Only Six Deadly Sins?

When did this happen? Only six deadly sins?

Seriously?

Think about it. The seven deadly sins are: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride.

Now, even a secular type like me I think would agree these are unpleasant traits for anyone to have, if not precisely sins. I don't begrudge anyone having sex with consenting adults, but you can take it too far when lust rules your life. I don't begrudge anyone a square meal, but eat a salad once in a while, huh? I don't begrudge people having days where they do nothing, but sloth shouldn't be a lifestyle choice. I don't begrudge people getting pissed off and having a catharsis, and I understand that envy and pride are quite natural to have in moderation.

But in 21st century America, it seems only six of the seven qualify as anything to be ashamed of, no matter how much or how little you have of them.

Lust is hated by Americans. Americans consume billions of dollars of pornography behind closed doors and yet decry it in the streets. Homosexual lust is considered evil and degenerate and certainly the lustful in our society are not rewarded. Indeed, they are checked into sex addiction clinics.

Gluttony is hated by Americans. Whenever we see a fat person, most people are repulsed and blame the person for their own weight problems. Fat people in fact, are one of three minorities it is still okay to disparage in public.

Sloth is nearly punishable by death. In 21st century America, one cannot presumably work too many hours, nor work too hard.

Wrath is so openly despised we put people in anger management classes.

Envy is despised as well, and anyone who despises anyone else is considered to be engaging in class warfare, adultery in their heart, or any other number of vices.

Pride also pisses people off. No one likes the arrogant or the condescending. If one makes a success in life, everyone expects that person to be humble, or at least not boast about thier own success.

So 21st century America hates Lust, Gluttony, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride.

But apparently not Greed.

When Oliver Stone had Gordon Gecko say "Greed is Good" in the movie Wall Street back in the freewheeling Reagan years, never in his worst nightmares did he forsee hedge fund managers bringing down the economy, obsessed tycoons shipping jobs offshore, or sociopathic talk show hosts claiming greed as a virtue.

Like the other six deadly sins, I've no problem with greed in moderation. We all want to have a decent and comfortable life. It is when you sacrifice others for your own greed that I believe you have become evil. A CEO who destroys a town to move factories to Mexico so he can get a bonus: that's evil, and we should recognize this and make no bones about it. We do not reward the lustful, the gluttonous, the slothful, the wrathful, the envious, nor the prideful. But somehow we have come to venerate the greedmongers among us to the point where we want to become them and copy them.

Now, I could attack the douchebags on Wall Street who started the economic mess in this country, but let's face reality: all of us are to blame. Every man-jack one of us. All of us subscribed to the doctrine that 'Greed is Good'. We all wanted $6.00 lattes and monster SUVs and 3000 square foot homes and iPods and iPhones and iPhucks and goodness knows what else. Nearly 70% of the American economy is now consumer driven and the only amazing thing is how anyone thinks this is even remotely sustainable.

One apparently cannot have too many gadgets, widescreens, electronic devices, clothes, and so forth. And we now measure our success with trinkets. And the size of our bank accounts or 401(k)s. Is it any wonder most people are in the grip of ennui? My parents house was built in 1973 and was originally 1200 square feet. My house was built in 1985 and is 1700 square feet. My boss's house was built in 2003 and is 2500 square feet. Good luck finding new homes today that are actually that small. And this with the number of children per household shrinking. Yes, because we need living rooms, family rooms, game rooms, workout rooms, sun rooms, Arizona rooms, and it's enough to give me a headache.

Among the many lost opportunities of George W. Bush was after 9/11 when he decided to tell the American people to shop to stimulate the economy. We did, and we all went into debt. We were in debt before, but not like this. Most people have six credit cards. Most people own more home than they need, much less afford. Most people own more car than they need, much less afford.

But Swordsman, you say, I have a right to buy whatever I want as long as I can afford it!

And my reply is "get lost".

Seriously, go to Hell.

You really think this mentality isn't to blame? I guarantee it is. If you think any society can absorb 70% consumer spending while actual production of goods is only 30% or less of the economy then you have taken leave of whatever senses you have left. If you think that you buying an SUV doesn't impact anyone else, then you are just plain nuts. It fucks up the economy, it fucks up the environment, and it sure as Hell affects my personal fucking space when you park it in a compact parking space next to me. "Compact" is an adjective, not a verb, dumbass.

We have mortgaged not only our future, but our present. None of us raised a fuss when we created mass deficit spending. No, deficits didn't matter of course. We could lower taxes and spend more and more and more and more! Or not. Now the chickens are coming home to roost and the imitators of Icarus who flew the highest are likely going to fall the hardest.

Along with the seven deadly sins, the Bible also says that the theological virtues are faith, hope, and charity. Indeed, we must all hope, religious and secular, that the sociopaths do not drag us all down into their economic mire.