CNN iReport

There once was a man who had nothing. This man worked hard and received little pay. He lived day to day wondering where he was going to sleep and where he was going to eat. One day he happened to run across an opportunity. That opportunity was an escape from his current toils and a way to enjoy a better life.

He took that opportunity and made his job much easier. He quickly built up some wealth and built a place to live. His new neighbors started to see that he was accomplishing much more than they could and they started to ask the man what was his secret. The man was willing to share his secret for a small price.  The neighbors agreed it to be a good price, so they bought his secret. With that secret the villagers’ life became much easier.

One day one of the villagers came across an opportunity. That opportunity allowed him to make the original opportunity bigger and better. So that villager worked on that opportunity and was able to accomplish much more than the other villagers. Again, the villagers noticed that he was able to produce more than anyone else, so they asked him what his secret was.  He said, for a small price he would share that secret. The villagers agreed, purchased the secret, and soon, they were all producing much more than they ever have.

This went on for generations. The villagers worked together, toiled together, and grew together. New secrets were coming out all the time, and the villagers bartered and sold their secrets. Soon that village became a town, then a city, and then a thriving and happy metropolis.

One day a select few people in this metropolis got together and decided that they didn’t have enough and they wanted more. So they went to the elected officials and stated that things were not fair. You see, this small group was the descendants of the man who had the first secret. They said it was unfair that everyone was prospering off the secret of their forefather and they should be paid back for the toils of their family. The elected officials agreed that they should have their share.  In no time at all a tax was levied upon the people. The people were in shock, wondering who are these people and why must they get more. Well, the people were happy; they were prosperous; and very complacent.

They paid the tax and went on with their daily lives. Well it wasn’t too much longer after that when the select few held a meeting. In this meeting, they discussed that if it weren’t for the first secret, the other secrets would not have come to be.  They went back to the elected officials and stated their case. The elected officials agreed, if it weren’t for the first secret, no other secret would have been birthed. So another tax was levied upon the people. The people started to talk amongst themselves, and they started to complain, but they quickly paid the extra taxes and went on with their daily lives.

This happened a few more times, and the small group became very powerful and the people were starting to hurt a little. They couldn’t understand why they had to keep paying taxes and give up the fruits of their labor.

Well it wasn’t much longer when the small wealthy group held another meeting. They looked at the population in the metropolis and wondered why some of them were profiting off the secrets of the forefathers. So the wealthy group went back to the elected officials. They stated that it was unfair that the secrets of their fore fathers were being used by people that were new. The elected officials held a meeting and decided that all the newer people in the metropolis must start pay licensing fees to use the secrets. In no time at all, the licensing fees were sent to all those that were not descendants of the original village. These people started getting angry. They stated that they won’t be able to keep what they have. The elected officials ignored them because they were prospering off the toils of others.

Soon, those that were not part of the original village were falling behind in their fees. They had to choose between paying for use of the secret or to feed their families. As time passed, the wealthy group was getting angry that the newer people were not paying their licenses or their taxes. So they again went to the elected officials and stated that they should now take ownership of all their properties. They were owed this because of the original secret. The elected officials stated that they couldn’t do anything about it. There was not enough revenue coming in to force the transaction. The wealthy looked at the situation and decided they would pay for the services to have them evicted. There was too much to lose. So they paid the fees of the elected officials and soon took ownership of their properties.

Not much time passed and many people in the metropolis were living on the streets. They were hungry and they were without homes.

Again the wealthy group got together and decided that many were still profiting off the original secret. There were many that were using the secrets in places where they shouldn’t. So they went back to the elected officials and stated their case. They stated that it was not right that people were using the secrets at certain places and a certain times. The elected officials said there was nothing they could do; they haven’t the money to enforce this. The wealthy discussed it, paid the fees and soon the people were limited in where and when they could use the secrets. Many of the people were fined heavily when they went against what the wealthy group wanted. Soon, many couldn’t pay their fines, their taxes, or their licenses. The elected officials were forced to enforce the laws. Many of the citizens in the once great metropolis were being forced from their homes.

As time passed, the metropolis was not so great. Money was tight for almost everyone. The wealthy group did not have the revenue coming in like they once had. So they went back to the elected officials and stated that it was not fair, they were not receiving their share. The elected officials stated there was nothing they could do. The wealthy group demanded something be done. If it weren’t for their families the metropolis would never have prospered. The elected officials agreed and asked them what they should do. The wealthy group told them they should force them to use their secrets and pay what they demand, and the elected officials agreed. In no time at all, there was no prosperity, and no growth. Just a metropolis that toiled and worked hard so the wealthy group could be paid back for the secrets that once helped and made each of their lives a little easier. That once prosperous metropolis was now enslaved to the small wealthy group to a debt that could never be paid back, GREED.