The other day I saw a farmer-rancher whom I know put a post on social media that he didn't care about those who came after him, so long as he got something now (in this case it was money).

He didn't say it quite that blatantly, but he said it.

That's the second time I've heard this in the past year in my neck of the woods from the farm community and I'm beginning to wonder just how commonplace this is.

And I'm not going to tell you the underlying topic because I don't want you to get off track here: I have a point to make.

The behavior I'm describing to you is purely selfish, and selfishness is the bane of humanity. It is the cause of nearly every destructive force on earth, including soil erosion, orthodoxy of thought, family breakups, corporate greed and excess, and political devolution.

Trying to override and overcome selfishness is the foundation of Judeo-Christian values. To place others on a plane at least equal to ourselves, but more preferably to consider their real needs, not their wants, above your own, is the one thing that can make the world a better place.

Worrying about getting yours (whatever that may be), or saying you'll be dead before this thing comes to pass and therefore someone else will have to deal with it, obviously are opposites of the selflessness we should seek to attain and can only lead to downfall. Indeed they have been exactly that for longer than any of us have been alive.

The only hope for humanity is to try to leave your little corner of the world a better place than when you arrived. I know many people who believe this and live by it. But sometimes I fear our numbers are shrinking.