An interesting comment

The problem with money and greed, is you also have to prove intent. Andrew Mellon was a financier whose focus was in building a world class art collection. His intent was to donate it to the US Government plus he funded the building of the National Gallery. He was a 1%'er of his day, does that make him greedy? All of us here collect coins which has nothing to do with providing the basics of food, clothing, and shelter, does that make us greedy? Does greed fit exclusively into an income bracket?

 

It seems to me that all the way back to the Greeks, greed or as it is otherwise known gluttony, has always been considered at the very least a human character flaw and at worst one of the 7 deadly sins. Only in a system like capitalism is it defended and even admired. It is easy to figure out why money is considered the root of all evil. The bible is replete with sermons on the evils of money and wealth. At no point in human history has wealth ever reached the point it has reached under capitalism for the very top of the ladder. If you believe in the bible as the word of God or if you simply think of it as a collection of words to live by, you can't applaud greed or defend it in any way. Greed doesn't have an upside.

 

Can you define "greed"?

 

Sure I could but why?

 

Doesn't a conversation about greed seem strange if "greed" isn't defined?

 

Greed is a pretty simple concept. I'm sure that there is an infinite number of accurate definitions. Go ahead and pick your favorite.

 

Well, why go outside the forum to define the subject this little group is discussing? Why don't you just make it easy on the rest of us & tell us how you define "greed".

 

It would have as much meaning as defining "up". And since when has it ever occurred to you that I would engage in making anything easy for you? Greed or gluttony is about a simple of a concept as there is. Like I said, take your favorite definition and run with it. You don't need me to do that for you. If you make a mistake, I let you know.

 

Soooooo....you're bashing this thing you call "greed" yet you're unable to define exactly what it is to which you object? Hmmm...I see.

 

You're defending this long despised human character flaw and you think I should define it. Seems like that would be your job since you are defending greed.

 

Since you're attacking greed, would you please tell us what YOU consider "greed" to be?

 

I'm not defending anything, simply asking ypu to define what it is that you are bashing. Is it really that hard for you to do? Heck, we may even agree with you!

 

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.
John Kenneth Galbraith

Read more: http://www.partisanlines.com/threads/an-interesting-comment.50832/page-2#ixzz2sODgmE4L​

Was that so hard for you two? ​

 

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Heck, I'm not looking for a justification just a simple definition. Like I said, I may agree with you but when you don't even know what you're against it just makes you look like a pathetic hack.​

 

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I think it says alot about moron joe's character that he can go on & on against "greed" yet can't define it...kinda like his inability to state what his solution is to end gun violence or the myriad of issues where he just spews the bumper sticker platitudes he hears on msnbc. He's a weak voice for the far left.

 

I will define it for him. Greed is a conservative selling something to a liberal and making a profit or a church asking for donations to help the poor. Now generosity is taxing the rich conservatives to pass along to his richer donators at Solyndra, Evergreen Solar, Fisker, First Solar, Abound Solar, etc.

 

The answer was in the quote of mine you quoted. I can repeat it if necessary, and I probably will, but I can't help you if you refuse to listen.

 

Good questions. I'll attempt to clarify.

You are referring to excessive greed and not the basic component of necessity. They are both one and the same, but one is healthy, necessary but limited in scope. The other is unhealthy, unnecessary and excessive.

In the case of good people acquiring vast amounts of $$$ over their lifetime, with the intention of someday doling it out as they see fit, it's more the latter than the former.

It's still excessive, still too greedy, as those resources are not in use when needed. Instead, those resource, or to be more precise SOME of those resources, may eventually find there way into the hands of the less fortunate, which is good, but the majority of it will never be, as there are always "middle-men" who take "their" cut first, before passing the remnants on.

That said, I'm not entirely against excessive wealth, though I am against hoarding it for the benefit of the few. In any case, even with "good intentions", the fact remains that the hoarders are in luxury, are capable of luxury, where others lack those luxuries, those necessities. In other words, while it may be good for the hoarder, where it may someday be good for a few, most will suffer needlessly, and for excessive amounts of time.

I refer you back to the definitions of basic greed, excessive greed and emergency needs.

That said, small pleasures are a way to relieve suffering, and IMO are acceptable.

There is a case to be made that those small amounts of excessive greed are a means to rely on in cases of excessive need, as in someone needing to pay a bill, but lacks sufficient income. It's kind of like having a thin layer of fat, where you can't eat for a while. I know I would have died last year if I hadn't had those emergency stores to rely on when I couldn't eat for a month. It's something like that. Now, if I had had too much fat, for too long a period prior to that emergency, I probably would have been dead long ago, from a heart attack or something lol

Assuming you are referring to excessive greed, no.

Greed is not specifically related to $$$, it can be viewed as excessive in anything. Drink too much water in too short a period and you'll die. That's a form of excessive greed.

I was wrong to say greed is a simple thing to understand lol...What I now say is, holy @#$%, people really don't have a decent grasp of it, are too consumed by it to understand it. It's THAT insidious.

Mind you, as a person who has too little greed, even I find myself being too greedy sometimes, as in the case of things like coins or whatever. One of mine is trading cards, I can't get enough of 'em, and I know I have too much, have known for years. That said, $$$-wise, they're not worth much, but I am a glutton for 'em.

 

Very good question "What is greed" I would think that each of us has our own concept of what is and is not greedy. One thing I class as greedy is the amount of food that is wasted by folks every day, people tend to over buy what they really need and yes I have been as guilty as the next person of doing it. Another for me is people who amass vast fortunes and do nothing with it, and politicians who simply want power for the sake of it and too hell with there constituents.