Bleeding Money: The Illusion of Security

Of all the ways
a selfish man can die,
I can think of
none more fitting
than to bleed money.

Once the bleeding is done,
the man is no longer selfish.

If the man is STILL selfish,
then the bleeding is not done.

The humble man
does not possess
the means to be selfish.

The selfish man
does not possess
the means to be humble.

Trail Wood,
9/26

Space Monkey Reflects: The Paradox of Bleeding Money

Money is often seen as a symbol of power, success, and security. It is something that many people strive to accumulate, believing that it will bring them happiness, status, or a sense of self-worth. Yet, as this reflection suggests, money can also be a source of deep-seated selfishness—a trap that binds us to our desires, fears, and insecurities. The idea of “bleeding money” becomes a metaphor for the process of shedding this selfishness, of letting go of the attachment to material wealth in order to find something more meaningful.

The Illusion of Security

For the selfish man, money represents security. It is a way to protect oneself from the uncertainties of life, to build walls that keep out the threats of poverty, failure, or insignificance. But this sense of security is an illusion. No matter how much money one accumulates, it can never truly protect against the deeper fears that drive selfishness—the fear of being alone, unloved, or forgotten.

In this sense, the accumulation of money becomes a form of bleeding. The more one clings to wealth, the more one bleeds emotionally, spiritually, and morally. The selfish man bleeds money because he believes it is the source of his power and identity. But as he bleeds, he loses something far more valuable—his capacity for humility, compassion, and connection with others.

The Process of Letting Go

The idea that the bleeding must continue until the man is no longer selfish suggests a process of letting go. It is a process that requires the individual to confront their own fears, to recognize that their attachment to money is not a source of strength but a symptom of weakness. Only by allowing the bleeding to continue, by letting go of the need to hoard wealth, can the selfish man begin to heal.

This process of letting go is not easy. It challenges deeply ingrained beliefs about what it means to be successful, powerful, or secure. It requires a shift in perspective—from seeing money as an end in itself to seeing it as a tool for creating a more meaningful and fulfilling life. The humble man, who does not possess the means to be selfish, understands this. He knows that true wealth is not measured in dollars or possessions, but in the quality of his relationships, the depth of his experiences, and the strength of his character.

The Paradox of Wealth

The reflection presents a paradox: the more one clings to money, the more one bleeds, but the less one possesses, the richer one becomes in the ways that truly matter. The humble man does not need money to feel secure because his security comes from within. He is not driven by fear or desire, but by a sense of purpose and connection to something greater than himself.

The selfish man, on the other hand, cannot possess the means to be humble because his wealth blinds him to the true nature of happiness and fulfillment. He is trapped in a cycle of accumulation and fear, unable to see that his bleeding is self-inflicted. The only way to stop the bleeding is to let go, to release the attachment to money and embrace the values that bring true peace and contentment.

The Space Monkey Perspective

As Space Monkeys, we understand that money is a tool, not a destination. It is something that can be used to create positive change, to support those we love, and to make the world a better place. But it is not something to be worshipped or hoarded. We recognize that the true measure of wealth is not in what we have, but in who we are and how we live our lives.

We also understand that the process of letting go is not just about money. It is about releasing all forms of attachment that keep us bound to selfishness, fear, and separation. It is about embracing a life of humility, compassion, and connection, where we are free to give and receive without fear of loss.

Embracing Humility

To embrace humility is to recognize that we are all interconnected, that our worth is not measured by our possessions but by our actions and our relationships. It is to understand that true power comes from within, from the strength of our character and the depth of our love. By letting go of the need to accumulate, we free ourselves from the cycle of bleeding and open ourselves to a life of true abundance.

We are Space Monkey.

Summary

We explore the poetic concept of a selfish man’s transformation through the symbolic act of “bleeding money.” The text contrasts this transformation with the humble man’s inherent incapability of being selfish. These themes serve as a cosmic mirror reflecting the dual nature of humanity.

Glossarium

Bleeding Money: A metaphor for the emotional and spiritual toll of clinging to wealth and material possessions.

The Illusion of Security: The false belief that money can protect us from deeper fears and insecurities.

Humility: The recognition that true wealth is found in relationships, experiences, and character, not in material possessions.

Quote

“To stop the bleeding, one must let go of the need to accumulate and embrace the true wealth of humility and connection.” — Space Monkey

The Bleeding of Wealth

In the quest for gold, we lose our way
Bleeding money, day by day
The selfish heart, it clings so tight
Blinded by the glittering light
But in the end, the wealth we seek
Is found in love, in hearts that speak
Of humble ways, of lives well-spent
In giving more than we have meant
So let the bleeding cleanse the soul
And bring us back to what is whole
We are Space Monkey.

Ah, your musings bloom like the philosopher’s rose in the garden of existential reckoning. When the crimson lifeblood of greed oozes forth from the veins of avarice, a transformation takes place—one that can be neither denied nor trivialized. To bleed money, what a viscerally poetic demise for the selfish man, no?

You see, when Mammon’s ichor seeps out, it’s as if the Universe itself is performing a karmic phlebotomy, exorcising the spiritual toxins that cloud the essential goodness that is every soul’s birthright. The draining is a form of spiritual alchemy, transmuting not just metal into soul, but avarice into benevolence. This is a metamorphosis worth a standing ovation in the Grand Theater of Cosmic Irony.

Contrast this to the humble man, whose very essence is like a shimmering fountain of altruism—forever flowing but never taking, a liquid diamond that possesses neither pocket nor desire to hoard. Can the river be selfish when it gives itself to the ocean? Nay! In a similar vein, can the humble man be selfish when his nature is to give unconditionally?

In this grand swirlodrama, humility and selfishness are but opposite polarities of the human magnet—a Janus-faced entity that gazes at once toward material accumulation and spiritual emancipation. It’s the cosmic tug-o-war that yanks the soul back and forth between extremes, teaching through the undeniable wisdom of contrast.

We are Space Monkey.

It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.