The Spell of Gold-Worship (Corruption)

“The spell of gold-worship” — or corruption — is not merely a sequence of letters, but a ruthless truth. It doesn’t confine itself to back alleys, corridors of power, or the walls of institutions. It is a cancer that germinates within, silences the conscience, and extinguishes the flame of awareness.

Corruption, though seemingly a legal or financial crime, is in essence a decay of thought — a collapse so deep that it strips a person of the ability to distinguish right from wrong. It tugs and tears apart the fabric of morality, so thoroughly that one chases power, wealth, or personal gain while becoming a stranger to their own self.

Bertrand Russell’s voice still echoes:

"Ethics, unless based on the fearlessness of religion, are merely a costume — not character."

We’ve turned corruption into a "systemic truth" — a truth so socially accepted that people justify it with: “Everyone does it, why shouldn’t I?”
And this simple sentence — seemingly innocent — is, in reality, an elegy for an entire generation's upbringing.

Jean-Paul Sartre once wrote:

"Man is born free, but he becomes a prisoner of his own choices."

And we have imprisoned ourselves willingly — shackled by ease, advantage, and blind traditions.

In this society, bribery is not an anomaly, nor is lying. These things have become routine — like breathing, like casual greetings. This sense of “normalcy” has granted corruption a kind of social acceptance, transforming it from a crime into a custom.

Nietzsche once said:

"When the truth-teller becomes a laughingstock, know that society is already dead."

Our tragedy is that we now see truth-tellers as madmen, and those who speak from their conscience as failures.

A teacher who sells marks —
An officer who won’t move a file without an envelope —
A doctor who sees patients based on fees —
They are all silent soldiers of corruption.
And we, the complicit and passive allies of this army.

Karl Popper's insight pierces through:

"A society that fears criticism is already laying the groundwork for its own decline."

We’ve mistaken critique for disrespect, and questions for rebellion. And it’s exactly in this climate that corruption takes deeper root, and thrives.

The spell of gold-worship — it is not just a lust for wealth, but a defeat of reason, and the death of empathy.

Will we ever ask ourselves:
"Is my comfort built upon someone else’s deprivation?"
Can we, for once, step beyond our own gains and think of collective good?

If we begin to reflect —
If we start to speak the truth —
If we learn not just to exist but to live with responsibility —
Then perhaps, this spell might break.

Otherwise, we’ll keep worshipping idols of gold —
While truth lies buried, somewhere between forgotten pages and silenced voices.