Is money the root of all evil?

Is money the root of all evil? I don't think so. In some cases we could consider ignorance or ego or selfishness to be the root that evil stems from. Sure, there are people out there that would do anything for money. Murder, prostitution, thievery and conning are some of the main things that come to mind when thinking of this subject. Of course these are all considered unacceptable behavior for most people in society but there is always another side of the coin to be looked at.
Let's take a moment and ponder some of the rich people in our modern culture. Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and Oprah are obviously the first few that come to mind. These three are well know all over the planet and are very wealthy according to Forbe's Magazine. But, guess what else they are good at? Philanthropy.

In 2000, Bill and Melinda Gates started a foundation out of Seattle, WA directed towards helping third world countries get health care and education. In 2006, the other richest guy in America, Warren Buffet, released a letter stating he planned on donating 85% of his fortune to the Gates' foundation. That fortune was worth a whopping 37.4 billion. These people believe that the life of every person in the world is of equal value and everyone deserves the right of health and education.

Buffet and Gates have been interviewed and on a few occasions asked about their inspiration. Both of these men are know to be non-religious. Some would even call them Atheists or Secular Humanists. Their inspiration comes from the goodness of their hearts. Then, there's Oprah. Need I say much? This woman has a heart of gold. She has one of the biggest money making empires and continues to give and give. According to her website, her two greatest achievements in philanthropy are her leadership girls school in South Africa and The Angel Network. The Angel Network does everything "From building homes with Habitat for Humanity to how 900 children celebrated their first Christmas..."

So, now the question is, since money isn't the root of all evil then, what is? Could it be ignorance? I look around me everyday and see how ignorance plays a role in chaos and confusion. People choose not to let themselves be educated. They hold up one particular belief but have never done the research or have evidence to back it up. They just believe what they do because they trust the people around them who hold the same belief system they do and thus create a whole chain of ignorant people. I see this in circles of religion, health and fitness, and politics.

What about the ego? Some could say that this is the root of all evil. Look at the last 100 years of wars. From Hitler and Stalin in WWII to Bin Laden and Kim Jung-Il today. These men are so full of themselves that they caused, and are feared to bring, calamity across the globe because of their personal beliefs. They want to eradicate nations from the face of the planet for not holding fast to their way of life. If that's not the epitome of ego I don't know what is?

Maybe it's selfishness. Some people just plain don't care about others. They live their lives day to day with only themselves in mind. I think of the people on the welfare system. Not the ones that really need to be on it, but the ones that are perfectly capable of getting and holding a job but don't because they don't want to. Our hard earned tax money goes to them so they can sit on their duffs and pop out crack babies. They not once think about the children they bring into the world or the people that sacrifice so they can live their lifestyles. I also think of absentee fathers. There are the guys that think it's cool to knock up as many women as they can only to create more children that cannot be loved, nurtured or nourished so they end up on the welfare system as well. I also think of the married fathers that have their lives so wrapped up in their work and reputation that being a father is a matter of money. They offer their money and that's all. The kids are lucky they can even get money out of them. What do these children from both circumstances grow up to be like? What kind of strain do they put on society because of the selfishness of another?

The question should be, "what is evil?" Evil is an opinion and should be looked at objectively and critically. What is evil in one culture or to one person may be acceptable to another. In our culture, it is unacceptable for a young, teenage girl to be married off to an older man. In other cultures this act is a way of life and sometimes a necessity to avoid be kidnapped and sold into prostitution or end up homeless. As we can see that having money or wanting to earn more doesn't make you an evil person. We can also see that there are many more things that root evil other than money. Evil is relative and is not black and white. Evil is a man-made idea based on what is considered good in other cultures and the polar opposite thereof. What's evil to you maybe fine with me.

But, maybe the greatest evil roots from just pure apathy; those that see evil around them and do nothing about it. Those that see others suffering and don't care. Maybe we can all look in the mirror and find the root of evil in ourselves.

"Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all - the apathy of human beings." Helen Keller