Sometimes we hear accusations of commercialism, greed and even greed. However, if one understands what mercantile spirit is, then “pitfalls” immediately arise. On the one hand, numerous dictionaries of the Russian language emphasize that we are talking about financial prudence, an unhealthy love of money, and even love of power in the commercial sense of the word. On the other hand, and who defines the boundaries of this prudence? By what criteria - ethical, financial or otherwise - can one judge self-interest? For example, if a person defends his personal interests, where then lies the cordon between profit and lust for power?
In our country, where half of the people have an open mind, it is difficult to somehow immediately determine what mercantile spirit is. Greed - maybe. Prudence is also possible. Even rationality. However, in practice, when you reject the usual moral definitions, you get into a stupor: personal enrichment and philistine hoarding, again, does not mean a manifestation of mercantile spirit. The problem, in fact, is that we initially attribute a negative coloring to this phenomenon and use it as a negative ethical characteristic, but we still don’t try to fully understand what the word mercantile means.
Today, for some reason, it is believed that we are surrounded entirely by mercantile personalities who, without any doubt, use human weaknesses for personal enrichment. Stop!
Maybe this is the whole point? That is, speaking of what mercantile spirit is, we have in mind primarily the active, and not the moral meaning of this word. Enrich through the use of "passions" of others. To try all kinds of, even extreme measures for self-aggrandizement and at the same time boast of a moral decline. Turn white to black and, conversely, black to white. In other words, it is not a matter of self-interest, unbridled love of money and cold prudence. And in what methods and due to which the long-awaited wealth is achieved.
Or another example. A girl marries a rich man. Others accuse her of selfishness and commercialism. However, does she really ask what mercantile spirit is? Of course not! She just wants to provide for herself and future children. So that they get an education and manage to get settled in this complex world. Sorry, but this is rationality. Now, if in six months she would demand a divorce, before spending money and not thinking about the consequences, then we would safely say that this is the commercialism of women. A classic and striking example of this. But if all actions fit into the logic of an ordinary escape from poverty, then the accusations of commercialism have no real basis.
And the last one. A little for fun, but seriously. Can saving be considered mercantile? Especially in cases where earnings are hardly enough for a living wage? Hanging over every penny does not mean becoming a mercantile person. Or even greedy. Just prudence and rationality grow out of poverty, and commercialism out of wealth. Moral entertainment is …
