Something's on my chest

and I just have to get it off. So many people today are worried about creating jobs and making money. Money is just a part of our problem though, people. You can't eat it, you can't wear it (well, I suppose), and while I definitely want a large pile myself to go and throw at many of my problems, it is only as good as the products we spend it on. And that is what worries me. When you are buying a pair of shoes, for example, that money goes for a lot of different things. It goes to the people who make, sell and harvest the materials. If they don't make enough money, they go without. Then we put them on welfare. It worries me a little that we are more concerned sometimes with getting something at the lowest possible price (Wal-Mart, folks) than with compensating the people who do a good job. It is fine to get a good deal, but a good deal needs to be a good deal for everyone involved.

The other gripe I have is the GDP, or gross domestic product. Why do we include in that several industries that give unfavorable contributions? Like gambling and cigarettes, and other industries that take away from society. I am a concerned with our society that worships money to the point that we say "Oh, they generated $60 billion this year" by taking it away from addicted people who should be using that money for their own families. I understand that it's a useful number for tax purposes. Just something to think about and now it is off my chest and onto yours. :o)