Greed: Good or Bad?

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I awoke at about 12:30 this morning and was lying in bed thinking about how Republicans and Democrats look at human greed differently and why this is. I had to get up and collect my thoughts and I would like to share them with you:

GREED: GOOD OR BAD?

With the exception of the will to survive, I consider greed to be the greatest motivator of man/woman. Greed is even greater than pride, since many will audaciously stoop to any level, forgetting their pride, to acquire something they desire.

Greed is defined as the wish for money, power, sex, material goods, or pleasure of some sort. Since, power, sex, material goods, and pleasure can many times be bought with money; money is the hierarchal leader in the list of greed’s. Money motivates us to get up early each morning and go to work. And money also compels us to spend billions of those hard earned dollars on a chance to win the lottery against colossal odds in an effort to achieve more of it.

Sex would be a close second, since the animal nature of man/woman controls us many times to chase and pursue sex as if it’s some sort of mystical and magnificent pleasure; and not a means to procreate the species. The amount of money spent on sex each year is phenomenal. Sex is unquestionably high on the list of greed’s.

A craving for material goods rules many, and one who has this obsession is know as a materialist. Material goods come in all forms, shapes, and sizes: Everything from colossal mansions, jet airplanes, lengthy yachts, classy cars, and designer clothes to a house in the suburbs, a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle, ATV’s, bass boats, and on and on. We are a society of limited goods with unlimited wants.

Power is more difficult to define than the other characteristics of greed. Power is the lust for control over others for the purpose of elevating oneself to a position of authority, dictatorship, or a feeling of superiority. The antithesis of power would be humility. Men and women have gone to war and killed tens of thousands of people to maintain their power.

Last, but not least, is pleasure. Many times it’s hard to distinguish pleasure from the other greed characteristics since there is: Pleasure of money, sexual pleasure, pleasure of material goods, and pleasure of power over others. But, the pleasure I am speaking of here, is the pleasure of things such as: Eating out, getting new clothes, pleasure of the eyes, drinking, taking drugs, sleeping, massages, getting nails done, watching TV, traveling, etc. These pleasures are addictive and may control a person to the point of destroying his/her life.

Theologians, philosophers, and wise men/women have spoken throughout the centuries about the evils and downfalls of greed. However, we cannot give greed just a “bad wrap.” Greed may motivate a person, a group, or a society of persons to move in a positive direction. How? This can be achieved by simply controlling greed and not allowing it to control us. This is easily said, but much more difficult to set in practice. Those who cannot control their greed in some form or fashion are destined to a miserable structure of existence.

How do we control our greed? As individuals, we must look to things such as self-discipline, religion, education, or just common sense to steer us in the right directions. Personal accountability is foremost in controlling our greed. A few examples of how we may curb and be in command of our greed and lusts are:

• We must understand that money does not necessarily buy happiness, and many times brings us enormous grief when we gain it. We must see money only as a tool of bartering.
• Sexual intercourse must be relegated to those who are married or those who observe it within the bounds of monogamy. Other sex acts such as kissing, hugging, dancing, or just holding hands, must also be done within bounds to maintain one in control of his/her lust.
• It’s understandable that we would want certain material goods, but they have no value except how they make us feel. If you perceive your value, as a human, is based solely or mostly on what you own, you should re-evaluate your way of thinking and values.
• If one is to be a leader, he/she should be a servant-leader. A servant-leader is one who is benevolent, caring, and sets the example. This type of power can be quite satisfying and fulfilling to an individual and is usually not destructive. Power should not be put in the hands of a man/woman who cannot control his/her greed and merely has selfish motives.
• Pleasures are significant, but should not be our daily quest and should never be addictive. Satisfaction may be gained from self-discipline, abstinence, and control.

The free enterprise economy operates from individual and collective greed. For a free enterprise system to function within the bounds of some degree of success, greed must be kept under control by society’s laws and individual belief systems. The balance of these is imperative and will decide the economic future of that society. A group a people may be motivated extremely by the right balance between greed, and control of greed, in a free enterprise system.

The communist or socialist society operates from sharing the available wealth, or lack of wealth, to all the peasants. By peasants, I mean those who are not a member of the ruling party. Of course, the party is established as the “ruling class” so they, the ones who know best, can partake of their greed and their lusts while those at the other end of the spectrum must share equally. Those at the bottom lose hope quickly, and are not motivated to outrival their counterparts or provoked to achieve a higher position in life. It has been shown that this type of society will never be affluent and does not serve the common good of the people. Usually, coercion, force, and propaganda are the glues that hold this type of society together.

Now, it appears to me, that the Democrats, the liberals, and the leftists, mess up the free enterprise system by being totally liberal on the controls of greed, and are causing the balance of our society and economy to be in question. Why are they doing this? Well, I would suggest, they are setting up the circumstances of failure to proliferate a socialist society in America. They want America to fail, as we know it…this is the solitary way they can formulate the change they crave.

The Republicans and conservatives appear to want our present system of government and economical power to continue and flourish. This requires individual accountability, control of our greed, and a higher power guiding us to achieve these goals.