One of my favorite television programs of all-time was & is 'The Wonder Years.' It was nostalgic, poetic, unique, a tad humorous, & pretty darn identifiable....at least in my eyes. If memory serves me well, it also included a line that changed my wave of thinking, one that if practiced, may even change my life. I believe the scene involved Ben Stein playing the teacher and a young Fred Savage playing the student. Mr. Savage (Arnold) was having some difficulty in math, I think he may have even tried to cheat in that episode. Yet, the words I remember coming from Ben Stein's character remain a very philosophical and I dare say enlightened way of looking at things. The line is simply, "Every problem contains its own solution." Wow, chew on that for a bit:-)
It reminds me time and again of the world we live in. There are problems going on with our Economy, the Real Estate Industry, our Media, the lousy Top 40 music blasted by major Radio Stations, and any other fiber of what goes on in our lives. There will always be problems. It's like that whole 'death' thing....inevitable.
For my initial 31 years on Mother Earth, I've felt that I've been missing something. Perhaps I could lend a hand in at least making things better, in some way or another. Back before puberty slapped me in the face, I wanted to be a dentist. Then, I saw Larry Bird perform and thought I could be the next Kurt Ramsey. Soon after, I decided since I liked to write interesting prose, perhaps I could be the next Jim Morrison and elevate myself above 'The Lizard King' to live out my life until I was at least 30 years of age. Then I reached my College Years (going in majoring in accounting) and found the curriculum offered to be about as interesting as a sit down interview with Fred Rodgers after a lobotomy. It was then that I made the decision to major in Psychology & minor in Philosophy. I was bound and determine to sit on a mountain top and hand out Lithium like rice at a wedding, like condoms at Hedonism, like featured posts on Active 'Freaking' Rain:-) But no, that's not me. After graduation, I started to train. Twenty-five push-ups and then fifty, then one hundred in 60 seconds. That's when I came to Allentown, Pennsylvania. I decided to try to instill a sense of respect into the Professional Wrestling Industry by training under the Wild Samoans and being an orator who made sense and got attention. Long story there...which perhaps I'll get into sometime down the road.
Then I entered the Mortgage Industry and found an arena where I can truly make a difference. Not that you can't in the professions I listed above, but this seemed like a better fit for me. I remember helping my first couple get a Mortgage to buy their first home and after the closing I walked back to my office and thought to myself, "Holy crap, I just helped someone buy their first home...helped them live the American Dream." That's not just cool, that's an honor.
And now they tell me that this Economy & this Real Estate Profession I got into ..... is in a bad way. Heck, that's ok with me. If that's really the case...we are a spoiled bunch, no? I'll scratch the back of my head from time to time but I will never forget how to help, through my own meager contribution.
What got us into this situation, at least in my mind, is Greed. Greed is the disease. The greed for money...for more, more, more! It starts at the top and works its way down. Now we need to find a cure. I won't point fingers because everyone is ducking anyhow. I will say though that the problem we have does contain its own solution. The problem is Greed, the solution is Greed....only of a different kind. The very cure to the very disease is Greed, it reminds me of a Flu Shot. You clone the virus itself, kill it, then inject it into the body....allowing the immune system to attack it and build up its own resistance to the flu. Our Greed to help, to service, to educate, to do a large volume of business, to out-perform and out-market ... the Greed for exposure to as many as possible. It is this very Greed that will help cure, this very Greed that will help turn around the very Industry whose Greed for Money helped put us to where we are at this very moment. Get Greedy folks, people need us now more than ever...
I know just the group for you then! :-)
Very hopeful post.
Jason - Gee, never thought of greed as a good thing, maybe I will have to re-think it...
Jason,
I watched those all the time and it wasn't Ben Stein. His name was Mr. Collins and he ended up dying at the end of one of the episodes he was in. The actor was Steve Gilborn. But he was right what he said...now you can make fun of me about the show...there were a lot of people who's childhood was pretty close to Kevin's...even mine was similar:)
Jennifer - I'm familiar with that 'Group', I heard the founder is a donkey's you know what:-)
Sandra - I suppose it's a different way to look at things.
Neal - Hey man, I loved that show and thanks for the correction. Now the question, did you watch 'Saved By The Bell':-)
Hi Jason,
The wonder years....I like the way you look at things, I suppose then Greed can be good if its used properly. Like you, helping someone obtain the American dream is an honor!
Okay, I agree with everything but need to defend Mr. Rodgers. The monotone delivery, the red sweater, changing shoes to sneakers when he was just going into the living room! I'm off to go see the King with Trolley.
Jennifer - Hey, that was a shot at me...not you:-)
Matt - That's the ticket man!
Suzanne - Thank you and it most surely is an honor.
Lenza - Mr. Rodgers? That's another post in of itself:-)
I've often thought of staring a 501c3 non profit and doing loans for free...I just send out support letters like a missionary and instead of saving their souls, I help save them money. My friends get a tax write off for supporting my mortgage ministry!
You look like a professional wrassler Jason, what would your "ring name" have been?
Greed is right.
Greed works.
Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.
Greed, in all of its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of mankind."
Said by Michael Douglas acting as Gordon Gekko in the movie Wall Street.
I'm all for marking the upward surge of mankind, but please... picking on Mr. Rodgers? I can still sing his song, "Won't you be my neighbor?"
Jason,
That pro wrestling inference explains a lot!!! :^) Thanks, Fran
Jason,
Unfortunately....yes...even my 11 yrd old daughter has the DVD of the reruns:) My family calls me the rerun king...I only watch certain shows after they become reruns...I know we are totally off subject but hey....what do I know:)
Very, Very Very accurate post! I have said this since it it all hit the fan. Greed is what made all this. Greed from the loose lender guidelines. Greed from some mortgage lenders charging a ton on a refinance. Greed from realtors, saying to borrowers "what? that guy said he would put you in a neg am loan so you can buy this house? I will find you someone else. Greed from the borrower to keep up with the joneses when they should know for a fact that you can't have Filet Mignon on a Mc Donalds salary.
Great post.
Congrats on the feature Buddy!
Good points. One issue.
You cannot have a 4 x 4 cube. It doesn't have a center axis.
Ok, maybe you could but it would be "imaginary".
Kind of like the wheels on my cousins bike...
She can go really fast on that thing!
Good for you!
Ok, I get it greed created the problem and greed will be the cure. Pretty sad, isn't it? But the questions is how long after the cure, will the disease strike again?
Rich - Mortgage Ministry, eh? Interesting concept;-) My name was to be 'The Wild Thing' Billy Shears (after a Beatle's Song) and the character was interesting...I'll leave it at that:-)
David - Lol, what has this turned into, Comedy Central? I'm going to have to look into some of those other bands though, could be food for future posts...
Melina - Great speech, great movie. And a pretty good moral lesson on what not to be. Hey, Mr. Rodgers is fair game!
Fran - I hope I'm still on your Christmas Card list....
Greg - Good observation my friend, thanks!
Neal- Great, we share the same taste in television too. We definitely need to get together for that
beerAvian:-)Karen - There was a very serious message here, so no. Sometimes 'Outside the Box' is more Inside than we think.
Casey - Thank you, lots of variables involved....I like to deal in solutions though and learn from each and every mistake along the way (mine or somebody else's).
Neal- Forward for The Los Angeles Lakers during the Bird/Magic era. Good player, a hustler and tough.
Mike - Wow, who needs gasoline when you can ride like that? I think you just solved the 'Gas Crisis.'
Cynthia - Perhaps, and you make a very good and legitimate point. While it isn't easy to solve problems, it is sometimes even harder to learn enough from their roots and evolution to prevent them from happening again. Great point, one we need to keep in mind.
Lane - You are a smart fellow my friend, I'll leave it at that.
Sis - Likely excuse:-)
After seeing that bike, I forgot what I was going to write!!
Interesting perspective...deciding what to apply the 'cure' to is the key...
(only because I know not what name to refer to you by...) - I tend to agree but hope investors practice a Win-Win philosophy in buying Real Estate. There is a prime opportunity to get some pretty good deals and that very same opportunity in helping communities rebuild and flourish due to their investment. Let's call that, "Greed in trying to make what's around them better."
Joe- That bike was certainly a distraction, Mueller must pay:-) I have a feeling that applying the 'cure' is just as complicated as dissecting the problems. There's a solution, though it may be slow & silent & surfacing only when we reach out and grab it...and implement it...after more than one key is used to try to open those doors.
Missy - I hope so, I wasn't completely satisfied with this post...
Lisa Marie - I would love to hear your thoughts once/if you do...
Lane - Sometimes the comments are more confusing than the post, which is darn rare when I'm the proverbial poster. For one moment in time, I'm a tad lost....I better turn off FOX NEWS and start re-reading your comment and my post:-)
Sandra - What's next? Are you going to flag that Italian Recipe I posted in 2006? Heck, thanks for the kudos and you just wait to your next listing:-))
I love Sardi-isms. Very creative post as always, J-Sar.
Why does everyone want to blame everything on greed? Greed (in my mind) implies a time when you want something so badly that you are willing to get it at the expense of someone else.
Just because someone made a lot of money in the real estate/mortgage business does not make them greedy. Just because investors wanted to flip houses does not make them greedy. Just because guidelines were sloppy loose does not mean banks were greedy....It was a stupid, I will give you that, but it was a bet on values going up far more than it was a way to screw borrowers.
Greedy is making decisions based on how much money you will make and in the process forsaking what is best for the client. THAT is greed.
It is still okay to be motivated by money. It is what makes the world go 'round. But not when you making money means someone else takes it in the shorts.
Jason.... that Mike is funny.... but on another note, you are kind of taking what I have been thinking and saying.... I won't to be all over the internet... so I can help more people. Greed = achievement for consumer... But Sandra is right, I never truly thought about that part of greed. You make some good sense my boy. Very good post. And yes, I loved Wonder Years....
I agree that greed is the problem. I agree that it will need to be a part of the solution because of the way we are wired. But, let's get deeper and more depressing for a minute...
Is greed a man made thing or a God given gift?
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Phil. 2:3-4 NIV
I believe that ambition, desire and drive ARE God given gifts. But we tend to go crazy with our lust for more, which is a man made desire that comes from our greedy sense of insecurity; we always want more! Even if it is at the risk of someone else losing.
I have no doubt that we can all make an exceptional living by serving our clients as per the message above. We are supposed to help our clients make the very best decisions for their families and futures. We should be focused on making THEM wealthy (through education and wisdom based on our specialized knowledge). By doing this consistently, we will become wealthy. Many of us already have.
Personal integrity is a tough thing to maintain; "If I don't sell them the property, the next guy will." I challenge anyone who wants to blast me in their response to put integrity ahead of greed. If enough of us (the professionals) do it, maybe there won't be another credit crunch of apolyptic porportions.
FYI; I'm no saint. I struggle with integrity every day. So please don't read any piety into this, it's just a thought.
Okay...I'm back....I felt like I had to come back and ....finish.
Anyway, we are the only ones who can turn this back around. We all know the media hasn't helped but make it worse....and like Dez said in her post....why should we support the very people who are making it worse? And the rest of the stuff....what's done is done......now let's make it better......with facts....not fiction.
The truth of the matter is that I'm not going to buy into the crap of yesterday...it's time to get on the ball and jump in the "NOW" and the future.... jump on the bandwagon bro....and grab that little lady of yours and ride off into the sunset :) (was that a little too melodramatic?...)
Sardi - I was thinking about it, but found a better recipe for ya....
Jeff said I was right... <<shocked>>
Thank you Rebecca!
Janet - Good points! That said, I still believe that Greed (within our Industry and from the borrowers end) was a major factor in what is currently going on. I think our takes are very similar, you just articulate it better:-)
Richard - Now that is a joyous thought. I just got my family's medical history the other day, I have a lot to look forward too:-)
Christy - Knowing where to find it, that is key! I never watched Oswald, perhaps I'll check out an episode.
Larry - Well put. As far as 'The Wonder Years' ... I must be getting
oldolder.Belonger - That Mueller, he is a funny chap. I get what you are saying, these very thoughts have been running through my mind for some time now. Late night thinking tends to do that...
Mike - Excellent commentary my friend, I agree with you totally. Like I needed any additions to my subscribed to list, I'm adding a new one in you.....gee thanks:-)
Sis- Just a tad.....lol. I'm kidding. You are right and I really liked Dez's post and her call to action. I'm not only on the bandwagon Sis, I'm twirling the freaking baton:-)
Sandra - Why don't you just start a 'Top Chef' Challenger here on Active-Rain while you are at it?
Brian - I still watch that speech over and over. Tell the 'Wharton Boys' I said, "Hi!"
Matthew - Thank you Mr. Douglas:-)
Marc - I too often forget how lucky I am in being able to do this for a living. It's tough, but so rewarding.
Jimmy - Now that's a challenge. Somewhere 'The Rock' is giving me the People's Eyebrow;-)
Marc - You'll be among the first I call when I come down amigo.
Rebecca - Ahhh, a Jerry Lee Lewis reference:-) I agree with you, communication is vital!
Sis - Yup, I moisturized today:-) Thank you.
Midori - I'm certainly something, thanks Midori!
wait.... don't I get to screen you first? Oh, the perils of social networking LOL
I loved little Freddy's crazy eye. Remember that look he gave when he had to think on his feet? His little head shook and it looked he was wigging out? So cute!
Patricia - Yup, I agree with you there. I would never envisioned years ago that I would have such an honor. I think we all need to never forget that.
Mike - If you screen me, you may never want anything to do with me:-)
Jason, nicely done until you turn Gordon Gecko on us and try to turn greed into something good. But I won't rant about the terminology, the message is there. And you're right, the problem starts at the top. If nobody was buying the paper on the "junk" loans then nobody would have funded them, and nobody would have offered them.
One correction though...it was Kurt Rambis, not Ramsey.
Interesting post, I think that the key is not to keep doing the same things. if you have a problem be the solution.
I want to help you out, so here is your reply to my first comment and my comment about your comment... (ok, that confusing...)
So, I am usually referred to as a smart@$$ or a smartaleck.
We cool now?
Marko - Thanks for the correction man, something didn't look right to me. Glad you got the message, despite the use of the term:-)
Ross - You have a good point there.
Lane- LOL, you know we are man!
Karen - Michael Douglas, but that character and me have a MUCH different philosophy on all that.
Frank - Actually, there are probably many things that need to be done to help correct everything...
Ken - Thanks man! That's high praise coming from you. You rock as well!
Nestor &Katerina, smart alleck....but you are right-on in my book:-)