Thursday, July 06, 2006

Ken Lay Dies

For those of you who know me might think this is a weird topic on which to post, and you are correct. I did not know Kenneth Lay personally, I did not lose any money when Enron imploded, and thankfully no one that I know was caught up in that catastrophe. However when I saw the headline, I was struck. Admittedly it’s something on which I had to burn a few brain cells the last few days.

Here was a man who embodied the American dream. He started out humbly and with hard work he rose through the ranks. He found something about which he was passionate, and followed it. He did all that God really asks of us.

Where it went wrong, no one but God and Kenneth Lay know. The jury found him guilty and I by default ascribe to that conclusion. The sad part of this story abides in the fact that somewhere along the journey he lost focus, he got his priorities screwed up and like someone in a position of extraordinary responsibility his mistakes had disastrous consequences for those around him.

I will admit that I’m still processing this. Again, Ken Lay is not a role model for me. I’m not rich and really have no desire to become rich. I’ve seen the problems that money can cause, and have discovered that life is a lot simpler without having to watch your back. Lay’s problems are not over as I’m sure the civil lawsuits will be years in the settling. I feel sorry for his friends and family. Once again his mistakes will affect others, in this case those he loves, for years to come.

-D

5 comments:

GarySmith75098 said...

I have to disagree with you about money and happiness. Money itself has never corrupted anyone no more than a gun has killed anyone. People are the sole reason for corruption.

AVGeek said...

Good point. I should say the love of money.

-D

Anonymous said...

I can say from personal close experience with people who make upwards of 350-500K+ a year...Money does always seem to go hand in hand with personal corruption.

People with money tend to use people as if they are objects. They assume, probably unconciously, that because they make more than you, or employ you, that they can treat you or anyone else as their property. They also tend to be COMPLETELY out of touch with reality or the way things *really* are in the world. They are completely inconsiderate to the needs and feelings of others. They are the kind of people who would rather have their kids raised by a nanny, etc than actually spend time with them themselves. I've met and know several people in this "price range" and this has NEVER failed to be the case.

Maybe lots of money doesn't ALWAYS mean that people will be corrupted...but it USUALLY does. I want to have enough money to be comfortable, put my kids through school, and to enjoy life without having to worry about making the next bills. Having repeatedly seen first hand what money does to people makes me not want to have "that" much. Money doesn't buy happiness. It buys distraction. Distraction from your family, God, the "real world," getting outside, etc etc etc.

In my eyes, It's unfortunate that Ken Lay died...simply because it was too much of an escape from the consequences of his actions. In a business like Enron, had they been honest they would have still made money hand over fist. That's the way of the business they were in. These days you honestly can't NOT make money doing what they were doing. Greed kills....and keeps on killing.

Ensign Eddie said...

Frankly, I think more money just ends up accentuating who or what you truly are.

If you are greedy you become Ken Lay. If you are giving you become Andrew Carnegie.

GarySmith75098 said...

Actually, the corruptability that is present in each of us is not completely related to the effects of money or other monetary units. IMHO, I believe ANY possession or object of our coveteousness will evoke the potential to corrupt. Take for example, Chicken Alfredo, woe is the person that comes between me and my Chicken Alfredo.