Why We Do What We Do
Madoff won’t being seeing his massage therapist, hair dresser or manicurist anytime soon. His standing table at Le Cirque has been canceled. And his private jet is grounded. At age 70, his life is over.
He claims in an interview that during the 80-81 recession, he wanted to make some extra money by doing what he did best. And he figured he would only do it for a short while. $65 Billion later, he plead guilty to all 11 charges. His life is over.
Some people claim that he led a great life up until now. But at the young age of 70, I can’t imagine living the grandest life of all and then it being over.
Madoff is not alone when we wonder why people do what they do. Some think they won’t be caught. Some think what they do is not wrong, illegal. illicit, or disruptive to anyone outside their sphere so it is OK. Some don’t think at all and just do and if caught, live with it. Some do it for the action. Some even do it to be caught and then brag about being in jail to others. Some don’t care when their live is over.
Life is short enough not to be incarcerated in a 10×10 cell for a month, let alone a year or the rest of your life. But history has shown there is something wired in some of our brains that can’t be helped. Serial killers come to mind.
Michigan spends nearly one third of their entire budget dealing with crime. Jails across the country are overflowing with no new money to build new ones. Instead of building new jails, how about figuring out why we do what we do?
I think most people are honest and love to support their community. I was in a Starbuck’s the other day and an Army guy came in wearing his uniform. I can’t tell you how many offered to buy him a cup of coffee. People are mostly good. It’s the few that make it difficult and that’s why we have politicians, lawyers, law enforcement, jails, DA’s and media.
Perhaps using more common sense makes sense. If something sounds too good to be true, in most cases, it must not be true. Common sense will help to keep us out of trouble and grounded. That might be a good start. It sure beats your life being over.
Happy Friday!
P.S. I will be out until next Thursday so enjoy the time off!
March 13th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Common Sense is great – if you have it. It is relatively ‘natural’ to be bad… you don’t have to teach a child to be naughty, or selfish, or mean.
A child must be taught to be good, and learn the consequences of his/her actions. Some people never learn. Some don’t care. When it comes down to it, its a choice. People usually justify their choices and have reasoned that what they do is their right to do – for what ever reason – whether good or bad. They ‘feel’ it is ok to do. Ever watch America’s dumbest criminals?
It’s not only dumb… it’s naughty, selfish & mean.
But sometimes we all act that way – don’t we?
March 13th, 2009 at 11:44 am
This man’s life is not over by far. Hopefully he can live the rest of it as God intended for him to.
He truly seems remorseful and he can definitely turn his life around for good if he wants to and with some help.
March 13th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Do you really think he is remoseful or scared sometime this can be confused. I hope he is remoseful then maybe he will be forgiven on his judgment day
March 16th, 2009 at 6:33 am
I think we all need to pay more attention to the descisions
we make in life. Instead of living based on impulses. Think more on how others are affected and not just about ourselves
March 17th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
The only word for Madoff is GREED. Living in Florida, which was Madoff’s stomping ground, I have heard many stories of people that are now broke, people that have work most of their lives saving for that day where they can say “I’m retired”. Now they are working at the local grocery store or even starbucks, it’s very sad. Unfortunately GREED usually pushes away people from making the right choice. His crime was worse than first degree murder, if you think about how many lives he destroyed. I hope that people have learned from this example of GREED and if you happen to see a person working at the local grocery store, leaving work, getting into their old broken down mercedes, you might offer them a cup of coffee as well.
March 18th, 2009 at 7:21 am
enjoy your time off. we will.
March 19th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Maybe this recession that we’re in can be a new beginning for everyone! Everyone can start fresh and maybe look back at their mistakes and learn and grow from them. This recession has made social classes more equal than ever since every one is losing out. We’re all in the same boat.
I think that the way society has been for the last couple of decades has been very materialistic and nice cars, bigger than necessary homes, as well as Coach Purses and stuff like that has created greed and people mentally felt better looking like they were “somewhere” even if they had to finance their entire life just to look and feel like they fit in. This type of mentality has created the “out of the box” thinking that has lead to scams and greedy crimes. People just can’t get enough.
I feel that the US has been headed in this direction for a long. long time and that it is not the fault of our leaders. I think that glutony and greed and materialism had created this fantasy world that has lead to where we are now.
I hope that we can all live at least a little differently and have more respect for outselves and others. That’s all it comes down to!
March 19th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
I 100% agree. When money counts more than anything else, when privileges are more important than necessities. That is when the greed takes over. Growing up I came from literally nothing, and have develop into what I believe is something. But the way I keep greed out of my life is this: NO MATTER HOW FAR YOU HAVE COME, NEVER EVER FORGET WHERE YOU CAME FROM… FOR ONCE YOU DO, YOU WILL NOT APPRECIATE WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN… NOR RESPECT WHERE YOU ARE.