Is Greed For Money And Fame Actually Good?

What is greed? It is a desire to have more than you deserve or what is decent. Of course, this desire is for you won interest and not for the good of humanity. Usually, it’s detrimental for society. You can be greedy about anything on this planet, but commonly, it is for money and fame. Greed often arises from any negative experiences you might have had in the past, like getting neglected, not having your parents beside you in times of need, facing inconsistency, etc. Also, feelings of anxiety, vulnerability, and low self-esteem can lead to someone greedy for love and security. But is this greed good?

Origins of Greed

As discussed before, many factors lead to the development of greed in a human being. Some people have been inflicted upon mental and physical tortures, making them hungry for love and support. Many are greedy from the beginning and wish to have more money, comfort, possessions, etc. They want a lavish lifestyle for themselves and look out for avenues to find more fame and money. Of course, their surroundings had a big role to play while they were growing up.

Human beings are greedier than animals because they can see themselves in the future and might be beyond death. The prospect of facing an eventual demise makes them anxious. While making an effort to control this anxiety and ward off the threat, they attach a great value to material things, and therefore, a feeling of greed develops in them. Unfortunately, in today’s world, people have become completely immune to satisfaction. The more they get, the more they want. Having laid their hands on one thing, they immediately look for new stuff.

Is Greed Good?

Over the course of evolution, greed has been programmed into the genes of humans as it has helped mankind to survive and engage in reproduction. There can be a shortage of resources if any individual or community is not greedy. There will be a shortage of motivation to innovate and attain, making them vulnerable to the enemies’ strategies. Often, greed also leads to outcomes that make you socially and economically superior.

Altruism, a matured capability, is in stark contrast to greed, which is a primitive impulse. Altruism receives passing appreciation, but it is the greed that the society accepts with open hands. That is why greed delivers all the material stuff and financial and economic growth. It’s an undeniable fact that society runs on greed, and in the absence of it, it will face anarchy and, more importantly, poverty. But, you can’t blame only your society. If you go back in history, greed has been the foundation of every successful modern society.

Drawbacks of Greed

Greed has positive and negative influences. You can call it a mixed blessing. Those who are drowned in green will keep themselves glued to the object they are greedy about. There is hardly any meaning to their lives. That is because all their focus is on how to amass as much as possible of whatever they crave. Although they might have everything they need for a decent lifestyle, they will be thirsty for more.

As a result, there is no other thing that their lives revolve around. These people hardly have a direction they can steer their life towards. Greed also becomes a cause of embarrassment and to hide that embarrassment. People hide beneath a nicely crafted personality. For instance, you might have come across people who tell you that they want to serve the country and the needy. The truth might be is that all they want is power. They are greedy for power. This is nothing but deception.

Greed and Religion

Greed doesn’t let you see the bigger picture and stops you from connecting with God. Every religion on this planet doesn’t approve of greed. Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, greed is the foundation of any sin and is the cause of the destruction of mankind. Greed prevents you from attaining enlightenment, as per Buddhist tradition. According to Christianity, greed is one of the seven deadly sins.

So by now, it should be clear to you whether it’s good to have greed for fame and money or not. Even though greed has certain positive points, anything in excess is bad.