Shock Value: Entry 22 " Money, Power, and Respect"

Hey Hey Hey- T.G.I.F. ! I don't know about you all, but I am so glad that it is Friday. I don't know about any of you, but this week has definitely been taxing. I am not so sure if I was ready for what returning to Lil-Weezy- Anna (Louisiana) would have in store for me. All in All, this was at the least a very productive week.

Today, I wanted to talk about three things that seem to make the world evolve--MONEY, POWER, AND RESPECT.

Lets begin talking about the Money. No matter you refer to it as: Mula, Dinero, Cheez, and/or Ghaup; it is necessary to have this to survive. While I don't necessarily believe that Money is the root of all evil, I do believe that it is the identical twin of greed, which has destroyed more lives then drug addiction and racism combined. Money is important, and in a recession, we could all use a little more. Too bad no one told your favorite rappers that we are in a recession, because they still visit Jacob the Jeweler and drop a $300,000 on a chain while you work 40+ hours just to buy their extremely over priced cds.

Now Power---Good ole' power. Many people may not understand what power means in the sense of sustainability, but those who are in power understand its necessity all too well. Power gives people the ability to make decisions that oftentimes influence the decisions of others or change the scope of one's daily life. There is a clear difference between power and authority. One specifically gives you the right to do something, while the other can be taken or acquired from someone else through more democratic functions such as votes or nominations. Power, unlike money and respect can be limitless. People in power have to know when enough is enough, but usually they go too far anyway.

Respect to me is earned and not given. People may fear you, but that doesn't mean they respect you. People who have earned real respect have paid their dues and are valued for the role(s) they play in society. Respect can be one-sided or mutual. I am sure all of you know someone who you have respect for but that person may not even know you exist, like the President. I have learned over the years that respect may come and go, but your honor and integrity, if upheld, can last forever.

Money, Power, and Respect are a unique blend of items. Too much of either of the three can lead to your demise. Antonio Montana said, "first you get the Money, then you get the Power, and then the Respect." While I understand his logic, I tend to believe that people can have one or two of the three without having all three. Either way, in this life we all should aim to obtain a nice mixture of all three. No matter what order they come in, don't give them away or waste any of them because there is always someone lurking in the shadows who is willing to do anything for MO' MONEY, MO' POWER & MO' RESPECT.

Blakk Diamond Knowledge!