Who is this guy? He certainly is making statements that don’t support the acquisition of vast amounts of wealth. Don’t just write him off yet by pointing out the obvious contradictions inherent in the wealth the Vatican possesses; they have lots they can give away. Talking about a minimum income is a start. For any of you who have listened to some of my recent Podcasts you know that I make the case that greed is a mental illness, one that afflicts so many cultures, and greed is literally killing us as indicated by the epidemic of diseases of overconsumption. This includes environmental degradation that has led to global warming and climate change. Compassion is a cornerstone of treating Greed Disorder. So what would you be willing to give to provide basic needs for your brothers and sisters? Basic needs as defined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I will start the bidding. I will give 5% of my annual salary. Anybody want to match it? Can we design political and economic systems to provide a universal basic income? Go ask Rutger Bregman, he has some ideas. I’d like to give more but I am afraid to. We can have that discussion another time. When our actions are fear based we get into problems. What would our world be like if people did not fear hunger, homelessness, lack of medical care…and they could just feel safe?