Does Greed Make You A Bad Person?

Although I think that large financial institutions should be considered as a policy issue, of course, I mentioned that executives of these agencies can mainly agree that they are bad people.

I can not agree with this. But my argument is very simple. These people depend on greed mainly to live. Please note that it is not just a scratch on. [...] They are millionaires who want to earn millions of dollars. Of course, Vikram Pandit can indeed find essentially interesting bank officers. However, what is essential to the life of bank executives is to donate a number of compensation plans to charity organizations. But this is not what Pandit did. Instead, he lived a greedy life as much as the management of all major companies.

There is now a good discussion familiar with the traditions of Adam Smith and economics The world of greedy people is not necessarily a disaster that pre-modern ethical thinkers think. Everything is going well. It's true. But I believe this is a disease through the American society, and we lost the will to clarify that other conditions are not greedy and not benign. [...]

There are several points about this. First of all, I think Matt's posting has a wrong relationship between "bad" behavior and "bad" behavior. I willingly agree - or just "self-interest" like Adam Smith said - there should be no special reward for virtue. I do not think anyone would say that greed and virtue are not the same thing. But this is not the same as saying a selfish person is a bad person.

Indeed, if you buy Smith 's claim (as Matt thinks), it is difficult to determine the disadvantage of self - interest. Smith's view on this issue (I remember the wealth of the country) has two. First of all, self-interest is part of human nature. Second, there is an interesting way for the market to convert personal interests into social benefits. This is often cited as "from the mercy of a butcher, winemaker, bakery, not from looking for dinner, but from their perception of their own interests". Please explain how he sees the activities of the world. What should I expect?

Secondly, there are many ways to meet your own interests. Like Vikram Pandit, you can earn a lot of money. Money is good as money can be turned into useful goods and services, it can serve as an excellent signaling mechanism for things like talent and power. But you can also go to the office and enjoy the glory of the public life. Or you can try to become a famous blogger. But it is not clear that the road is less selfish than other roads, or that the abstract concept of self-interest is not morally neutral.

I would like to hear your opinion on this article. Please send a letter to the editor or write it on letters @ theatlantic.com.

This is a secret. Greed never makes you rich. Greed will not give you any lunch money. Perhaps the most greedy person in the world is the poorest person in the world. Actually, it may be. Rich people usually become rich by doing business with many other people. People often do not deal with you if you are openly greedy, dishonest, unreliable, or just omnipotent. That is the only freedom country. This is not a secret. I know how everyone will become rich. However, not everyone wants to solve all the problems. In free society, we set our own goals. Where we draw boundaries, fight for more wealth, and time to spend with family, play golf, just sit in front of the TV and see the cold, seek out other places to pursue other interests going to decide.

Greed is an ordinary person, it is not necessarily bad. Greed is the desire to achieve something - it can be wealth or power. It may be sex. This desire to achieve is to provide the power to activate life. Greed creates momentum and ambition that leads to a successful life together

Although you can indirectly gain a lot of benefits, it can cause a lot of damage in the process of human greed. So motivation for greed is not bad at all. However, when a person achieves the purpose of greed, it is a place where true evil is manifested. If someone gets something else who does not have (something that ultimately leads to greed), that person will protect him from the embarrassment of others, or take it as a matter of course. Preventing jealousy divides and hates, and it is considered natural that you are dissatisfied and blind about the pain around you. Therefore, greed brings some positive results, but in the end the drawbacks outweigh the benefits.