Gene Simmons threw out quite the zinger
“Money is not the root of all evil. The lack of money is the root of all evil.” He flipped the script, challenging a notion we’ve long heard and in his opinion, redefined it. But is that even true today?
Money can be a tool or a weapon, a means of liberation or manipulation. When we don’t have enough of it, life gets tough, often unbearably so. The unfairness, the lack of sharing, the endless struggles, these are the seeds from which desperation grows.
And on the extreme end of the scale, desperation can indeed lead to acts we label as evil.
But what about those who do have money?
We know Gene has plenty of it! Hope he’s stayed a decent human being! But yes, today, it seems that wealth can breed its own brand of wickedness. Fearful of losing their fortunes, the wealthy build walls, both physical & metaphorical, to keep the rest out. They might see the poor not just as less fortunate – but as threats – their own fear or disgust morphed from greed, cultivating the divide. I know for instance, if you sit in a castle and take a walk downtown to certain parts of San Francisco, the poor & depraved are likely junked out on some cheap chemical concoction & viewed through a state of disgust by those living the privileged lifestyle – with no question about how they may have reached such a low point. Just sheer disgust, cause they have no idea what its like to get to those levels of lowness when the spirit is so broken it cannot rise.
But going back to those living the castle lifestyle: “A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.” Theodor Roosevelt said that, This highlights the troubling reality today: greed & evil can be found at both ends of the wealth spectrum. The poor may act out of desperation and make bad decisions, while the rich act out of fear of losing it & from desire to protect their status.
So where does evil sit?
It lurks at the extremes of wealth & poverty, where desperation & fear meet. And the bridge between this divide seems well & truly broken?
If those with abundant resources began to share more openly, they could ignite thousands of micro-opportunities. Small, sustainable income streams that restore dignity & spark initiative. Not industrial, not transactional, more like a set of balancing scales. A gentle redistribution where even a fraction of accumulated wealth becomes the seed of something regenerative. A future grounded in collaboration & mutual support, rather than guarded compounds & robotic enforcers.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the “Elite Take All” mentality gave way to “We All Win”?
I’m not dreaming of a utopia – just a shift. A world where wealth extends a hand, not a fence. I’d volunteer to help distribute it. Imagine the impact: a simple offer – say $1,000 a week to someone who’s fallen behind but not given up. Someone ready to contribute back, whether through community action, mentoring, creating, or simply stabilizing their family’s life so that future potential can rise again.
This kind of ‘sharing’ isn’t charity. It’s investment. In people. In possibilities. In a more just and balanced society. Because let’s face it -everything that thrives depends on balance. I’m not sure that the rich understand that. It’s such a deep law of conscious existence that we can’t escape it! Right now we are so far off-kilter, it’s hard to remember what thriving even looks like.
So… what’s the next best move?
What’s that first, almost imperceptible step that could start tipping the scales? Could we reimagine wealth not as a fortress, but as a bridge? Could we shift our lens just slightly & foster a culture where success is still celebrated, but hoarded differently? Those who love & prioritise money have it in their DNA. It’s no use trying to change that thread! If the rich want to remain rich—fair play. If that’s their drive, their pursuit – so be it. But it’s when the climb morphs into a hunger that can’t be fed – when accumulation becomes detachment – that something essential gets lost.
And maybe the rest of us lose something too.
Wealth is followed by the need for power as the proverbial order of ‘growth’.
It’s a thought-provoking challenge. One to keep quietly in the rearview, waiting for the moment the ride slows down & reflection has room to stretch. As we navigate this tangled web of imbalance, the question lingers: What sparks change without demanding it? What’s the track that leads us toward a future where wealth & generosity travel side by side? It sounds ideal, sure – but maybe the better question is… Where does it actually begin?
I never stop asking the questions.
One idea keeps circulating in my mind.
What if the pursuit of accumulation was paired with the power of circulation?
What if the wealthy introduced a new line item on their balance sheets (adjusted per country’s economy); not as charity, but as a meaningful exchange of value?
Recipients could give back through acts of service, mentorship, creative output, or grassroots projects that quietly uplifted the world around them. A skilled craftsman might restore something of cultural worth. An artist could leave colour & message in public spaces. A grower might bring fresh food to tables that need it. An entrepreneur could finally test the idea that’s been sitting in a notebook for years.
And in return? The benefactor isn’t just giving – they’re investing. In a system that holds a world that functions, a society where their own fortune continues to carry weight because everything around it is still standing. If the world they live in thrives, so does their wealth.
Gene? Any other ideas?
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