Sometimes what we believe in ourselves to be a high state of morality is really just an inflation of ego. The question is not what would we do or not do, but what it would take to entice us. This is vividly illustrated by a short story I found some time ago (unfortunately I have lost the reference):

Once upon a time Oscar Wilde was at a gathering. He spied a beautiful woman on the other side of the room, and approached her. After some small talk, he asked, “Would you be willing to sleep with me for a million dollars?”

After some deliberation, she replied, “I suppose.”

Then he inquired, “Would you be willing to sleep with me for ten dollars?”

With indignation, she replied, “Of course not! What kind of woman do you think I am?”

Not missing a beat, Wilde replied, “Madam, that has already been established; now we are merely determining the price.”

The world is in the business of establishing our price. If we can be bought or sold, it is only a matter of time before the price will be paid, or before the market will drive down our price to a more modest amount.

What are your negotiables? What are your nonnegotiables? Everything is up for bid that we do not choose to remove from the market.