Discretionary Resources

Strictly speaking, discretionary resources reach beyond basic needs of individuals and society. That does not mean every individual or the society possesses every basic need before designating resources as discretionary. Discretionary resources are highly prized and efforts to create them are a matter of values, judgment and controversy. Once basic needs are believed to be secure and discretionary resources are available critical thinking and behavior change. Too many resources have destroyed enterprises and no civilization yet has withstood the onslaught of prosperity. Discretionary spending places human behavior at risk because it erodes the understanding and value for basic needs. A fraction of the total resources gets more attention than the whole of resources. The risk hinges upon whether the boundary becomes the leading edge for progress as determined by the common good or it becomes self-serving and obscures basic needs and goals.