not just to other humans but the biosphere and environment as well, individuals are destined to experience not just greed, but denial of their greed. Greed should not be thought of as just a material condition, but inclusive of actions as well. An example, over populating is an action that affects future conditions that all must survive.
A few of the points I would make on individual or group greed would be, ...
~~ Much of our greed is derived from hoarding today to increase security for tomorrow. The maintenance of wealth in whatever form, places us in the conundrum, of what is greed. If I provide for my future am I more greedy than providing for my family's future? If I provide for my future at a softer level of living than the poorest in my community, is this greed?
~~ Is it even possible to seek or maintain wealth, without experiencing greed? If wealth is described as anything more than what is needed for today's survival, is greed an inevitable experience ingrained in the human condition when we left the migratory hunter gatherer method of living?
~~ At the dawn of civilization, with new frontiers in all directions in a world of plenty, was the simple act of acquiring and maintaining wealth, greed? At what point in collecting wealth does greed start? When private or group ownership prevents others from sustenance or at least, requires them to migrate to secure sustenance?
~~ Greed is obviously magnified in a world with less space and resource. Is positioning oneself, family, or group to increase the odds of survival, greed? Are the fruits of industriousness to be compared with laziness and frivolous expenditure of time, energy and resource? At what point does the earned bounty of some become a communal obligation to others?
~~ How much or when, does the instinct of individual survival temper the rights of the community? Are the actions improving the odds of survival, at the cost of an greater than per capita distribution of resource, greed or an innate instinct for survival?
~~ What determines greed, consciousness of the action? If a person has money and invests it in the broad market to secure the means to a modest future, and is 'knowingly' funding commerce, industry and consumption that is over heating the planet and limiting the future for generations to come, is this greed?
~~ If a person or group views private property as a stewardship of the land, preserving the resource and environment, then sells to provide secure future funds while knowing McMansions will likely be the outcome, has this action fulfilled the instinct for survival or consummated the components of greed?
I could go on an on with these thoughts and queries, and still, anyone reading this post would have a list of their own to add. Most anyone could make a case that many of the above points were individually justifiable. Therein is our egotistical preservation, exercising denial.
Whenever a human rises beyond a state of ego, it could be argued, they are no longer sociologically, human. It could be argued, greed is a natural function of ego, increasing the odds of survival.
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