by Linda S. Mills

Created on: October 13, 2010

If you believe in the concept of sin, you well know that greed is right up there at the top of the heap.  Sandwiched between lust and envy, it is part of that elite group of 7 deadlies that shoulder the blame for nearly all that is wrong in the world.  Yet, if greed is so evil, then why is it so hard-wired into our psyche – or perhaps even our DNA?  Is there anyone who isn’t fixated on having more than they currently have?

There is no denying that greed is an inherent part of our nature - but this doesn’t mean we should let it off the hook.  After all, this little ‘deadly’ shoulders the blame for everything from the fall of the Roman Empire to the current Global Financial Crisis.  And unlike mere ambition, greed has a tendency to extend its evil claws deep into the intestines of its willing victims, creating an insatiable hunger that gnaws straight down to the bone.  One only has to gaze into the cold, dead eyes of famous Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff to see that, if left unchecked, greed can swallow a man’s spirit and turn it into dust.

But, despite greed’s evil underpinnings, we live in a society that worships the rich and the royal.  We are awed by other people’s lavish lifestyles – we admire their elevated status and consider them the strongest of our species.  We care little if they are driven by greed or just good fortune, and the only time we judge them is when they fail.   

To our credit, there are plenty of us who have learned to appreciate life’s simple pleasures.  Whether by necessity or the evolution of our intellects, we understand that greed is a bottomless well that we best not drink from.  We certainly want the best for ourselves and our families but our ambitions and appetites do not drive us beyond what we need or deserve in life. 

But would we be the same humble individuals if we found ourselves with sudden wealth?  Would we be able to hold onto our sensibilities? Studies show that the vast majority of lottery winners do not find lasting happiness.  They spend lavishly, alienate loved ones and lose most of their money.  Their lives seem to be contaminated with a malignant form of greed that subsides only when there is nothing more for it to feed on.

Gordon Gekko (Actor Michael Douglas, Wall Street, 1987) said “Greed is good…greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.” Certainly, those of us who have a healthy measure of talent and drive can make our mark in the world and, hopefully, help others along the way.  But greed has neither courage nor vision and will always leave us bankrupt in the end.          

  

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