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Forums > All Posts > Is Greed Good?

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12-02-2011, 10:26 AM

Schmidt
Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 1058

I have used the term greed in many of my postings to convey a negative viewpoint on excessive wealth accumulation. But greed is a basic human nature, much like envy, jealousy, anger, hate, fear, love, lust and others. While the human species has largely learned to control these emotions, attaching the word "excessive" to front of any of these emotions suggests that a person has lost control of that emotion and is perceived negatively. Excess on anything is not good.

The word greed, however, has a negative connnotation in itself. As the word is widely used in our society, it implies excessiveness. Indeed Webster's dictionary defines greed as "a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than is needed."

But greed as a controlled emotion can be good. I was looking for a better term than greed to define what it is in our human nature that drives many of us to succeed...the desire for self-improvement...the competitive entrepreneurial spirit that drives someone like Steve Jobs to bring remarkable inventions to the market place and help society as a whole. Would he be an example of "good greed?" Or perhaps the teacher that wants to excel and be the very best teacher in the school, not necessarily for the money, but for the satisfaction and pride in helping others to learn and achieve...but perhaps also for the recognition. Is that good greed?

If someone has a better synonym for good greed, then please share it. I don't have one.

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed” -- Mahatma Gandhi

12-02-2011, 01:23 PM

CARLITOS BAM-BAM
Dallas, TX
Posts: 897

We all have a self-interest to survive and thrive.
It's completely natural.

I don't think it's a question really of greed, but of what's legal and what's not and who the rules apply to and who they do not. In short, greed shouldn't matter to us, until it negatively impacts the legal and political rights established to protect our freedom from tyranny, both from private and public parties.

Crime is bad. We can be greedy with all sorts of vanities and sensual lusts that are our privy and prerogative to manage on our own, so long as we don't violate the rights of others- the act of which is a declaration that one has placed oneself in a state of nature with respect to the whole of society.

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