Greediness

If you begin a business or sell something, you seek profits. That's natural, but most people become greedy to get more profits. I am no exception. Since I started to sell my handmade products, I've thought what a seller is, and if something is sold well, I get carried away with my desire to make the same thing a lot with colour variation. But if I make a lot, they are not sold well...

I've been a little in doubt about my profits. I mean I am happy if someone bought my products, but behind the back of profits, I nearly lose what is really important, what I want to make and sight of the preciousness of 'handmade'. Obviously I can't compete mass-production. So I try to create elaborate and unique products. That means I can't make a lot, it takes time and profit is small. But my experience has shown that such products are sold well at that shop in my case. 

I like William Morris' thought. He led 'Arts and Crafts' which was an international design movement that flourished between 1860-1910. The 'Arts and Crafts' movement was ultimately a reaction to industrial mass production and the low quality of factory-produced wares. Changed times. Now quality became better.

There is a traditional Japanese fold tale 'Shitakiri Suzume (The Cut-Tongue Sparrow Story), which is about a sparrow, a kind old man and his mean wife;



Source; Wikipedia. Katsushika Hokusai's ukiyoe

Once upon a time, there lived an old man and woman. The old man was very kind and gentle, he kept a sparrow as a pet. One day, the sparrow ate up all the laundry starch that the old lady made. The old lady got angry, caught the sparrow and cut off its' tongue in one go. The sparrow escaped into the wood while crying. After the old man returned from his work, he was upset that the sparrow has gone.
'Where is my sparrow?'
'Humph! That mischievous sparrow ate all my laundry starch, so I cut off his tongue with my scissors.'
'What? My poor sparrow...'
The gentle old man concerned about the sparrow and then he went searching for sparrow into the wood where it had flown away.
'Hello, my sparrow, where are you?'
Just then, the sound of sparrows came from out of the bush. And the old man found the sparrow he loved so much.
'I am so sorry. How's your tongue? I am so relieved to see you are alive.'
'Thank you for worrying. Please come and take a rest in our house.'
They brought the old man to their house and served a lot of delicious treats for him. The old man was happy. When he gose back home, sparrows appeared with a big and a small baskets as a gift.
'Which of these baskets would you like to take home with you?' said the sparrow.
'Thank you. Well, I couldn't possibly carry a big basket as it's tough for an old man like me, so I think I will take the small one.'
When he got home he opened the gift, amazingly there are big coins and small coins, mixed with jewels and corals of all sorts. The old woman became incredibly jealous.
'What wonderful things you received! I would also like some too.' said the old woman.
She walked off to where the sparrow's house was and forced her way in.
She said 'Neither entertainment nor dance is necessary. Just bring me the gifts.'
'Yes of course. Which would you like, the big or the small?'
'The BIG one!'
As soon as the old woman had received the big basket, she hurried off home. It was heavy gift and she couldn't constrain herself from peeping into the basket. She took it down from her back and opened it on her way back home. She thought it will be filled with a lot of coins but her horror, the box was filled with centipedes, bees, snakes, terrifying ghosts face inside.
'Aaaaaaaaaaghh!'
Since she cut out the tongue of the sparrow and in her greediness, took the big gift she has received such punishment from above. It has moralistic overtones that being kind to all living things and trying hard not to be greedy.