Pan-Hellenic disapprobation of greed is seen by the mythic punishment meted to Tantalus, from whom ever-present food and water is eternally withheld. In Classical Greek thought pleonexy (an unjust desire for tangible/intangible worth attaining to others) is discussed in the works of Plato and Aristotle. Characterizations of the wolverine (whose scientific name (Gulo gulo) means "glutton") remark both on its outsized appetite, and its penchant for spoiling food remaining after it has gorged Ancient views Īncient views of greed abound in nearly every culture. The dog-in-the-manger, or piggish behaviors are typical examples. Views of greed In animals Īnimal examples of greed in literary observations are frequently the attribution of human motivations to other species. So, the level of "inordinance" of greed pertains to the amount of vanity, malice or burden associated with it. Other outcomes may include a degradation of social position, or exclusion from community protections. One individual consequence of greedy activity may be an inability to sustain any of the costs or burdens associated with that which has been or is being accumulated, leading to a backfire or destruction, whether of self or more generally. Erich Fromm described greed as "a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction." It is typically used to criticize those who seek excessive material wealth, although it may equally be applied to the need to feel more excessively moral, social, or otherwise better than someone else. The degree of inordinance is related to the inability to control the reformulation of "wants" once desired "needs" are eliminated. Weber also says that, according to Protestant Ethic, "Wealth is thus bad ethically only in so far as it is a temptation to idleness and sinful enjoyment of life, and its acquisition is bad only when it is with the purpose of later living merrily and without care".Īs a secular psychological concept, greed is an inordinate desire to acquire or possess more than one needs. Weber posited that the spirit of capitalism integrated a philosophy of avarice coloured with utilitarianism. Both views continue to pose fundamental questions in today's economic thinking. It is not so managed here below that in practice they coincide'. Keynes wrote ' The world is not so governed from above that private and social interest always coincide. By the mid-19th Century - affected by the phenomenological ideas of Hegel - economic and political thinkers began to define greed inherent to the structure of society as a negative and inhibitor to the development of societies. Modern economic thought frequently distinguishes greed from self-interest, even in its earliest works, and spends considerable effort distinguishing the line between the two. But regardless of purpose, greed intends to create an inequity of access or distribution to community wealth. Alternately, the purpose could be defense or counteractive response to such obstructions being threatened by others. It may at the same time be an intent to deny or obstruct competitors from potential means (for basic survival and comfort) or future opportunities therefore being insidious or tyrannical and having a negative connotation. The initial motivation for (or purpose of) greed and actions associated with it may be the promotion of personal or family survival.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |