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Over the Fence: From Rags to Riches : When poor people climb over the fence to wealth, some never feel they have enough and keep grasping for more, while others share their good fortune at having achieved success.

Why Thank the Merchants of Death? — The Undershaft Paradox: When Wealth from War Pays for Peace

Why do we celebrate fortunes that were built on suffering simply because they later fund good works? That question reminds me of Major Barbara, the 1905 play by George Bernard Shaw. When my children still lived under my roof, we used to have play readings. Everyone would take a part, and afterward we'd talk about the play and the messages we found in it. Major Barbara. Was one of my all-time favorites.

It is a satirical play that explores the conflict between idealistic morality and the harsh realities of capitalism. The story follows Barbara Undershaft, a devoted Salvation Army officer, whose mission is to save souls and help the poor. Her faith is shaken when her estranged father, Andrew Undershaft, a wealthy armaments manufacturer, offers to fund her shelter. His donation forces her to confront an uncomfortable truth: her charity may depend on money earned through the instruments of war.

  Barbara's ideals begin to crumble when her father argues that the wealth and power he gained from selling weapons do more to fight poverty than religion ever could. When the Salvation Army accepts his donation, Barbara experiences a crisis of faith, feeling as though her work has been bought by the devil. Yet through that disillusionment, she begins to see the world more pragmatically. In the end, she and her fiancé decide they might accomplish more good by working within the powerful industrial system her father represents.

Shaw's argument is provocative: poverty, not wealth, is the true evil, and that moral action may require the resources of industry and power. Our family readings of the play often led to lively discussions about morality, power, and the uneasy line between right and wrong

In the United States, we have seen similar paradoxes. Andrew Carnegie, the great steel magnate, built his fortune on the backs of laborers who worked exhausting twelve-hour shifts. His companies were known for ruthless union-busting, wage cuts, and violent strikebreaking. Yet Carnegie later funded thousands of public libraries across the country. His legacy lives on through institutions such as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which today supports research on democracy, nuclear risk, and international relations.

Perhaps the most striking example is Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite. Nobel built a vast industrial empire producing explosives used in mining, construction, and warfare. Late in life he reportedly read a mistaken obituary describing him as "the merchant of death," a man who had grown rich by inventing ways to kill more people faster than ever before. When Nobel died in 1896, he left most of his fortune to create the Nobel Foundation, which awards the Nobel Prize, including the famous Nobel Peace Prize. Wealth built on explosives became the patron of the world's most prestigious awards for peace, literature, and science.

In Shaw's era, the paradox was steel and artillery funding libraries. Today, the paradox may be the algorithms and weapons funding think tanks about ethics and democracy. Shaw's fictional arms manufacturer Andrew Undershaft feels less like satire and more like prophecy. Modern equivalents can be found in the defense technology world with figures such as Peter Thiel, co-founder of Palantir Technologies. Palantir's data-analysis platforms are widely used by military and intelligence agencies, while Thiel simultaneously funds intellectual ventures such as the Thiel Fellowship and other philosophical discussions about technology, freedom, and the future of civilization.

Another contemporary example is Anduril Industries and its founder, Palmer Luckey. The company builds autonomous defense systems and surveillance technologies. Luckey also supports debates about geopolitics, artificial intelligence, and the ethics of warfare. The company's underlying claim echoes Undershaft's argument: technological dominance prevents even greater violence.

Does it? Do you believe this?

Somehow, there is a disconnect I struggle to grasp. Why kill and maim millions to make a few people wealthy? And when those same fortunes later fund libraries, universities, and foundations, why do we thank their benefactors? Shaw argued that poverty was the greatest evil. But should the cure always come from the profits of war? Should people who confess their crimes be instantly forgiven?

Friends and family come together for game nights, murder mystery parties,  sporting events, and meals. If you want to have a stimulating activity that's out of the ordinary, read Major Barbara with them one evening

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Antheia in the Thorns is an environmental thriller about power, corruption, loss, and regaining purpose. Marilynne Eichinger follows Jennifer Russo, a grieving mother who lost a child, and Abdul Hammed Dillinger, who escaped his father's cruelty. Together their stories illuminate the effect trauma has on behavior and how individuals evolve over time. Human lives are complex, influenced by environment and happenstance. The second thriller in the Rightfully Mine series remains at a reduced price while we get the word out. Your early reviews are greatly appreciated. 

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