A devastating disease is spreading throughout the world and threatens to destroy a large number of the human population in virtually every country. It is spreading most rapidly among the wealthiest and most prosperous nations where people have highly developed communication systems and greater freedom of choice.
Caused by a nasty pathogenic virus called valere falsus aestimatus, Cupiditas disease is causing more human suffering than any other affliction known to man. Neither the young nor the old are immune to its effects. It does not discriminate between class or season. Rich and poor are falling victim to his curse.
The virus causes the brain to overheat, thus impeding the victim’s ability to think rationally. The greater the swelling, the faster reasoning abilities fail. Eventually, the person reaches the point where logical thinking is no longer possible.
In this condition, an individual experiences an arrogant desire for something; it can be wealth, it can be power, it can be position, pleasure or popularity. It can be alcohol, tobacco or drugs. It can be porn, gambling, or even food. It can be any number of things. But whatever it is, the infected individual is willing to pay many times more than it is worth experiencing or obtaining.
Often the cost is exorbitant. Loss of health, loss of mental capacity, loss of freedom and even life are not unusual expenses for many. Lost reputations and loss of self-respect; the loss of family, friends, and opportunities is experienced, to one degree or another, by nearly everyone who becomes infected.
When affected by Cupiditas, arguments that favor the things the victim wants are accepted without question, while arguments contrary to the victim’s wishes are rejected. In this condition, victims develop an insatiable desire for things that are potentially harmful to themselves and others.
Cupiditas is not a new disease. Benjamin Franklin made many references to it in “Poor Richards Almanac”. The following are a couple of examples:
“Many men think they are buying pleasure, when in reality they are selling themselves into slavery.” 1750
“If man could have half his desires, he would double his troubles.” 1752
In fact, Franklin tells a story about when he suffered from cupiditis as a child.
When he was seven years old, he was given some money to buy a toy. On her way to the store she met another boy who was blowing a whistle. The sound of the whistle so captivated Franklin that he offered the boy all his coppers for the whistle. The boy readily agreed and Franklin, delighted with his whistle, happily returned home blowing the whistle much to the annoyance of his brothers and sisters. When they learned what he had paid for the whistle, they told him that he had paid four times what it was worth, reminded him of what he could have bought with the rest of the money, and laughed at him for his foolishness.
Now, the whistle that had given Franklin so much pleasure saddened him to learn that he had paid far more than it was worth for it. However, he benefited from the experience as he often found occasion to remind himself that he shouldn’t pay too much for his whistles.
Over the years, he frequently observed many who he believed had paid too much for their whistles and concluded: “….I conceive that much of the misery of mankind is due to the false estimate that has been made of the value of things.” “Benjamin Franklin’s Art of Virtue,” p. 16.17
Here we have it then, the valere falsus aestimatus virus is a false estimate of the value of things, and by this means, as Franklin observed, much of the misery of mankind is brought about.
Three centuries later we are still faced with this problem. But, over time, technological advances and access to greater resources have aggravated the problem; to the point that many think it threatens the very foundations on which civilization and human progress rest. It is really like a virus that attacks and ultimately kills its victim. And, our young people are the most vulnerable to this disease.
So what can we do to stop the progress of Cupiditas? Since this is a completely preventable disease at the individual level, it is one that responds favorably to education, especially as a preventive measure.
The problem is that we are not providing enough of this type of education, either in our homes or in our schools, to adequately prepare our young people to resist disease when it strikes. On the other hand, young people are being bombarded with messages specifically designed to whet their appetites for owning and doing things with high hidden costs.
It is critical that we take a much more energetic and vigorous approach to character education. At a time when a young person’s character is still in the process of being formed, a process that involves making important decisions about what is truly important and what is not important in life, it is essential that we do everything possible to immunize him against the valere falsus aestimatus. virus.
Character-based learning strategies are especially well-suited to help young people understand the importance of the decisions they make and provide them with the resources they need to avoid getting Cupiditas and paying too much for their whistles.