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Greed is good

Cooky

Veteran Member
I have two young daughters, one 7 and the other 8. The 7 year old is the sweetest most kind person I know, she lets her older sister have all the toys. At school, she gives the other kids all her book fair money, she is outspoken, energetic and the most active, outspoken person in her class. The teacher loves her. She looks just like a mini Reese Witherspoon.

The 8 year old is greedy. She claims all the toys, she keeps to herself at school, and is actually showing signs of being a hoarder. Which scares me a little honestly, because my dads uncle was a full blown hoarder, and we emptied his house after he passed, and I think it should have been in the guinness book of world records.

...Anyways, the 7 year old has absolutely no self-preservation qualities. She will literally skip in front of a car, and seems oblivious to potential dangers. The older one is very aware of potential dangers.

My hypothesis is that greediness is good for individuals because it is self-preserving. Kindness is bad foe individuals because it is self-sacrificing.

With governance, I would choose a conservative, self-preserving one. Thus, the greedier the politician, the better
 

Shantanu

Well-Known Member
I have two young daughters, one 7 and the other 8. The 7 year old is the sweetest most kind person I know, she lets her older sister have all the toys. At school, she gives the other kids all her book fair money, she is outspoken, energetic and the most active, outspoken person in her class. The teacher loves her. She looks just like a mini Reese Witherspoon.

The 8 year old is greedy. She claims all the toys, she keeps to herself at school, and is actually showing signs of being a hoarder. Which scares me a little honestly, because my dads uncle was a full blown hoarder, and we emptied his house after he passed, and I think it should have been in the guinness book of world records.

...Anyways, the 7 year old has absolutely no self-preservation qualities. She will literally skip in front of a car, and seems oblivious to potential dangers. The older one is very aware of potential dangers.

My hypothesis is that greediness is good for individuals because it is self-preserving. Kindness is bad foe individuals because it is self-sacrificing.

With governance, I would choose a conservative, self-preserving one. Thus, the greedier the politician, the better
You can only consume so much food, beyond which it is harmful to health, so how can it be good to be greedy. The more you have the greater the need to have a place to keep it all in and so one is on a spiral of consumerism from which there is no respite.
 
With governance, I would choose a conservative, self-preserving one. Thus, the greedier the politician, the better

This certainly doesn't apply in any country where corruption in endemic. Otherwise it just means stealing as much public money as possible and sending much of it overseas.

Assuming strong rule of law, if I were a politician whose only motivation was greed, then every action I took would be aimed at promoting my career after politics. Politics would be a means to self-enrichment via a delayed payoff.

Ex-politicians get very lucrative "consulting" jobs after being in office, because it helps these companies to game the system.

A greedy politician would simply carry out actions to endear themselves to major corporations safe in the knowledge there is a large deferred payout.
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
I have two young daughters, one 7 and the other 8. The 7 year old is the sweetest most kind person I know, she lets her older sister have all the toys. At school, she gives the other kids all her book fair money, she is outspoken, energetic and the most active, outspoken person in her class. The teacher loves her. She looks just like a mini Reese Witherspoon.

The 8 year old is greedy. She claims all the toys, she keeps to herself at school, and is actually showing signs of being a hoarder. Which scares me a little honestly, because my dads uncle was a full blown hoarder, and we emptied his house after he passed, and I think it should have been in the guinness book of world records.

...Anyways, the 7 year old has absolutely no self-preservation qualities. She will literally skip in front of a car, and seems oblivious to potential dangers. The older one is very aware of potential dangers.

My hypothesis is that greediness is good for individuals because it is self-preserving. Kindness is bad foe individuals because it is self-sacrificing.

With governance, I would choose a conservative, self-preserving one. Thus, the greedier the politician, the better

Thus nullifying the seven deadly sins.
 

Altfish

Veteran Member
I have two young daughters, one 7 and the other 8. The 7 year old is the sweetest most kind person I know, she lets her older sister have all the toys. At school, she gives the other kids all her book fair money, she is outspoken, energetic and the most active, outspoken person in her class. The teacher loves her. She looks just like a mini Reese Witherspoon.

The 8 year old is greedy. She claims all the toys, she keeps to herself at school, and is actually showing signs of being a hoarder. Which scares me a little honestly, because my dads uncle was a full blown hoarder, and we emptied his house after he passed, and I think it should have been in the guinness book of world records.

...Anyways, the 7 year old has absolutely no self-preservation qualities. She will literally skip in front of a car, and seems oblivious to potential dangers. The older one is very aware of potential dangers.

My hypothesis is that greediness is good for individuals because it is self-preserving. Kindness is bad foe individuals because it is self-sacrificing.

With governance, I would choose a conservative, self-preserving one. Thus, the greedier the politician, the better
That's why capitalism is corrupt, greed.
 

Erebus

Well-Known Member
Assuming strong rule of law, if I were a politician whose only motivation was greed, then every action I took would be aimed at promoting my career after politics. Politics would be a means to self-enrichment via a delayed payoff.

Spot on.

A certain amount of self-interest is necessary for everybody. You need to be able to stand up for yourself and look after your own needs. This isn't the same as greed which would entail gathering for yourself more than you can actually use. That attitude becomes destructive as there's only so much you can take before you start taking from others.

In a politician, some self-interest is required if they're ever to be in a position in which they can enact policies. Greed on the other hand would actively inhibit their ability to make decisions for the common good. For a truly greedy politician, their job is nothing more than a means to acquire wealth and power, regardless of whether or not others suffer for it.
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
gordon-gekko-wall-street-quote-2-picture-quote-1.jpg
 

whirlingmerc

Well-Known Member
I have two young daughters, one 7 and the other 8. The 7 year old is the sweetest most kind person I know, she lets her older sister have all the toys. At school, she gives the other kids all her book fair money, she is outspoken, energetic and the most active, outspoken person in her class. The teacher loves her. She looks just like a mini Reese Witherspoon.

The 8 year old is greedy. She claims all the toys, she keeps to herself at school, and is actually showing signs of being a hoarder. Which scares me a little honestly, because my dads uncle was a full blown hoarder, and we emptied his house after he passed, and I think it should have been in the guinness book of world records.

...Anyways, the 7 year old has absolutely no self-preservation qualities. She will literally skip in front of a car, and seems oblivious to potential dangers. The older one is very aware of potential dangers.

My hypothesis is that greediness is good for individuals because it is self-preserving. Kindness is bad foe individuals because it is self-sacrificing.

With governance, I would choose a conservative, self-preserving one. Thus, the greedier the politician, the better

The more giving child will likely be happier
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I have two young daughters, one 7 and the other 8. The 7 year old is the sweetest most kind person I know, she lets her older sister have all the toys. At school, she gives the other kids all her book fair money, she is outspoken, energetic and the most active, outspoken person in her class. The teacher loves her. She looks just like a mini Reese Witherspoon.

The 8 year old is greedy. She claims all the toys, she keeps to herself at school, and is actually showing signs of being a hoarder. Which scares me a little honestly, because my dads uncle was a full blown hoarder, and we emptied his house after he passed, and I think it should have been in the guinness book of world records.

...Anyways, the 7 year old has absolutely no self-preservation qualities. She will literally skip in front of a car, and seems oblivious to potential dangers. The older one is very aware of potential dangers.

My hypothesis is that greediness is good for individuals because it is self-preserving. Kindness is bad foe individuals because it is self-sacrificing.

With governance, I would choose a conservative, self-preserving one. Thus, the greedier the politician, the better
It's a law of nature. Survival of the fittest.

Sometimes though the fittest doesn't mean individuals as it can include the benefit of the entire group or society. Nature can temper that natural drive as to avoid a group from destroying itself.

Wolves are great example of that.
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
I have two young daughters, one 7 and the other 8. The 7 year old is the sweetest most kind person I know, she lets her older sister have all the toys. At school, she gives the other kids all her book fair money, she is outspoken, energetic and the most active, outspoken person in her class. The teacher loves her. She looks just like a mini Reese Witherspoon.

The 8 year old is greedy. She claims all the toys, she keeps to herself at school, and is actually showing signs of being a hoarder. Which scares me a little honestly, because my dads uncle was a full blown hoarder, and we emptied his house after he passed, and I think it should have been in the guinness book of world records.

...Anyways, the 7 year old has absolutely no self-preservation qualities. She will literally skip in front of a car, and seems oblivious to potential dangers. The older one is very aware of potential dangers.

My hypothesis is that greediness is good for individuals because it is self-preserving. Kindness is bad foe individuals because it is self-sacrificing.

With governance, I would choose a conservative, self-preserving one. Thus, the greedier the politician, the better
A politician is supposed to represent a group of people. I am not sure how a high level of personal greed reflects on the ability and quality of that representation. Certainly, the greedy politician will do what it takes to ensure his own success, but that would include tossing his base under the bus. If he is truly good at his greed, he can do that while keeping them believing he is all about them.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
I don't see greed as good. It's egoism. But lack of self-preservation is also unbalanced.
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
Greed is like it's doppelganger, altruism.
It can serve good or evil, depending upon the ethics of the person.
Both are useful to an extent. Greed can function to altruistic results and altruism can exact painful results for those that do not need or see help as necessary.

There is a quote I read once and have been searching long to find again, that basically said that if a person new that a man woke one day with the sole idea that he was going to help that person, the person should run.
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
I don't see greed as good. It's egoism. But lack of self-preservation is also unbalanced.
That seems to be what I am seeing. The children, as described, show an imbalance to greed or altruism. Humans taking our feelings to extremes seems to me, to be the real problem, no matter the feeling. You could literally love someone out of your life if it is is cloying, controlling and unrelenting.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Both are useful to an extent. Greed can function to altruistic results and altruism can exact painful results for those that do not need or see help as necessary.

There is a quote I read once and have been searching long to find again, that basically said that if a person new that a man woke one day with the sole idea that he was going to help that person, the person should run.
It's like the old joke....
I'm from the government, & I'm here to help.
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
It's like the old joke....
I'm from the government, & I'm here to help.
Yes. That sums it up in one example. I wish I could find that quote. The substance apparently stuck with me, but sadly the details did not.

Haiti received a lot of helpers after the quakes that lay waste to that country, but sometimes, the desire to help overshadowed the wisdom of applying that help. Attempts to restart agriculture that failed, did so, because the helpers were assuming and not asking questions relevant to local agriculture practices, knowledge and history. The delays, as a result, were more harm than good and all from people that set out to help.
 

PureX

Veteran Member
I have two young daughters, one 7 and the other 8. The 7 year old is the sweetest most kind person I know, she lets her older sister have all the toys. At school, she gives the other kids all her book fair money, she is outspoken, energetic and the most active, outspoken person in her class. The teacher loves her. She looks just like a mini Reese Witherspoon.

The 8 year old is greedy. She claims all the toys, she keeps to herself at school, and is actually showing signs of being a hoarder. Which scares me a little honestly, because my dads uncle was a full blown hoarder, and we emptied his house after he passed, and I think it should have been in the guinness book of world records.

...Anyways, the 7 year old has absolutely no self-preservation qualities. She will literally skip in front of a car, and seems oblivious to potential dangers. The older one is very aware of potential dangers.

My hypothesis is that greediness is good for individuals because it is self-preserving. Kindness is bad foe individuals because it is self-sacrificing.

With governance, I would choose a conservative, self-preserving one. Thus, the greedier the politician, the better
Except that greed has almost nothing to do with self-preservation, and everything to do with the fear of never having enough even when you have enough. So perhaps you should be asking yourself why your daughter fears never having enough even when she has enough. And why your other daughter is so oblivious of her own safety. And maybe, too, asking yourself why you haven't asked yourself those questions about your daughters before now, and instead were wasting time trying to rationalize greed. ;)
 

PureX

Veteran Member
If there were unlimited resources in the world then there would be no need for greed.
There is no need for greed, now. The Earth provides plenty of essential resources for all the humans on it. Yet because of our greed, we aren't willing to distribute those resources equitably, causing many of our fellow humans to struggle for their survival. And for we humans, there is more to it than just survival. We are not just dumb animals, surviving from one generation to the next, we are metaphysical beings consciously living life, and thereby needing more than just the bare essentials 'to live'.
 

Cooky

Veteran Member
Except that greed has almost nothing to do with self-preservation, and everything to do with the fear of never having enough even when you have enough. So perhaps you should be asking yourself why your daughter fears never having enough even when she has enough. And why your other daughter is so oblivious of her own safety. And maybe, too, asking yourself why you haven't asked yourself those questions about your daughters before now, and instead were wasting time trying to rationalize greed. ;)

Oh no, it just struck me this morning. But their nature is what it is. I've told them my observations dozens if times, and asked them to change. They don't.
 
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