Corruption has been with us as long as there have been individuals able to exert control over desirable things. Some cultures even today, from what I understand, simply accept this as a reality of life and behave accordingly.
In the US, though, we claim not to accept it. We have laws against such actions!
When I read the story two days ago about federal agents walking into the Illinois governor’s home and arresting him I laughed until I cried. Then I started thinking about how widespread this mentality is among our so-called corporate and political leaders today, and the connection I made was to alcoholism and drug addiction.
These are men (almost exclusively) who have about as much money and/or power as one could make use of in several lifetimes but still crave more. So much so that they risk losing everything to get it. Kind of like Sylar on Heroes, to draw a pop culture analogy.
Sylar is as powerful as any of the superempowered characters on that show yet despite a substantial urge to throw off his murderous behavior, the hunger that drives him to acquire more is simply too strong (or so the writers are having it for now).
Rod Blagojevich was arrogant and stupid enough that he actually talked on a telephone line about wanting to get paid for naming someone to replace Barack Obama in the Senate despite being the target of a years-long federal investigation!
I’m also thinking of the executives at Enron, Worldcom and Conrad Black and former Congressman Randy Cunningham (R, CA), all sitting in prison cells today when they could have been lazing on the beach in Ibiza under fluffy umbrellas, surrounded by barely dressed woman and fawning servants instead of large, vicious men, industrial food on plastic trays and steel bars blocking the sunlight.
What is the compulsion that drives such men? The only answer is addiction, but in our culture the desire for more money is viewed as an undiluted good thing. Can’t be too thin or have too much money only you can be too thin and want more money so much the desire can destroy you the same way anorexia or cirrhosis will.
We need a name for this disease, I suggest Aurumitis. Aurum is Latin for gold, which should appeal to the oversized ego that is one symptom of the affliction. And the first step is admitting you have a problem.
BillSaysThis 