January 11: No Morals, Templeton, New Cartoon

...The rat had no morals, no conscience, no scruples, no consideration, no decency, no milk of rodent kindness, no compunctions, no higher feeling, no friendliness, no anything.  He would kill a gosling if he could get away with it--the goose knew that.  Everybody knew it.

Templeton, the rat, is one of my favorite characters in Charlotte's Web.  For some reason, his utter lack of redeeming qualities appeals to me.  He's completely self-centered.  He doesn't give a whisker whether Wilbur is carted off to the smokehouse come autumn time.  Templeton is completely narcissistic, sort of like Kim Kardashian.

Some days, I wish I could be a little like Templeton.  There has to be something very liberating about worrying only about yourself, the rest of the world be damned.  I would venture to say that a majority of highly successful people in the world have streaks of Templeton in their makeups.  Mark Zuckerberg.  Bill Clinton.  Madonna.  Oprah Winfrey.  I'm not saying these persons have zero philanthropic impulses.  However, to get where they are today, they probably have a few rotten goose eggs in their pasts.

On the other hand, I personally know quite a few highly accomplished people who are the kindest, most generous individuals in the world.  For these persons, money and fame and success are merely happy addendums to their lives.  They genuinely care more about their family and friends than about six-figure salaries and book deals and awards.  They're kind of annoying.

As much as I want to be more like Templeton, I think I fall more on the Charlotte side of the spectrum.  I care too much.  I would make a horrible millionaire or billionaire, because I would be giving away most of my money to causes like malaria relief in sub-Saharan Africa and arts programs for inner-city kids.  I wouldn't hold onto my fortune very long.  I'm sure of that.

Right now, I don't have a lot of expendable income.  This past Christmas, I don't think I dropped two quarters in Salvation Army buckets.  I can't remember the last time I put an envelope in the collection plate at church.  Circumstances have turned me into Templeton.  I still have morals, conscience, scruples, consideration, decency, and all that.  They just have to take a back seat to self-preservation at the moment.

Saint Marty would sell his best halo if it would help pay the bills.

Confessions of Saint Marty