“Accumulate, accumulate,” exclaims Karl Marx in his magnum opus, “that is Moses and the prophets!”[1] Accumulation is the pernicious drive behind capitalism. Gather, collect, hoard, add, amass, pile up. “Disperse, disperse,” I exclaim with equal passion, “that is the Buddha and the yogis!” Dispersal is the salutary drive behind every wisdom, not only Marx’s anti-capitalism. Throw away, drop, abandon, subtract, let go, give up. And start without any delay! For the pernicious drive will otherwise destroy us all rather than only capitalism, as Marx thought.

Addendum (February 2, 2012)

Marx’s impassioned outcry kept pestering me for a few days: “Accumulate, Accumulate!” At last I grabbed it and pinned it down by giving it a new twist. And the outcry vanished from my mind as if by miracle. Delighted, I started wondering about the efficacy of the old trick. Thank you, Susan Blackmore!

Footnote

1. Capital, Vol. I, Chap. 24, Sec. 3.