The Greed Garden

Well it's Melbourne Cup day today. People are happy. Clothes are bright. And hats are being passed around. Not the hats with big feathers stuck into them - I'm talking about the sweeps. Offices across the nation (except in stupid Victoria, where they get a public holiday) are passing around the hat, putting in their money, and pulling out a ticket with the name of their horse.
As a known conservative, there is no question in my mind. It is not OK to gamble. But I guess the question that's been popping up in my mind is: is this really gambling?
If the bad characteristic of gambling is greed, does that mean you can gamble as long as you're not greedy? Can it be justified as "getting involved in an activity with colleagues"? Surely as long as you're not doing it with the expectation of winning money, then it's OK. And if you don't, it will alienate you from the other people in your office. Is it really worth it?
But then greed isn't necessarily something that lives fully-grown in people. Isn't it like all sins, something that exists in our hearts, but only proceeds to take root as we begin to feed it?

Watching a race isn't bad, nor is supporting one of the racers. Putting money into something for no return is bad business, but possibly a good social activity. After all, there can only be one winner, and if it's not you, then you can bond with the others who didn't win. But it's fertilising an ever-present seed. It's watering the garden bed of greed. I don't think I know enough about gardening to extend this analogy any further. But you get the idea - the results may not be evident straight away, but the roots are working their way in to establish a firm grip. It may be slow, it may be subtle, but it is happening. No matter how thin that layer of mulch, it's still contributing to the growth of something - no matter how well you dress it up - totally and utterly selfish.