Greed - Is anyone truly immune?
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Greed is everywhere
Those of us who read political hubs and the comments on these hubs will no doubt frequently see the word "GREED" in at least one of the comments. This "greed" label is mostly reserved for large corporations, politicians, and most anyone who has been successful. The implication is that "greed" is a negative and derogatory statement, and most of us are not guilty of this sin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greed
A recent event in my life has changed my thinking and almost anyone can become a victim of their own greed. In fact, today's scam artists depend on our "greed" to make their scams successful.
Last week I received a phone call from one of my grand daughters. She is a college student with above average intelligence and a great grade point average. The phone call went something like this.
She said, "Poppy, I need to borrow some money for just a few days."
I said, "How much do you need?"
She said, "I need $50,000 but just for a few days."
I said, "What on earth is this for?"
She went on to explain that she had received an email declaring her a winner of an international lottery through Face Book, and she had won $5,000,000. Yes, 5 Million dollars. She had responded to the email, and received instructions on how to wire them $50 for a debit card they would send her overnight via FedEx. She did wire the $50 and two days later received the debit card supposedly from a bank in the UK. But included with the debit card was a letter explaining they needed 1%, as in $50,000 for a processing fee to activate the card for her, and once she did this the entire 5 million would be available to her on the debit card. They gave specific instructions on how and where to wire the money, and requested her correct name, address, and cell phone number to make certain they sent the money to the correct person. She immediately provided them this requested information by email.
After my initial shock was over and my heart started beating again, I patiently explained to her that she was the victim of a scam. I suggested she cut her losses to the $50 she had already sent them and call it finished. I sat back, shaking my head, and thinking problem solved. Wrong again!
Two days later, I received another phone call from my grand daughter asking for just $2,000 for a few days. It seems these nice generous people called her, and stated they hated to see her lose out on this 5 Million dollars that was rightfully hers, just because she could not raise the $50,000 processing fee. They graciously agreed to accept just $2,000 in cash, and said they would deduct the remaining $48,000 from the balance on the debit card. I again patiently explained this was a scam, and suggested she contact the campus police for their take on this matter if she didn't believe me.
For once, she followed my advice and took copies of the emails and the debit card to them, most likely hoping to prove me wrong. They immediately brought up some websites describing this particular scam in detail, and had the debit card examined at a local credit union. The magnetic strip on the back of the card was nothing but paint, and could never have been activated. She did call me back to tell me I was correct, and she was sorry she had doubted the wisdom that age has provided me.
Now the point of this whole hub is that we all suffer from "greed" to some degree. To say only the rich are greedy is very wrong. Dangle the right carrot, and any one of us could park our common sense and go for the gold.
Those of us who have been around for awhile have learned there is seldom a free lunch. If something looks too good to be true, it most likely is not true. Scam artists would be put out of business if greed was not something built into most of our characters.
So the main lesson here is if you did not purchase a lottery ticket, you most likely did not win a lottery. These type scams are becoming more prevalent today, and there is little or nothing law enforcement can do to stop them. Many scams originate in Nigeria, and their laws do nothing to discourage this type activity.
Thanks for the read.
Mike
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Great points, Mike!
We are all susceptible to greed to some extent, but to the left, ‘greed’ and ‘profit’ are interchangeable terms, so they label all for-profit businesses and corporations as ‘greedy’. They don’t seem to realize that without profits, all businesses will fail sooner or later, because they cannot grow and expand.
Great Hub!
I don't think your grandaughter's position was prompted by greed...more by innocence, really. Anyone believing the scam to be real would "apply" for the money.
Most of these scams come from Nigeria, a country now paying the price for some of its actions...we are besieged with them here (scams).
Greed is when you never have enough and are prepared to see others go without in order for one individual to have more and more. To an extent, it is fueled by natural selection and survival of the fittest. There is all sorts of greed: some people eat, drink or smoke too much. Then we have the corporate greed we see everywhere today. Of course, many animals find greed quite natural!
I have so many defects, thank goodness greed isn't one of them.
Good hub Bob
Mike,
I'm going to say a word, then I'm going to say a sentence. You can have one or the other, but you can't have them both. If you take one, you have to throw the other one away. Here's the word ..
"Free"
Now, the sentence ..
"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
Like most things, this came to me in a dream, and I'm afraid it's bulletproof. It's a cold reality when debating entitlements. We all have the seed of larceny within us. All marketing is built around it. Everyone wants to get something for less than it's actually worth. Some people more than others, but we all have it.
As I always say, you can get more meaning out using 10 words, than I can using 1000. Up, awesome, and interesting!
Jim
Hi Mike, You have brought up a very good point here. There is greed in all of us to a certain point. But there are the ones that let their greed get to the point where they are hurting others. I wrote a hub on greed too. Just want to point out, your $5million I believe has too many zeros. That's between you and me. If those e-mails that your grand daughter got were true, I would be a gazillioneer. Gret hub. Greg
cebutouristspot - Thanks, I think your correct. Nobody can be truly free of greed to varying degrees.
WillStarr - I would have to assume you are correct. Greed means different things to different people, depending on their point of view. My point is we were all born with the "greed gene" to some degree. Thanks for a great comment.
Bob, you present an interesting view of "greed." Your no doubt correct, my granddaughter would fall more into the innocent category than the greedy category. Again though, were it not for the "greed gene", would anyone be even tempted to fall for one of these scams? I understand what you mean about corporate greed, making profit in spite of the damage to others of which they are fully aware.
Thanks for commenting, always great to see you here.
BTW, these scams sometimes cost the victims everything. My friend's elderly and senile dad in Tucson lost a small fortune to Canadian scammers before the family finally realized what was going on. These scum target the very young and the very old, so beware.
Jim - I would guess as an ex-marketeer, you perhaps understand greed better than many of us. A salesman's main job is to make the buyer feel he is getting something for nothing, when often quite the reverse is true. I'm sure you have had a car salesman tell you what a great deal you just got on that new car. They use terms like "you stole that one from us." When I hear this, I know for sure I just got screwed but can't quite figure out how they did it.
These comments are bringing up some very interesting thoughts. To want more than you have is not being greedy, it could better be labeled "ambition." To want to take something away from someone who has more than you would be called "greed" in my book.
Hi Mike, Me again. There is one more point about this subject that just hit me. Greed and Need. Greed really only fits in after you hit the point of what you need and then still want more. Everybody Needs a certain amount to survive and as Will said, Greed and Profit. A business only needs so much profit to continue their business. After a certain point it becomes Greed. My opinion, Greg
gregas - LOL - Having never had 5 Million dollars, I had to guess at how many zeros belong there. Thanks for pointing out the error of my math.
I will jump over and take a read on your greed hub. You are correct that there is no doubt a level of greed in all of us. The dividing line is how far any individual carries that greed. When it reaches the point it is hurting others, that is going too far.
WillStarr - Most of us have heard stories of elderly people being systematically ripped off by scam artists before anyone close to them finds out about it. And most of the time, the person doing the ripping off is never caught or punished being they are in Nigeria or somewhere. They prey on the young, and the elderly.
One time my son received a letter telling him he had won a boat. The picture displayed an ocean going vessel one might use to go to Hawaii or cruise around in the South Pacific. All they wanted was $250 shipping. I told him not to send it, but he did anyway. Some weeks later he received in the mail a small box containing a little vinyl blowup boat like children might use in a swimming pool. I think he learned a lesson from this.
gregas - Thanks for the comeback and more interesting points. As a business owner, I paid myself a paycheck just as I did my employees. Every business must have some cash reserves to cover unplanned expenses such as $4.00 per gallon gas, assessments from the state for extensions on unemployment benefits, surcharges on utilities because they are paying higher fuel costs, and on and on. Then as a small corporation, everything remaining at the end of the year is considered profit and taxable income. I would have absolutely no idea where to draw the line on income and say OK, I have brought in enough money this year. I always gave my employees very healthy bonuses as I would rather give them the money than pay tax on it.
I do know what you mean however about enough being enough, just don't know how one would know when to draw the line.
Great food for thought and thanks for bringing into the picture.
The difference in between greed and profit is obvious I can tell you that, if you make millions every year personally as the head of a company and your employees live from bill to bill to keep their heads afloat that is greed. If you pay your employees well and don't endanger them or mistreat them and offer them good healthcare and make some money that is profit. Its an important difference.
I once knew a greedy kid. He would drink all the Kool-Aid in the pitcher, even if it made him sick, just so no one else could have any.
If wanting more than the absolute necessities is greed, then we are all greedy. But is it greed to want to keep what you earn and better your situation? Is it greed to want to control where your charitable money goes? Is it greed to want a nice house, to travel, to have some adult toys, and to eat well?
Let's define greed as 'wanting it all, so no one else can have any', just like that kid I once knew.
Everything else is just a desire to better ourselves and make a better life.
Greed is wanting so much for oneself that it harms others. In your case its that no on egets kool aid in the one I gave its that the man's employees suffer for his profit.
Josak - It may surprise you, but in today's world employees actually have more rights than their employers. If a complaint is filed by an employee, the employer is considered guilty until he can prove his innocense.
There is also the Risk / Reward thing where many employees are completely satisfied to have the employer take 100% of the risks, but they resent the employer taking any of the rewards.
I do know what you meen about the "greed" part however, we all know of very greedy employers.
WillStarr - Your latest comment was a perfect description of the difference between greed and desire. I could not have even come close to defining this as well as you just did. Thanks for the contribution.
Mike
"...its that the man's employees suffer for his profit."
Nonsense. Employee pay scales are set, and not dependent on profit or CEO salaries. They get their X dollars per hour as long as they are employed, no matter what the CEO gets.
You don't know what you're talking about.
I don't understand how anyone could really believe this but I do know it happens.. so sad.. Great hub.. Everyone needs to read this.. voted up
Debbie
Debbie - It happens to someone most every day. These scams are at an all time high, and there is nothing we can do about them. No law enforcement agency has the time or manpower to even mess with them. You would think common sense would prevent people from falling for these scams, but I guess not. Thanks for the comment.
Hi Mike --Informative and on-target Hub. Unfortunately, a few years ago a member of my family fell for one of these schemes. The bank said the money orders were good and he cashed them -- three weeks later they weren't good and he had to reimburse the bank. Like you said, there's no free lunch but it's sure fun to dream! Best, Sis
Angela Blair - Thanks for jumping in. This is not uncommon for a bank to clear a check or money order, only to come back later and reverse what they said. By that time the scammer has the real money in his pocket and the victim is stuck paying back the bank. This type situation has financially destroyed many people.
Yes, it is fun to dream. I buy about one or two lottery tickets a year, and dream of what I will do with my new found wealth. I know the odds of winning are slim, but if you don't buy a ticket, winning is impossible.
You know I think its funny about these OWstreeters, they call us greedy but they are protesting and wanting the money given them from the wealthy! Isnt that greed? If the greed word is correct (and its not) then the only difference between conservatives and liberals when it comes to finance is this.........conservatives may be greedy, but it now seems liberals are greedy and LAZY! .......I think I will stick to my greediness! I detest lazy!
Hi Mike!
"...if you don't buy a ticket, winning is impossible."
Some trivia...my father-in-law coined the slogan, "You can't win if you don't play" when he was advertizing manager of the Arizona Lottery!
Hello, Poolman,
This is a useful, awesome, interesting and very informative hub.
And you hit the nail squarely on the head, because every one of us is, in fact, greedy to some degree or the other.
Also, years ago, I came up with my own "old saying." It goes: Never accept a free lunch because it will cost too much.
I only see greed in the animals that tried to scam your granddaughter. Wanting to believe that she actually won money is a product of her youth and optimism.
AR - Thanks, you make some valid points.
WillStarr - Thanks, I love trivia.
Feenix - Thanks for stopping by and the comment. Your correct my friend, sometimes a free lunch can cost us dearly.
BP - Yes, I never thought my granddaughter was greedy, I'm just saying the greed can make us ignore all the warning signals flying past us. Thanks for the comment.
Your granddaughter is no more greedy than the next person...just a little naive...and now, maybe she is all the more wiser and learned a valuable lesson....
that being......listen to granpa!
Chris - You know most of today's youth never listen to the wisdom of us older folks. But yes, she did learn a valuable lesson that will most likely stick with her for life. Thank goodness it only cost her $50 to learn.
Mike
Its a very good and important issue as everybody on this earth is Greedy for some or the other thing.
At least she didn't go all in, that's the main thing. But you are absolutely right. Greed is prevalent in most people. I think even the fact that real lotteries do so well is based on that simple notion. In the end you said, "If you did not purchase a lottery ticket, you most likely did not win a lottery." Infact, even if you DID purchase a ticket, you most likely did not win either. :) People are always looking for the big win, the big prize, the huge payout, and it's why they'll willingly shell out a buck that they will probably never see again for a chance at millions. I know that's why I do it. Am I greedy? If I want to become a millionaire, which I do, then I probably am—and it doesn't pain me at all to say it.
By the way, I've often said that greed can also be defined beyond just money. What about someone who overdoes it in religion for example? Isn't it a form of greed, wanting to do things to earn a better place with the Lord than the next guy? Perhaps they'll get a better suite past the pearly gates, or become a right hand man to someone important up there.
Greed applies to many things.
Springboard - You are so very correct, greed pertains to many things besides money. I had friends who suffered through the great depression, and many of them could not part with anything. My father-in-law kept bent nails, string, chipped coffee cups, and things like that. When asked why he always said you never know when that will come in handy. I guess collecting could be considered greed if you want to look at it that way.
Thanks for the great comment and the food for thought.
The old adage "if it sounds too good to be true, it is," fits here. But who wouldn't be thrilled to learn they'd won 5 million and wouldn't have to worry about making ends meet anymore? In your granddaughter's case, it isn't so much greed as gullibility.
Most of us want enough to get by without worry. Some of us want more which is quite acceptable, and then there are those who can never have enough, an insatiable hunger for more -- no matter what the cost to others. That is greed.
I don't believe greed and desire for success are synonomous. Nor do I think it a politicized issue. Greed can be found on both sides of that left/right line. It is a human weakness, like so many others.
Thanks for this interesting read. Lynda
I, too, have recieved an e-mail like that. My response to the sender was to send me the card and I would pay AFTER activation. I never heard another word from them. You also need to watch out for supposed FBI "warning" emails as these are also scams. Those guys I have fun playing with.
Lynda - That is exactly the point I was trying to make. So many scream "Greed" when it comes to successful people, yet fail to look in the mirror and realize they too suffer from greed to some degree. To insist on "sharing the wealth" in itself is a degree of greed. That is asking for something you did not earn or work for. Greed has many levels, and we all fall somewhere at some level. Thanks for coming back.
geordmc - When you get an email using 2nd grade grammer and spelling, you can almost guess it is a scam. It is fun to toy with them for awhile before you tell them to get lost.
I think it is possible for some people to be immune to greed; turning away from money and materialism, but this is about as rare a quality in a human being to find that there is. The thing that really bothers me about this article is both the naive nature of America's youth, believing that a facebook message could bring $5,000,000, and the greedy unethical predators that try to scam people out of hard earned money. The whole situation is an example of one of America's bigger problems that may not really have a way to be properly stopped through government policy,
Bludwiczak - Through the magic of the internet, most of these scams are originating in other countries such as Nigeria. Some are so crudely written, it is probably an individual doing the scamming. However, some are very professional and they mirror websites of legitimate companies perfectly. It is truly buyer beware out there today. Thanks for the comment.
The FBI site scam looks very legitmate with the logo and a picture of the director in it. When the FIRST e-mail came I was curious so I called the local office to find out what the notice was about. I was told that this was a scam from the agent I talked to. I was told that the FBI does not use e-mails for the purpose of informing a person of trouble, They will come see you, personally.
geordmc - I love the scams that are just asking for your date of birt, Social Security number, bank account number, and those sort of things. I guess if they look legitimate some fall for them.
I hate these scams. I recently have been looking for a part time job online for a nannying or direct care position and you get tons of responses from people "moving in" from another country who will send you offer to send you a check a week early so your ready to work upon their arrival. With the extra money they say you can keep it to buy groceries or house products. I had a skateboard for sale online that someone offered to wire me money for from an account in Haiti. Today someone called my dad to try and get him to co-sign on a loan against my car even though I have my own and have been making payments on it without any co-signer needed when I took out the loan myself at the bank and yet someone knew enough to try my dad. Its ridiculous how money hungry and greedy people have become, the economy is tough on everybody and the internet for some has provided another outlet for them to be vulnerable which works occasionally but hopefully more people will look out for scammers. When something sounds too good to be true as someone mentioned up above then it is probably is. Your granddaughter is lucky to have people around who can help her not fall victim to online scammer. Voted useful and up Great Hub..
No one is immune, but once your close loved ones or your life is in danger you tend to shift your priorities and realize that there are things that money can not buy....
Its a pity there are so many con games out there, I have seen some really nice people get taken on nasty rides because of that.
Beata Stasak - Thanks, a friend of mine got tied into a scam, and when she quit communicating with them they started calling all hours of the day and night with death threats. What they didn't know was her husband works for the FBI. It turned out to be from Nigeria, and there was nothing he could do about it.
What goes around, comes around...those online scammers are not immune not only to greed but also becoming victims to their own con games...I believe that we have to be cautious but still honest and open to nice people all around us...online scammers are here to stay but also us:)
Beata Stasak - Very nicely said, thank you.
Mike -- about buying lottery tickets (which I do too) my brother says "Some fool's gonna win and I sure qualify!" It's definitely fun to dream of great wealth and I'm one of those fools that'll keep buying! Best, Sis
Spending a dollar or 2 buying a lottery ticket, is a nice (and cheap) way to put together your very own taylor made fairy tale, I smile when I think of all the different dreams I've had with imaginary lottery money. Thats harmless unless you go way overboard, and buy lottery instead of pay bills.
I think that the people who fall for the other kind of lottery scam are soooo excited they've won, they go right to the dream of how to spend the money and never stop to think, hey if I won this why do I need to pay all this money out? If you won the lottery in any state every ticket has instructions on how to claim your winnings.
Angela Blair - I confess, I do to when the pot is large. I once won $20, so that only leaves me a couple hundred in the hole.
marywanders - I often wonder what I would do if I did win the big one. I am pretty content just the way things are, so would not even want to move to another location. I have a car and a truck, so wouldn't even want another one of those. I'll bet I could find something to do with it.
You are so right, if they ask for some money to send you your prize, you are being scammed.
I just had a job posting try to run a scam on me, I applied to what looked like a "real" job in a news paper ad, get referred to another person who wanted me to put money orders in my bank account then send a check to them...I have never understood why people fall for this one either, you can get cashier checks or some similar type of check in the currency of the country ( france in this case )that you want to send money to, no reason for this supposed job..set up a pay pal account that works too, I guess theres a lot of people who have not tfavelled out of the country, so maybe they would have no idea about money and foriegn countries
marywanders - Scam artists literally haunt Craigslist and find many victims that way. It is sad that a tool like Craigslist has become the hangout for these types. I'm sure most of the ads for goods and even job postings are legitimate, but a certain percentage are just plain scams.
It was from a newspaper "help wanted ad" , I don't know why I thought a newspaper ad would be immune, I usually cross check ads to company web sites and then apply. That option wasn't there so I just asked for a more complete job description ( being skeptical and trying to be careful ) sent the same queery to the person I was refered to and lo and behold SCAM. They got no real information except 1 of my email addesses. I hope they can't find more info from that.
I really like craigslist and I am aware there are many scams promoted on that site, and yes I agree there are always a certain amount of scams out there. I think my nose is out of joint for not recognizing it as a scam at the beginning lol@me
This kind of stuff happens all of the time. After reading your hub I thought about when an ex-girlfriend received a letter stating she had a large amount of money coming. She showed me the letter and I took her to our bank to prove my point that it was a scam. Afterwards she laughed and looked at me and wanted to know how I knew it was a scam just from reading it and I explained to her that the only thing free is the air we breath. There's usually a catch to everything. Sorry your granddaughter lost the money she invested but hopefully it also taught her a valuable lesson.
greed yes, but in many cases - such as your granddaughters - naivety plays a big part. No doubt, you had a loooong chat with her and i'm guessing she won't make the same mistake 3X..Great hub..greed is an issue that seems to be growing..greed...envy...etc..
marywanders-I doubt you will ever have a problem with scams. As you said, you are usually skeptical, and you do your homework. That alone should keep you out of trouble.
bobbycra - Thank goodness you were there to prevent her from being scammed. I doubt she will ever fall for another one of these. Thanks for the comment.
ImKarn23 - Yes, the loooonng chat did happen, and I even showed her some other blatant scams on Craigslist that were fishing for victims. I doubt she will ever fall for another one of these.
It's a shame people fall for these. Now and again we have physical letters in the mail addressed to our CEO requesting he pay the bill for the services listed. Even though it may appear real, the invoice is a scam and the invoices end up in the bin time and time again. These scam artists will go through every length to get that extra dime from innocent people
Your granddaughter is lucky; she had your timely advice to help her. But sadly there are so many people who fall prey to such scammers. Yeah greed could be one of the reasons, but often it is a sense of joy in stumbling across an unexpected stroke of good fortune that makes people fall for such scams.
DeviousOne - Many of these scams are easily spotted by the poor quality of the spelling and grammar, but others are getting quite sophisticated. It is truly buyer beware these days. Thanks for the comment.
Dr Kavita Shaikh - I think most scams are designed to play on our own greed. We all have greed to some degree, and we all dream of a better life. Those two things in combination are why the scam artists never run out of victims. Thanks for the comment.
Scams are a hard lesson to learn. And no matter the level of intelligence, we are not immune. Scammers are getting very intelligent in their ways. But a great way to avoid is by knowing if you "win" something you shouldnt have to pay for it. Greed is used often when referring to the government... in a few ways it has been proven. Life is difficult for all of us in one way or another. Perception is everything. Great article though!
momatheart1 - Thanks for the comment. Scams are getting sophisticated, on the internet and over the phone. You are so very correct in that if you have won something, they should not be asking you for money. This hint alone would let you know you are being scammed.
There are a lot of scams out there, and it worries me that one of my loved ones will fall prey to it - there are several who are quite innocent and trusting. Greed influences and motivates all of us.
Millionaire Tips - Thanks, and yes it is scary. When I hear of any new scams, I pass them on to my family members.
Interesting read Mike. I believe you are correct. Almost any person, given the right circumstances, can fall victim to greed. Corporations are made up of people, and therefore it's not surprising they often neglect the environment and employee benefits for the sake of profit. I believe it's part of human nature, and we all have to control ourselves in order to not let the dark side take over.
Glad you helped your granddaughter learn from her mistake. Voted up!
Thank God your grand daughter confided in you. I have Nigerian roots and even I am SKEPTICAL about the scams. Contentment is a blessing but human nature needs to be tamed. What we should remember is we can't take any of it with us when we leave this life -that should put some perspective on things. Money cannot buy happiness but some amount of comfort.
As the saying goes those who are happy don't have the best of everything but make the best of what they have.
Sooner28 - Thanks for stopping by and the comment. Yes, I think all of us were cursed with the greed gene. Some of us can control it and some can't. I would guess that once a scam artist has been successful and gotten some easy money, they are hooked on greed.
ThussaysNanaMarie - Nice to meet you. All scams don't originate in Nigeria, many start right here in our own country. You are so right, money doesn't buy happiness. For those who are hooked on greed, there will never be enough money. Also a good reminder that you can't take it with you.
That's a story almost everyone been through.
A highly intelligent person cannot use logic in the face of money.
CHyNCHyN - Nice to meet you and thanks for the comment. Money does strange things to many people, common sense can disappear when money is involved.
I think greed can be considered an ordinary feeling everybody can be greedy from time to time.
Darkmetaly - Nice to meet you. I think you are correct, we were all born with the greed gene, some more than others, but we all have it. Most keep it under control, but many are so hooked on greed they can't control it. Be it money, land, or whatever, there will never be enough for them.
i agree and nice to meet you too
I'm glad your granddaughter learned from you and not from experience. Some of us *cough* learned the hard way that the nice lawyer from London who was holding our winnings was really from New Jersey.
I think if you're truly happy with who you are and you prefer the simple life greed won't get to you. If you notice it's always when you're looking for more or when your down that you look for the quick fix.
No one can be immune to greed. Greed is everywhere, from corruption to scoring straight A ones for personal gains. Even if you work, you will also be working out of greed since you are on the payroll.
mollymeadows - It would be interesting to know how many have really been caught in one of these scams. More often than not they are probably not even reported. This type crime takes a very low priority with law enforcement as they just don't have the resources to handle them. Nice meeting you and thanks for the comment.
cyoung35 - What a great comment. It is amazing how many real lottery winners end up wishing they had never won. Their new found wealth did nothing but mess up what was already a great life.
phillippeengel - Interesting comment. I'm not sure I agree with you that everyone working is being greedy. It takes a certain amount of money to survive in this world, and most get this money from working. We all would like wages high enough that we have at least a little money left over after we pay the bills. Very interesting comment and certainly something to think about.
phillippeengel,
Hmmmm .. I see the sociological conundrum. It's sort of like .. If a bear shits in the woods, but there's no one there to smell it, is there really any bear shit? I dunno pal. I work out of compassion. I have mucho compassion for the people who would make me sleep under a bridge if I didn't pay them.
Jim
I don't know if there is someone who is really truly immune to it. There are many types and kinds of greed, and most likely we are sometimes in denial of it or not just aware that we become greedy in some level.
But the greed you mentioned in your story is somewhat on the higher level, people who do that may be really really frustrated or greed was already nailed on their system so they can't stop and desire more after more.
Jim - from the many comments on this hub I have learned there are a great many differences and opinions regarding greed, and what greed really is. I have always thought of greed as wanting more than your fair share of anything. I don't understand the comment made that stated if you work, you are being greedy because you are on the payroll. I view working as a trade where you trade time and talent for money. I view those who plunder the entitlement programs and giving nothing in return as being greedy. I guess what you see just depends which side of the fence you are standing on.
aisha91 - Thanks for a great comment. The various views of greed are interesting. Most view greed in terms of money and wealth. Yet we can be greedy with other things such as personal time and affection. I guess greed is dependent on the individual and what they are hoarding.
I don't believe that anyone is immune to greed. Whether it be money, prestige, food, or other things, we humans generally find a way to attempt hoarding whatever "it" may be.
Express10 - I have to agree with you, we all were born with the greed gene of one form or another. Most of us resist it, but some are out of control with greed over something. Nice to meet you and thanks for the comment.
Great hub. Kind of scary too. They do have it figured out. The phone call trying to sink the hook. I have a friend who was involved in a serious scam a few years ago. He invested money in Costa Rica with the promise that he could get 20% on his investment. After a few months, it worked. As promised. He then invested more money, and again more. Until he put down several hundred thousand. He never heard from the "brokers", or whatever they were again. The little shop presence disappeared.
Whoa, that Costa Rica scam sounds like a new one. They went fishing, let him land a few small fish, and then drained the lake. I can see plenty of people falling for this one. Thanks for sharing.
cebutouristspot Level 5 Commenter 3 months ago
I think at some point in our life we become greedy may it be space, money, time, resources and etc. I doubt that anyone is truly immune to it