UNCOMMON CENTS 30

EURIPIDES, 484 B.C. - 406 B.C., OBSERVED THAT "ONCE A MAN BE DONE WITH HUNGER, RICH AND POOR ARE ALL AS ONE." ENOUGH FOOD MEANT WEALTH AND SOLIDARITY IN A SOCIETY. HUNGER DISCOURAGED THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, WHEREAS MONEY PROVIDED THE PRICE OF ADMISSION TO A BETTER LIFE. UNTIL NOW. NOW THE LEAN AND HUNGRY LOOK REFLECTS FAME AND FORTUNE AND BY EXTENSION HAPPINESS. OR DOES IT? IS IT ETHICAL EVEN THOUGH IT'S LEGAL FOR YOUNG WOMEN (AND AGED, DIE-HARD WANNABEES) TO CHOOSE SUBMISSION TO A REGIMEN OF FOOD DEPRIVATION? TO CHOOSE UNNATURAL BEHAVIOR THAT PRODUCES ULTRA-THIN AND BORDERLINE (SOMETIMES PATHOLOGICAL) ANOREXICS WHO STRUT THE RUNWAYS OF THE MODELING AND FASHION WORLD, HOLLYWOOD, AND THE ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA? IT IS LEGAL, BUT IT IS NOT ETHICAL TO PERVERT AN INSTINCT THAT CONTRIVES TO KEEP US FED? I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY DO IT, BUT I DO KNOW WHY. THEY FORGO THE HUMAN PLEASURES OF NECTAR AND AMBROSIA FOR THE SAKE OF MONEY OR ADULATION. YES, THE PAY IS A GOOD; THE PAYBACK EVIL.

A REVERSE, PERVERSE PHENOMENON IS OVER-FEEDING YOURSELF TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU ARE STARVED OF FUNDS FOR YOUR FUTURE. AN OPPOSING, UNETHICAL, BUT LEGAL, BEHAVIOR IS TO CONSUME EVERY CENT NOW, LIKE A GLUTTON, IRRESPECTIVE OF A PLAN TO PROVIDE SOME 'LARDER' FOR YOUR RETIREMENT AND OLD AGE. TO COUNT ON SOMEONE ELSE FEEDING YOU, SUPPORT YOU OR MINISTER TO YOU. BETTER YOU SHOULD START WITHHOLDING SOME CASH FROM THE COST OF A FEW INDULGENT MEALS. BETTER TO FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCT TO REFRAIN FROM GIVING STRANGERS YOUR MONEY AS INTEREST ON A LOAN, AN INSTINCT AS NATURAL AS REPELLING A MUGGER. HAPPINESS DOES NOT BLOOM FROM EXTREME BEHAVIORS OR PERVERTED FALSE SELF- ESTEEM. THE ACCUMULATION OF A NEST EGG DOES NOT GUARANTEE HAPPINESS EITHER, BUT IT AT LEAST REFLECTS A JOB DONE RIGHT.

HINT: GET LEAN AND HUNGRY ABOUT OVER-CONSUMPTION.