Fool's gold

Oscar Wilde wrote that a cynic was "a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing."  Along those lines, we are a world full of greedy cynics now.

It is not merely the sweets that have lost the value.  New clothes have lost their value.  Movies have lost their value.  In every one of those situations, and in more, the rarity provided the excitement and value.  Sweets were not in abundance at home.  New clothes were bought just a couple of times a year.  To go to a movie required lots of planning and it was excitement in plenty.

In the contemporary era of abundance, we do not even have to leave our homes in order to have sweets, wear new clothes, watch movies, do whatever.  They are delivered to us.  Movies have become examples of instant gratification, which we could not have imagined even a few years ago.

We are awash with so much abundance that there is no special value for anything.  We know the price of everything--and prices are at rock bottom--but, all those that used to add charm to our lives have lost their value.

Most of us live in a Midas world. 

Thankfully, the food that we touch doesn't turn into gold.  But, our lives are also increasingly resembling the problem that Midas had: We can't seem to find real happiness in a world of abundance.

Meanwhile, our appetite for gold continues to grow.  How much more material well being do we want, if we are not content and happy with what we currently have?  Or, as Thoreau asked, how many copper pumps do we need?  Is there a ceiling at all, or is our material want sky high with no limits?

Or, is there a limit when, like Midas, we too will regret the golden touch?  Will we wash the gold off our hands in order to truly understand the value of everything around us?