All That Glitters

There was once a man in the Ch'i State who had a burning lust for gold. Rising early one morning, he dressed and put on his hat and went down to the marketplace, where he proceeded to seize and carry off the gold from a money-changer's shop.

An ordinary thief would have gone at night, and probably naked, after smearing his body with oil.

He was arrested by the police, who were puzzled to know why he had committed the theft at a time when every body was about. 'When I was taking the gold,' he replied, 'I did not see anybody at all; what I saw was the gold, and nothing but the gold.'
~ Book of Lieh-Tzü, from BOOK VII ~

Isn't it interesting how one can read a text from centuries ago and yet you almost feel as if it was describing an event in the present time?

As soon as I read this passage, I thought of the bankers and financiers who, having been bailed out by everyday American taxpayers, have continued to lead lives of opulence. Though one would think that these individuals would understand they are under increased public scrutiny and would modify their behavior (if only for a little while), all they can see is the gold! Nothing else seems to matter to them.