Why?

Why is it that lying, cheating and greed are allowed to succeed in life for some whereas caring, compassion and talent often isn’t?

Re: Why?

It's always been that way. Ruthless successful people generally prosper and claw their way to the top.

Re: Why?

Tony I guess it depends what you call 'success'.

To me a 'success' is being content with my lot obtained through my own hard labours. Also having a clear conscience

Re: Why?

Methinks there is much unsaid in this query ?

I think all of us favour "caring, compassion and talent" over "lying, cheatng and greed"
But we are fallible humans who do not so much "allow" the nasties to prevail but sometimes are unable to prevent it.
In general though, I reckon the 'good guys' have their share of victory.

Re: Why?

It does appear the lying and cheating and unkind do well and prosper. I know someone exactly like this , he prospers in money and material things in life , but has no compassion or love for his family, and in return has no love or respect back from them .

I wonder has he really prospered .?

Re: Why?

Material things please materialistic minds and in answer to VMs question - they prosper because they have no conscience ...........

Re: Why?

There will always be good and bad as there will always be rich and poor, strong and weak etc. etc., it's just how it is, but all you can do is try to maintain your own standards and your own self respect, you can't change the world but can only live with it's imperfections.

Re: Why?

Good point susan.
In fact those who "appear" to be prospering, may not always be as content as they seem. I think very often greedy people are never content for long, because they always want more. Whereas those with very little can be happy when even a slight improvement in their life seems a Godsend.

Re: Why?

I'm with you on this one, we are where we are, and as yet haven't evolved into completely altruistic, unselfish beings.

In the past our existence depended on being selfish, the one who always put themselves last wouldn't exist very long in the law of the jungle.

We have evolved from very tribal and warlike beginnings, and we can still see it going on.

I also don't really believe in the idea that some are all bad and some are all good. The majority fall somewhere in between, who can say they are completely 'good' human beings, not many I think. There are degrees like in everything.

We can make it better by teaching right from wrong and kindness and compassion etc.

Re: Why?

That’s just the way it goes, you wouldn’t know what bad was if you hadn’t got good to compare it to. I think contentment is the answer to peace of mind and true happiness, wealthy folks can hide their problems far better than poor folks so we never really know how happy they are, then years after the death of a member of a famous family the stories start to leak out, how they were lonely and miserable, dominated by the husband/wife, no true friends only hangers on, blah blah blah, poor little rich girl/boy, how many times have you heard it.