WHEN NEED BECOMES GREED

WHEN NEED BECOMES GREED



Leo Tolstoy in his story “How Much land Does a Man Need” seems to convey that a man does not need more than six feet long and may be three feet wide land for his grave. Greed drives a simple peasant to accept a proposal to own as much land as he can cover in a day from day break to sunset with the condition that he has to return to the starting point before sunset. Greed takes him to as far as he thought he can cover but by the time he returns to the starting point he is totally exhausted and falls dead on the ground. He is buried there itself.

Seen in this context, it is rather difficult to understand why people accumulate vast wealth in form of landed properties, stocks, cash, jewellery etc. It is true that a man needs only six feet by six feet land if to be burried and not even that if to be cremated after his death but the issue is not that simple during his life time. In some communities burial/cremation expenses have become so exhorbitant that even death seems to be a very costly proposition. Some guys make financial arrangements for all such expenses before their death. It is not however of little consequence after one is dead be it prestige or peace or heavenly journey or any which name we would like to call it. Thousands of people die and get buried /cremated without any rites whatsoever.

The question, therefore is how much is enough? I officially retired at the age of 58 as per company rules and was given 8 six monthly extentions and finally allowed to retire at the age of 62. My employers wanted me to continue as long as my health permitted but I had different take and they had to accept my request. The CMD remarked “you seem to have enough savings” to which I replied “Sir, ‘enough’ has different meaning for different people. I think I have enough to sail through for rest of my life. I want to visit various places which I would not be in a position to do with all the official work to attend to. I would not like to make commitments that I can not fulfill. We have equally efficient people in our team who can take over anytime. One of them must get the opportunity.” He smiled and we shook hands.

Well I have no regrets. I have been in a position to maintain the same standard of living I was used to . In fact, during the last 7 years after retirement I have been in a position to visit various places of tourist and religious importance . I have been in a position to visit my grand children 4 times in the USA and stayed with them for as long as six months in a very carefree environment. It would not have been possible if I had official commitments staring at me from a distance.

This may be okay for me but not for many. Some may have unmarried sons or daughters. Some may have no roof over their heads. Some may have no savings at all. Some may be facing health problems. People take up jobs after retirement to supplement their income in order to live a comfortable life and meet other obligations.

There are people for whom enough is never enough when it comes to wealth and comforts. A friend of mine has a Maruti Swift but he is worried that he does not have money to buy a Toyota Innova. The other friend wants a large house with a swimming pool. This satisfies their ego. They also want to secure the future of their nextr generation.

Then there are people who never feel secure and are always under constant fear of losing their wealth and power and therefore continue grabbing more and more. The very fresh case is that of Ms Mayawati, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, India. An ordinary school teacher has reached to this position which by itself is very commendable and is possible in a Democracy only. What is disturbing is the fact that she has amassed huge wealth and does not stop multiplying it by all means, fair or faul. She claims that all her wealth is legal gifts from her Party workers and admirers. She spends huge monies from Public exchequer to build her statues and that of her mentor Mr Kansi Ram., the founder of her Party ,Bahujan Samaj Party. She collects money for allotting tickets for election, for her Birth days and she does it with all pomp and show least caring about the people or the media or the law.

So we have three categories of people who accumulate wealth :

1. For their genuine needs.
2. For their inflated egos and for their next generation.
3. For the fear of losing wealth or power.

“Sai itna dijiye, ja me dowoo smaya,
Ghar bhi bhooka na rahe, panthi na bhooka jaye”

(God ! give me so much as to satisfy the hunger of both,
my family and any passerby)

It is only fair that anything over and above the above should be used for public good. One should act as a custodian of the wealth he has earned by fair means and not the squanderer. We should thank God for having granted the capabilities to be more fortunate than many. You will be the sole decider of how much is enough for you.



H. P. Lakhera
Delhi, March 18, 2010.