions and cultures. Making money the purpose of your existence tends to lead to many troubles. Using money as a tool can lead to much that is positive for the individual and society. With such a starting role in human well-being or misfortune, it’s no wonder money creates such strong emotions and feelings.Īlthough this sentiment is taken from the Bible, the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy (6:10) that “the love of money” is the root of all evil. Whether you hate credit card debt, love the convenience of debit cards, wish you had more greenbacks, or tire of working yourself weary for a paycheck, money plays a critical part in human life. You can hate money or love money, but it’s nearly impossible to be ambivalent about it.
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