I got to know two self-made millionaires who more or less started from, nothing. In each case, both seemed to have a sense of how far they could push employees, suppliers, and customers without going over the edge of the cliff (most of the time). It was a game they enjoyed playing.

For sure, they identified with Frank Sinatra’s song “My Way”. But they fail to recognize that without roads and well educated employees, they could not have accomplished very much. I like to tell these people that if they don’t like paying taxes, they should go to Somalia where the taxes are lot less.

I think Eden has always been around. We can use spiritual traditions to help us find our Eden — and it isn’t found in accumulating lots of money. But since 1950, we westerners have had a unique opportunity: a life of abject poverty and its dysfunctional mindset is no longer normal for many people.