Judaic Personal Financial Life Planning - Part I

Judaic Personal Financial Life Planning ©2001

Yaakov  Schwartz

This land is mine; you are but wayfarers

Leviticus

            In seeking his own protection from physical pain and extinction, and validation of worthiness, man has: confused the primary currency (Hashem) with the current currency (dollars, deutsche marks, degrees, etc),  twisted responsible guardianship (“owning up to”) into ownership, and rationalized and contorted the concept of enough into comparative more at the cost of repair, relationship, intimacy and teshuvah. Metaphorically, he has sought via the current currency to secure the illusion of self reliance -rugged individualism only to acquire the reality of his insecuriority - ragged individualism.

Currency

Money talks, no one walks – 

Cy Harold’s Men’s Clother’s 54^th & City Line (Philly)

            Currency shares the same root as the word current. Currents flow – they circulate. Circulation (exchange) occurs to and from the source (the primary current). The primary current is the ocean; the current currents are tributaries from this main current. Currencies come and go (despite man’s efforts to permanently em-“bank” a current) while the primary current endures – circulating in time and space.

Today’s currency (current currency) is tomorrow’s useless store of value. For example, in Nazi Germany concentration camps dollars, diamonds, and gold were of little use to an internee. Yet, shoelaces were a most valuable current currency. Without laces, the internee’s feet would become frostbitten disabling the internee from work. Not being able to work was a guaranteed death sentence to the ovens. The rock solid Deusche Mark, even in wheel barrows, were of little value during the hyperinflation in Germany after WWI. Yet despite the transitory value of the current currency and despite printing “In G-d We Trust” on our dollars as perfunctory acknowledgment of the primary source, man vests his protection in the “ownership” of the current currency – i.e. of dollars “the almighty dollar”– for his protection. (“Believe in G-d but row away from the rocks and cut the deck twice.”)

Ownership or Guardianship

More, more, more, what the hell are we, all morticians?

e.e. cummings

Man thinks he owns directly or indirectly, via the current currency, but in reality he merely leases. The very word “ownership” denies its source – the primary current (Hashem). Man denies the source even though in Leviticus Hashem tells man, “this land is mine, you are but wayfarers.” Man denies the source despite the story of Cain (acquire). Cain was told to give first fruits “off the top” rather than quantity after the fact when sufficiency of the crop was determined – (acknowledging the royalty of the primary current). Cain gave from “profits”- the net not from the gross let alone the “first yearlings of the flock.” He  acknowledged the current currency first and foremost. Man denies the source, when, though he is  instructed that at the 7^th 7^th year (the Jubilee) all is to be returned to its source, he creates loopholes to continue his deluded idolization of the “ownership” of the current currency – even beyond the grave.

Temporal possession is not ownership.

Man has confused the word ownership with his “owning uP to” his responsibility as Guardian.

Guardianship implies responsibility. Also, with the responsibility of guardianship comes explict liability during the steward’s transitory tenure..  Ownership (mine not thine) enjoys the fruits and avoids the liability through clever linguistic rationalizations, legal devices (trusts, partnerships), and insurance to transfer any risk or liability.

Mine not thine.

Ironically, numerically in Hebrew, the sum of the values of the continuum of the word ownership (from owner/master to “have” to purchase ownership) yields the total value of 572. The numerical value of guardianship (shomare) is 540. The difference between the numerical value of “ownership” and guardianship is 32 – the number of the heart (lev) Idolized current currencies are heartless – here today gone tomorrow - jilted.

The word “ownership” denotes continuity, permanence, and certainty. Idolization of ownership of the current currency becomes about acquisition (as in Cain and Citizen Kane) for having (310 in Hebraic numerical value) This having ownership is not about guardianship. It is not a having to share nor a having to use but a having to possess – now and forever. Having  is the fortress of the current currency denying its temporal nature, and its origin. Guardianship – stewardship are mere words invoked at (for example) Jewish Federation etc fundraisers honoring a contributor with a plaque or monument in his or her name.

With having to possess, there is never enough. Enough is a little more.  The common distinction of haves and have nots is misguided. There are have a little want some more and have nots. This having is a self defeating comparative – as more, once defined, always moves the goal posts “for a little more” just in case. The having of “more” of the current currency is never fulfilled despite ever more expensive diversions and palliatives. There isn’t satisfaction in this temporal ownership as more is just a temporary “hit” bandaiding the emptiness the separation from the primary current – the source, the origin – God. More is like simultaneous consumption of Chinese & German food. A half an hour later, you’re hungry for power. Ironically there is no more.

 More of the current currency and what it converts to, after a certain level of income, yields diminishing happiness. From 1940 to 1990, Gross Domestic Product Per Capital more than tripled (333%) in inflation adjusted terms, while during the same period, the index of those ranking themselves subjectively “very happy ” declined 4%. In the General Social Survey (NORC) the percentage ranking themselves happy in 1972 (on the heels of a recession) was approximately 35%. By 1994, the percentage declined sequentially – without intermittent rise – to 31%.

Despite more (more income, more possessions, more of the current currency) – in real inflation adjusted terms – people feel “less” happy. In the meantime, despite more depression has increased (Prozac is one of the 5 leading drugs) while during the same 1972-1994 period we’ve experienced declines in happiness in marriage (68% to 62%), satisfaction with jobs (51% to 45%), and satisfaction with their place of residence (21% to 17%). And during the same period, though real income rose dramatically, the percentage of those “pretty well satisfied” declined from 33% to 29% - despite “having” more of the current currency.

More, more, more ironically produces dissatisfaction and the feeling of less. Like a nymphomaniac who can’t get satisfaction – the answer to more – is more – more of the current currency – as a palliative -rather than to deal with the underlying separation & emptiness – the LACKtose intolerance.

Responsibility & Balance – Enoughness

Boychik, everything in moderation, nothing in excess

Tillie “Bubbe” Schwartz repeatedly invoked

Everything in moderation – even moderation.

The first query of Adam by Hashem after eating of the apple isn’t one of shame (“why did you do this, doofus?”) but responsibility (“where are you, Adam?”) Responsibility without shaming. Owning up to

Guardianship demands responsibility (624 in Hebraic numerical value). Guardianship isn’t about more – having getting more – rather to the contrary, Guardianship assumes a liability, a duty to develop one’s portion (our chalik), and responsibility for that which it is entrusted. When “having” (310) is subtracted from responsibility (624), the result is 314 the number of Shaddai.

3^rd Century Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish defined Shaddai as – “the one who said ‘dai’ (enough). Others Shaddai in terms of one of our relationships to Hashem as”G-d almighty, G-d all sufficient, ENOUGH in Hebrew. In both definitions, Shaddai is Enough not more.

Cain and Abel could be considered the first story of the struggle between More (acquisition of the current currency as one’s savior) and Enough (Shaddai). Cain wanted more of the current currency; Abel felt Shaddai was enough – the enduring current.

Derivatively, more  has become the basis of all personal financial planning; in contrast, enough is the basis of Judaic personal financial life planning(c) – though rarely practiced.

The fundamental difference:  acknowledgment or denial of source and the distinction in relationship between ownership or guardianship.

The Shift

 The Shift

             More’ temporarily satisfied (until the next fear driven ‘if only’), the unfulfilled question of ‘why I am’ manifests itself in one or more of the following phrases:

• What next?
• Make a difference
• Meaning (“What’s it all about, Alfie?”)
• Get more (to make a difference)

99% of the time, there is a recycling to ‘more’ (just in case) even if one cannot outlive his money (1) as more has become habituated even with its inherent anxiety and dependence.

More and Moreons are codependent.

The unusual shift from More typically requires a transition (desensitizing of identification with having – flooding, counter conditioning ((pun intended) and operant counter conditioning - have proven ineffective to counter ‘the  more-on’ cultural context)). (2)

Without the sequential shaping of desensitization with mutually exclusive behavior reinforcement – there will be no paradigm shift rather a reverse gear shift back to the graveyard shift of more.

A first step which many have found helpful is ‘the permission date.’ (No, this is not about getting to second, third base let alone scoring).

One’s ‘someday things’ rather than being ‘leftovers (when I have the time orphans’) are blocked out weekly for the same time – as if a business appointment. More important, is the permission to not be good at it – these someday things.

Given identification of who I am is so rooted (regardless of cumbaya assertions to the contrary, liberals)  in what I do and have (being through having) as who I am, not being immediately or intermediately proficient will kill attempts at the ‘someday things.’

Regular blocking of time and permission to ‘not be good, proficient’ are musts – non negotiable if the swing shift ‘to why I am’ meaning, what next’ is to have a prayer of a chance.

Kadosh (in Hebrew) means holy & separate.  And separation is necessary for closeness

Paraphrasing Rabbi Henoch Dov

Now the someday thing trials don’t answer ‘why am I’ but they creates initial distance from the overwhelming identification of who I am from what I do. Additional separation via creation of what one’s mission is and more importantly is not today and projecting 10 years for now, may be created by completing The Personal Prospectus in Enough (by this author) – though the exercise is still heavily towards ‘what one does’ more so than ‘who one is or seeks to be.’ Again this is a recalibration for distance from identification.

A third tool is The Soul Resume© which, in a workbook format – like a job resume, seeks to answer the question, why should one be admitted to The World To Come, Heaven etc.

(Unlike college, there are no legacy nor affirmative action free passes for admission.)

In any case, successive approximation in stages rather than going cold turkey is the process of shape shifting from identification with having & what one does or did to ‘why I am.’

            The swing shift – regardless of cumbaya, self esteem psychobabblists and liberal/progressives (least I be redundant) protests to the contrary of their enlightened ‘being’ (a rationalization for taking, having and entitlement) to why I am,  accepts one being unfinished & incomplete. One’s assignment (soul curriculum) is continuing to finish these incompletions earning an MFA (master of the fine soul) which doesn’t add to one’s Charles Schwab money market account. ‘Why I am’ and being and doing something about it – isn’t ‘redeemable’ with web coupons in The World To Come, Heaven etc

            Why I Am, at best, yields meaning IN this life but not the meaning OF life.

            Thus, bortzing (complaining) about ‘what next, making a difference’ recycles to More and it’s ‘if onlys’.  And so, meaning In one’s life, making a difference and what next get ‘the short shrift shift’ back to more & palliation.

1. Man’s #1 fear latter in life (after the cumbaya bs is scraped away off the surface) is outliving his ‘money’ and therefore being beholden and dependent additionally at the potential expense of his principles and taking crap. His number two concern is meaning/legacy – though not at the expense of #1 which is why man fears the IRS (even more so under Obama than God)
2. Enough (see ENOUGH and or blog healingfinancialanxiety.blogspot.com) is counter cultural be it capitalism, communism and self deluding socialism as all the former are just about how the material pie is split.

GOD vs More, More, More

(God vs More, More, More)

This is the bread (manna) that God is giving you to eat…They (the Israelites) gathered exactly enough for each one to eat. Moses announced to them, ‘Let no man leave any over until morning. Some men did not listen to Moses and left a portion over for the morning. It (the manna) became putrid and maggoty with worms…When Friday came, what they gathered turned out to be a double portion of food (for there is no gathering on Shabbat)

Exodus 16:16-22

            Fear of extinction and or pain motivates man to acquisition (derivative more, more, more) and consequentially from faith in God being primary.

             If man believed and knew that now and in the future he would be provided for – would man still seek ‘more, more, more’ (whether it is tangible goods or services or a medium of exchange ((money)) for goods and services)?

            Yes, as proven historically & repeatedly he’d seek extra manna (‘manana manna’© aka more – just in case – placing it into a Rubbermaid™ or Debbie Meyer™ ziplock to try to overcome the rotting).

            Even in the desert, the spies feared the Canaanites more than they had faith in God (regardless of witnessing the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, plagues etc) stating, ‘they are giants and we are grasshoppers.’ Further’more,’,the translation ‘they (the Canaanites) are stronger than we’ (Numbers 13:31) in Sotah 35a the interpreted version of the text is ‘they are stronger than Him.’

            Is it any wonder, man (especially those seeking 501c(4)’s tax exemption with the words Patriot’ and “Tea Party” in their application) fears the IRS more than they fear, are in awe, or have faith in Hashem?

            Man chooses & seeks the myth of ‘more’ to douse or palliate the fear of extinction its anxiety and anticipatory pain over faith. Derivatively, man seeks materially more as he defines himself comparatively to others rather than use the material to continue to complete his spiritual incompletions. Alternatively, man insulates himself in the spiritual (enclaves, monasteries) or the faux spiritual (The Cumbaya Democrat Party) to avoid ‘adulteration’ but in reality fails in his task of spiritualizing the material.

            In the desert, man was provided with manna/food (that took on the taste of that which he desired), had shelter, clothes that never wore out (nor had to be bought at Abercombe & Fitch to be cool), didn’t have to worry about the adequacy of his 401k  when the US or Tokyo stock market went down 400 points,  and had Almightycare (unlike Obamacare no rationing and the tribal leaders couldn’t opt out) (2). And yet the Israelites complained, bitched and kvetched – “we fondly remember the fish that we could eat in Egypt at no cost, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic”  Numbers 11:5.

In God We Trust (all others pay cash)

Wisecrack

           

            Then and now, there is never enough. God – Shaddai – is never enough (though ‘believe in God just to cover one’s bets). God is ‘just in case.’

            Yet, current currencies change and can become devalued by printing money etc. There is always ‘something’ to fear – such that there is ‘never enough’ as there can never be enough when there is ‘always something’ and another ‘if only.’ (Solve ‘if only #1 and if only #2 is promoted along with another ‘something’ to be concerned about.)

            God remains yet currencies changes – but it is the current currency that is pursued and held in awe.

            So then, why is the primary reliance on the current currency?

Now there is no ‘cloud’ overhead to protect (as in the 40 years in the wilderness) nor clothing that never wears out (let alone that is always fashionable), and  Obamacare is no match for Almightycare.. (And even when there was a cloud, wrinkle wear out free clothing, & Almightycare – that wasn’t enough.)

            The fear of extinction and the anxiety of the future reinforce the delusion of more as the panacea.

            Man wants immortality which goes back to the Tree of Knowledge, Babel etc.  Acquisition (Cain in Hebrew) and it’s consequential derivative more – regardless of its failures in the material in yielding ‘immortality’ continues like a hamster on the wheel or in computer lingo a never ending ‘do loop.’

You can love a lot better with money than without it

Ellis Schwartz

            Neither marrying well nor going into the fetal position are answers relative to man’s never ending quest for the insularity of more – now that the cloud doesn’t hover over and protect, the clothing wears out, and the prospect of Obamacare is Obamian (think Nixonian).

I give you good leather. It’s up to you to make good shoes

Guirjieff

            Yet to assert faith alone, while ideal (and a failing of this writer), even accepting  enough (instead of more) is a) merely an enabler and b) culturally urinating in the wind. Yet there is one’s God given and demonstrated adaptability and resourcefulness which – we dismiss when the bravado subsides – which has and will secure – God willing- whatever the current currency.

            In the later years of this writer’s fee only personal financial planning practice, during the personal prospectus session (see Enough: A Handbook for Your Personal Financial Planning or the blog: healingfinancialanxiety.blogspot.com), I would ask the client to fill in the following:

Difficulty                    How You Overcame It           How It Proved Your Adapability

                                                                                    & Resourcefulness

            I’d ask them to list at least five.

            Then, the question would be posed, given your resilience proven by what you have overcome, how come – given you either have enough or are on track to enough and then some – you need more?

            After a series of “yeah, yeah, yeah but’s” (including ‘that was then, this is now – I’m older etc)–  too often the real answer was the belief in more money ‘as a cushion just in case – regardless of enough’ rather than themselves let alone ‘The Man Upstairs.’

           

            Finally, to make the point in context of effort: how much time has one spent on ‘of only’s’ versus ‘here are the difficulties, I’ve overcome and how I did it – which proves I can be adaptable and resourceful?

           

            There are no guarantees. Mutual Benefit Life had an A+++ rating and it went down. Standard & Poor’s gave securitized subprime mortgage loans AAA ratings and the bonds went down (and S&P still remains unscathed). Sammy Sosa had a corked bat.  There is no material answer guarantee: none.

But there is connection: connection through faith (proving faith through deeds),

continuing to connect to one’s assignment to refine his incompletions, connection via the company of dogs, and maybe understanding enough to tamp down the  intermittent (at best) anxiety & worry of more, more, more as the answer to fear of extinction.

            And that’s Inreach for Upreach as I Reach Down to give Her Royal Highness Goodie her belly rub.

           

1.- especially those titled 501c(4)’s with the words Patriot’ and “Tea Party”

2.- There is another interpretation: The ‘spies’ who went into observe Caanan really didn’t want to leave the desert (despite the kvetching of fellow tribes members) as all their material needs were met (food, shelter, clothing) and thus they were without worry and could focus just on the spiritual. I shall call this the The Spiritual Welfare State interpretation.

Bashert 'Meant To Be' : In Relationships, with Dogs, & Personal Financial Planning

Bashert ( meant to be ) In Relationships, with Dogs & Personal Financial Planning

Bashert, often spelled Beshert – fated - has come to mean primarily – soul mate paired to ‘reattachment’ & ‘love’ when bashert originally was defined as ‘meant to be’ with often times an element of ‘again.’

            A story – and please forgive the poetic license.

            The Chasidic Shlomo Schwartz was going into the city on the NY Transit subway, and he noticed the woman seated across from him.

            He doesn’t know why – and especially never having seen her previously – he felt affection for her.

            Yet, he didn’t introduce himself as:

• They weren’t properly introduced which is the Chasidic way (the good reason)
• He didn’t have the gumption (real reason number #1)
• He didn’t have a wing man to say to her ‘do you know Shlomo’ – ala the How I Met Your Mother tv show method – ( real reason #2)

Shlomo was bothered for several days with recurring regrets of ‘should haves and if onlys ( I should have, if only I had) such while replaying that day on the subway over and over and over again while driving – he didn’t pay attention to his speed and was ticketed.

Finally, the day came for him to go to court as he wanted to contest the ticket.

All rose for the judge’s entry.

Adorned in the judge’s black robe hearing Shlomo’s case was ‘the woman on the subway.’

Shlomo didn’t beat the fine but after his sentencing he made ‘points’ with ‘the judge’ as he began his ‘courting.’

Bashert – meant to be.

Again

            Bashert (meant to be) is not limited to human relationships.

Max, the Alpha Romeo, black standard poodle and Yaakov ‘The Balagola’ Schwartz were ‘meant to be.’

Yaakov first met Max and his brother one day outside Petco. As his former guardian wrote to Yaakov, “Max immediately recognized you, like an old friend. That very dog that was so protective of me actually went up to you to cuddle with you, if he recognized a long lost friend… I thought about that encounter for a long time because there was something surreal about Max's reaction, like love at first sight. I had never seen Max behave that way towards a stranger, ever… Too many coincidences. No good explanation really. It was meant to be, you and Max.”

A year to that day later, Max came to live with Yaakov & his standard poodles Moses and Elle.

           

Max  would escape his former guardian’s house if a door was open or just jump their 6’ fence and ‘have an adventure.’ In addition, despite repeated requests, Max would never sleep on the guardians’ bed.

            That very first night and for 9 years thereafter, Max would sleep with Yaakov (against his left hand side). Furthermore, Max never escaped or jumped the 6” backyard fence.

            Max was Yaakov’s Alpha Romeo dog.

            On one hand, 10 squirrels, 7 rabbits, 5 birds killed which he would bring into the house ‘to share’ and yet, on the other hand, he would daily sidle up against Yaakov and to the request of ‘hug, hug’ lower his head into his chest gently nudging him.

            Even on Max’s last day on this earth, had there had been a physical threat Yaakov, Max would have summoned his last bit of strength to revert to 5 years of age – to protect him – as The Dog In Black - judge, jury, and executioner (forget tickets and points).

            Max, Bashert – meant to be

            (One day, again, Max!)

            And Bashert (meant to be) is not limited to human and canine relationships. Discovery of bashert (meant to be) ideally can be connected to and enabled by personal financial life planning

I’ve cut so much hair, I’ve lost my concept

Warren Beatty in Shampoo

            The explicit and implicit promise of personal financial planning is the alignment of personal resources to achieve life goals and values. Ideally, personal financial planning and better yet personal financial life planning’s purpose is to heal personal financial anxiety by puttin’ money in its place to enable connection and transcendence of clients to their significance – to their bashert – (their meant to be – their Why I Am.)

 (do not) place a stumbling block before the blind

Leviticus 19:14

(nor to those to whom you owe ‘substitute reliance’)

Yaakov, The Balagola

            Yet, systemically, regardless of compensation method, fiduciary declarations ‘real or airbrushed’, personal financial planning, AND (as generally practiced) personal financial life planning has succumbed to the overarching ephemeral seduction of ‘more’ which is never ‘enough.’

            More, more, more, despite protestations to the contrary, trumps, body (and soul) slams, and supersedes aligning personal resources and life goals and values let alone enabling clients’ transcendence and connection to their significance – their bashert – their meant to be.

And ironically, more, better now becomes all too often less, worse and later as more is never enough.

            Being a MORE-on is detrimental not only to one’s fiscal and physical health but also spiritually crowding out and contraindicating to bashert (meant to be)

            The derivative fiscal symptoms of ‘more is never enough’ (besides ‘if onlys,’ external blaming, and or internal recriminations):

• focusing on which one /what kind (stock, bond, sector etf etc)
• external relative comparison to indexes (Dow Jones, S&P) rather than goals
• in sum, managing assets instead of managing goals.

            Without excusing MOREon personal financial planning and personal financial life planning’s useful idiot co-conspirator role, more is cultural. More ‘temporarily’ externally validates by comparison those who have ‘more’ (as if they are right, better, good, and relatively more worthy and worthwhile). This external more validation is reinforced by the duality of not having more meaning one is (without enunciation though a wink) less, worse, bad and not as worthwhile.

            Driven, overarching More, More, More drowns out the voice, the space for, and discovery of bashert(s) (meant to be) in comparison and fear.

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We are not able to go up against the people (the Canaanites) for they are stronger than we

Numbers 13:31

Stronger than we is also translated ‘stronger than HIM’

Sotah 35a

            According to some there are 100+ names or relationships to God. In particular, the meaning of Shaddai in Hebrew according to Rabbi Twerski is ‘God, God Almighty, God All Sufficient, enough.

             There is no name for God that means ‘more.’

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            At best, the ENOUGH(SM) approach to personal financial life planning – may – at best remove or at worst move to the curb a few stumbling blocks thus creating space for ‘what is meant to be’ (bashert). (1) The point is there is no space – only stumbling blocks to one’s bashert – meant to be (mission, purpose etc in this context) given the overarching driver of more, more, more.

            More, more, more suffocates bashert

Dogs create space for bashert.

As far as soul mate bashert –  drive within the speed limits (so sayeth Yaakov, The Balagola)

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(1) For more info on the ENOUGH(SM) approach ((and in particular, the Personal Prospectus tool)) see my books by the same title (out of print put probably available for $1 of less) and or go to the blog: www.healingfinancialanxiety.blogspot.) Forthcoming over next few months shall be another ebook/tool: The Soul Resume©: Judaic Version – subtitled - Why Should I Be Admitted To Olam Haba (World To Come/Heaven)! (A question mark is probably more appropo!)

Seneca, Yaakov, Esau & Cummings (Not A Law Firm)

No man is crushed by misfortune unless he has first been deceived by prosperity

Seneca, 4 BC – AD 65)  Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist

No man is crushed by misfortune unless he has first, last and always been deceived by MORE

Schwartz, Professional Provocateur

Eesh ha kol – I have all – Yaakov

Enough?

Eesh ha rav – I have much – Esau

Much? More?

                            More, more, more - what are we all morticians? 

e.e. cummings

Dirt, Mud & Sludge: More vs Enough

Dirt, Mud & Sludge: More vs Enough

            In Hebrew adom (man) is derived from adama (from dirt -earth).

            Indeed, we are the Adams Family needing to wash our hands

            As dark is necessary for light, the dirt from which we came is fundamental to the cleansing process of creation. The process: incomplete creation, cleansing, confusion, descending (down to go up – Egypt to Israel), and re-ascension.

Sha-dai (in Hebrew) =(Sha)Who-(dai) Enough

A Dirty Personal Financial Life Planning Demonstration 

of More vs Enough

When I conducted personal financial planning life workshops, I demonstrated how more, better, now became ‘worse, less, and later’ through a simple exercise.

Necessary for the demonstration was:

· a willing volunteer (preferably a doubting ‘more-on’)
· two fistfuls of dirt
· a sprinkling can
· a towel
· a trowel

The demonstration proceeded as follows:

1. I’d ask the volunteer to put out both hands – into each I would put a good size lump of dirt with the trowel
2. I would sprinkle water onto the dirt in one hand – till it absorbed.
3. Then I would continue to sprinkle water until it became mud
4. Not satisfied, I would continue to sprinkle water until the mud itself was liquid –running through the volunteers
5. Being the kind gentle normal person I am I would then offer my assistance with towel to dry off the first hand
6. Next I would sprinkle water on the dirt in the second hand and stop as soon as it was absorbed by the dirt without it becoming mud or dripping.

I then would turn to the audience and ask (which still stunned)), “what is the moral of this demonstration?” (No one ever answered!)

And the moral of the demonstration I would finally tell them, is: more vs enough: more, better, now has a way of becoming less, worse, and later slipping through your fingers.

Thus, the ‘less-on’ of ‘more vs enough’ aka trowel and error OR ‘dropping trowel.’

"Dear God, give us another oil boom and, this time, we promise we won't piss it away’

Bumper Sticker

            Neither a Hoover Windtunnel™, nor a Eureka Smart Vac™, let alone Dyson and its claimed suction power – is enough to clean and cleanse the dirt turned sludge and mire from  more, more, more.

            Instead of ascending, more, in time, descends.

            The question isn’t more (which slips through one’s fingers) or a particular number (which gets recalibrated) but ‘enough’ of Sha-dai: enough to live for – enough to live on as a member of Adam’s Family

The Origins of the Never Enough More Imperative

The Origins of the Never Enough More Imperative

You are not obligated to complete the work but neither are you free to abandon it

Rabbi Tarfon, Ethics of the Fathers 2:16

            Man, identified with his physical body as ‘being’ himself, fears that physical death is his extinction. Given this fear, and man’s bodily identification of his body as himself, man operates from a state of ‘LACK’ (lacktose intolerance). As a result, man seeks acquisition (Cain in Hebrew) as his principle strategy (be it money, power, prestige, religious obedience brownie points etc.) to secure immortality (continuation, permanence, certainty) now or in the afterlife (physical resurrection) or at a minimum diversionary palliation.  

More, more, more

What the hell are we all morticians

e.e. cummings.

The principle derivative tactic of the LACK Acquisition Strategy is More, More, More for Im-MORE-Tality. Ironically, More, More, More typically results in less, worse, and later). The MORE heuristic itself is sequentially encased in a mutually exclusive duality of shame versus pride. Starting with the utilitarian question of whether one is useful, functional, or service OR not, the MORE-ality© Ladder in one’s valuation ascension becomes

One is Right                                                    OR                  One is Wrong

(& if RIGHT)                                                                          (& if WRONG)

One gets MORE                                                                     One gets LESS

(& if one gets MORE)                                                                        (& if one gets LESS)

One is BETTER                                                                      One is WORSE

(& if one is BETTER)                                                             (& if one is WORSE)

One is a WINNER                                                                  One is a LOSER

(& if one is a WINNER)                                                         (& if one is a LOSER)

One is GOOD                                                                         One is BAD

(& if one is GOOD)                                                                (& if one is BAD)

One is WORTHY(2)                                                               One is WORTHless

(& if one is WORTHY)                                                          (& if one is WORTHless)

One is GODLY                                                                      One is EVIL

            Thus, MOREality for Immortality is the aim (consciously or unconsciously) of MOREons to satisfy or palliate their fear (mortality) of their LACK (immortality).

            An ongoing problem with the MORE from LACK heuristic is: The ‘IF ONLYs.’ The IF ONLY illusory rap (by haves, have nots, and have a little wants some more) goes like this: if only I have this, if only I do that, if only – then I’ll be happy.

Happy, typically cut with impure HOPEium©, is a gateway drug of acquisition’s MORE to satisfy the IF ONLY LACK. The problem with the desired state of Happy being achieved IF ONLY is when IF ONLY #1 is satisfied, IF ONLY #2 is promoted in a never ending cycle.  The MORE – IF ONLY - Happy – sequence to attain permanence, continuation, certainty just recycles for the LACKawannas of the LACKawanna Be Tribe. And ‘more, more, more,’ becomes as Edward Abbey stated, ‘the ideology of the (deadly) cancer cell.’

            Given the LACK, Acquisition, More, IF ONLY, Happily Ever’after model, there is ‘never enough’ and attainment of certainty, continuity, and permanence becomes Sisyphusian -  always just beyond one’s HOPEium© fueled grasp.