Seven Deadly Sins, Period #5, 8/7 [Greed]

[boobs-and-evil.livejournal.com]

"Today, we're not going to bother with lecture very much," Callie said brightly. "Because today's topic is greed. Greed is defined as wanting things you don't need. Isn't that funny? I don't remember anyone asking you what you need. And what's wrong with wanting things, anyway?"

Nothing, as far as she was concerned.

"Thomas Aquinas -- yes, I've done my research -- said that greed is bad because the world is a zero-sum game. If I'm wealthy, someone else is destitute. So apparently Thomas Aquinas was very into communism and not so much Prada."

Just saying.

"Let's cut to the chase. On your desks, each of you will find one iPad 2. None of you need it. No one in the history of the world has needed an iPad. It's a complete luxury item. Do you want it? Are you going to take it? If you don't take it, I'm going to flip a coin. Heads, I sell it and give the money to charity. Tails, I use the money to buy myself expensive shoes. Or you could keep the iPad, because it has Angry Birds on it and it's really, really pretty."

Oh, right, one last point.

"Just in case you're not into iPads, you can trade your iPad in for one of these diamond and gold necklaces, or whatever your equivalent-cost luxury good of choice would be. I can get whatever you like. Don't feel limited by the item. It's the greed that matters. Right?"

Comments

Re: Class Activity - Make Your Choice - 7DS06

[boobs-and-evil.livejournal.com]

"Feeling generous today, or is this not your style?" Callie asked, lifting the iPad and weighing it in her hands.

Re: Class Activity - Make Your Choice - 7DS06

[nottrivial]

"I just don't know what I'd really use it for," Alec answered, shrugging. "I already have a computer and a phone."

Re: Class Activity - Make Your Choice - 7DS06

[boobs-and-evil.livejournal.com]

Callie chewed her lower lip for a second. "And you're not the jewelry type," she surmised. "Tell you what."

She put the iPad back down onto Alec's desk. "This thing is wifi-capable," she explained, "so it should be online. Option three: find something worth about the equivalent -- say in the $500 range, loosely, but just keep it under a grand -- that qualifies somehow as a luxury. Which just means, you want it but you can't possibly say you need it. And if you want to trade your iPad for it, it's yours. I'll order it and it'll be here by next week's class. Interested?"

Temptation was a specialty. It went with being a demon.

Re: Class Activity - Make Your Choice - 7DS06

[nottrivial]

Undeterred, Alec shook his head. "That's okay," he said. "I'm more of the carefully-picking-stuff-out-myself type. And I try to stick to necessities."

Like the hideous ratty sweater he had on, for example. Oh, Alec.

"Thanks, though."

Re: Class Activity - Make Your Choice - 7DS06

[boobs-and-evil.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Callie said. Well, she'd tried. She took the iPad and started a stack on her desk, for the kids who weren't taking them.

"Want to pick a charity before I flip the coin?" she asked. "Otherwise it's going to be something generic and goody-goody."

Re: Class Activity - Make Your Choice - 7DS06

[nottrivial]

Alec's gaze flicked across the room. "Something for kids whose parents died," he decided. "Like a foster home, something like that."

Re: Class Activity - Make Your Choice - 7DS06

[boobs-and-evil.livejournal.com]

Callie pulled out her Blackberry and did some quick web surfing.

"SOS Children's villages," she announced, in the sort of stilted voice that explained she was simply reading text directly from the website (http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/). "Welcome to the charity homepage of SOS Children, which child sponsors have helped make into the world’s largest orphan and abandoned children’s charity. Our vision is “a loving home for every child” and we have a rather unique approach to sponsorship which we think is the best for children and child sponsors alike. We work outwards from the children in greatest need into the wider community. Child sponsors and donors worldwide provide a new family and home for more than 78,000 children in 518 unique Children’s Villages in 125 countries."

She lifted her shoulders. "Orphans, good enough. Heads you send money to these boring do-gooders, and tails I buy some new Miu Mius."

The coin sailed through the air, and Callie uncovered it over Alec's desk so he could see she wasn't cheating.

Heads.

Re: Class Activity - Make Your Choice - 7DS06

[nottrivial]

Huh.

"Good," Alec said, nodding. "Thanks."

So he maybe had a soft spot for kids without parents, so what. That sort of thing happened when you got a brand-new orphan adopted brother when you were ten who quickly became your best friend. Hush.