I’ve just finished reading a great book – “Keep the Aspidistra Flying” by George Orwell. You’ve probably heard about his famous “1984” and “Animal Farm”, but what a heck is this one? And what is aspidistra?
Read the title of this post again. Noticed the “not”? Well, this book is clearly not about “ways to make money”. But, it’s also not a book about “wrong ways to make money”. Err, so what’s left? Well, it really tells a story of a man who decided not to make money. “What the frig? What’s a big deal about that? It’s easy not to make money. I can do it any time”. I don’t really want to spoil it for you, but here is the intro:
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not
money, I am become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And
though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries,
and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could
remove mountains, and have not money, I am nothing. And though I
bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to
be burned, and have not money, it profiteth me nothing. Money
suffereth long, and is kind; money envieth not; money vaunteth not
itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave unseemly, seeketh not her
own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in
iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth
all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. . . . And now
abideth faith, hope, money, these three; but the greatest of these
is money.
I Corinthians xiii (adapted)
Still not curious? OK, you asked for it. You’ve been warned. This will push you over the edge. The aspidistra!!!
