I was not extensively knowledgeable about the Congo's history, but I was aware of some of the atrocities that had previously occurred there. This book hasn't necessarily altered my views about these enterprises; it has strengthened and validated what I had previously thought.
Everyone wants something. Greed has the ability to make a person stop at nothing to get what they want. Behind every action is a motivation, and while it may differ depending on the situation, it is often a psychological reason that fuels us.
Learning about each of the individuals has really proven to me, as I had thought all along, that these individuals who often make significant discoveries under the pretense of helping others are doing it first and foremost to benefit themselves. Leopold for example exploited the Congo's land during the rubber boom. He destroyed the land and the lives of the natives who inhabited it for his personal gain. Learning more about him as a person, how he grew up and his life at home, I understand why he was so driven to have it all and be successful. I otherwise probably would not have grasped why it was he committed atrocious acts, although I do not approve of them, but it has made me also better understand current issues.
A more contemporary example is Wall Street. A disastrous economic recession has taken place due to the greed of those who work in the financial industry. Stocks began to crash, more and more companies found themselves out of business and people everywhere were finding their money to be worth less. Yet at this same time workers on Wall Street found themselves with bigger bonuses, making money faster than they could spend it. There are a lot of people out there who put themselves and their desires above the needs of others which is what reading about these "screwed-up" people has made me realize.
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