Page 7 - Just Deserts

Prologue

stultifying job; no endless commute; no crushing debt. Instead, the
vista of unlimited consumerism opened before us—freedom without
responsibility, a flight to some imaginary childhood paradise. To
return to my metaphor of choice, did we get back on track—some
track, any track? I think not. Our engines were given a full head of
steam with no load to pull and the ability to switch tracks at will. So
where have we gone? Nowhere. Maybe in circles. Our situation is so
anomalous that no established routes exist. True, as Doreen pointed
out, had we grown up in circumstances of great prosperity, our
disorientation would not have occurred. As it is, we have been
thrown back upon our own limited individual resources to find a
route to happiness. Or at least the satisfaction of the need to do
something worthwhile.”
Lester snapped, “What are you saying, man? That we aren’t
mature enough to take care of business? That we can’t work out
our own destiny? That all this money is a curse? Well, tell me
something, then: would you give it all back today?”
Gerald smiled ruefully. “It crossed my mind. But you can’t go
home again. We have been corrupted, if not absolutely, by all this
purchasing power. If you mean, would I rather those six numbers
had not been ours, then I would say yes. We were young and
unformed in our student days, but we had at least some aptitude for
what we were doing and had a good chance of filling some socially
useful roles. I think all of us have already expressed dissatisfaction
with being merely wealthy: we cannot escape our origins. Striking it
rich was not our great goal in life, although the culture told us it
should be and immediately twisted our minds around when we
suddenly reached it.”
“But what about my attempts to help other people?” Doreen
stood up and started pacing. “I simply haven’t gotten good value for
money. The idea that all this cash should be useful in promoting a
progressive social agenda has never been driven from my mind,
despite a few wild shopping sprees and first-class trips around the
world. But every time I make a donation to a cause I think is
worthwhile, either the money is wasted or stolen by administrators,
or the charismatic leader I was supporting wound up doing things I
dislike intensely. And so many wonderful movements have been co-
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