“When is enough, enough?” This question ran through my mind when in a business meeting in my 30’s, when the president of the company complained that a competitor was charging more than we were. And yet we were quite profitable, we did good work helping people, and we were respected (they were not). I asked the question to the president, and he looked annoyed and never answered.
One of the challenges with capitalism, as Eric N. recently reminded me, is that it doesn’t come with a set of morals or ethics. There are no limits, no sense of what is right for the community in capitalism. Which is why, I think, our environment is in grave danger. We don’t have any rules except “It’s my right to make as much money as possible.” There is nothing about the responsibility to take care of others; to not exploit or overcharge; there is only greed.
This to me is why our 7th Principles is so important (“to affirm and promote the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part”). When we see ourselves as interdependent, we can see how we need one another and this planet. Can you imagine how capitalism might change if we could see it through this lens? Let us help create that world!
With love,
Rev. Sian
Rev. Sian Wiltshire is Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church's minister. Please feel free to reach out and say hello! She can be reached by email, revsian@ocuuc.org, or by church phone at (714) 556-2882 (x302).