'Ninety-nine Dollar Hook' Mindset

A married couple living in the lap of luxury, when looking out from their two-storied mansion, sighted almost daily a beggar couple down the street. They had few belongings of which the most precious appeared to be a tambourine. They slept in an open verandah of a decrepit building and every morning, after getting up comfortably early without disturbing anyone, washed their faces from a near-by tap, drank some water, played the tambourine for a very short spell and would go on their begging round. They returned when the sun was setting and the street lights were on. Before long they were ready to sleep. However, they never failed to play the tambourine before sleep. It was a happy and contented life they led.

- SIRI VAJIRARAMAYE ÑA ASIHA

The life of the beggar couple was recurrently a subject of discussion among the inmates of the luxurious mansion. Without informing anyone in his house, the rich man one day placed a purse with 99 dollars in it close to where the beggar couple slept. It was a windfall for them and the rich man observed the joy and happiness of the beggar couple the next morning. The dollars were counted several times in order to believe their eyes. An extra tune was also played with the tambourine.

Before long those living in the mansion were noticing changes in the life of the beggar couple. The happy-go-lucky life was no more. They were getting up earlier than usual and also forgetting to play the tambourine before going begging. They returned later than usual and counted and recounted the cents - the day's collection from begging. The tambourine was set aside and there was no more music. Noticeably, the much-cherished tambourine had now become a burden to the beggar couple. By this new behaviour the rich man was convinced the beggar family was truly hooked. Life's aim of the beggar couple had changed to make the 99 dollars a 100 dollars. Happiness that was derived from contentment was no more. The basic economy of needs had changed to the economy of greed and want.

This is what has happened to the world with the creation of a world economic order based on Adam Smith's 'The Wealth of Nations'. The first major challenge came from Marxian economic theory that resulted in a marked division of nations of the world. Many were the wars between nations for ownership of resources and these still go on; the most recent being the tariff wars. A third world war, if it does happen, would spell disaster or even total annihilation, and is feared in the corridors of world forums.