The Paradox of greed and its portrayal

We all agree on the point that human suffering is inevitable, endless. Regardless of whether we are rich or poor suffering knocks on the door. Now there might be many causes surrounded the cause of human suffering, The term suffering — referred to as dukkha in Pali and duhkha in Sanskrit — cannot be fully expressed with a single English word either. According to Buddhist sutras (scriptures), there are three root sufferings: Dukkha-dukkha: The suffering of suffering — including the pain of birth, old age, sickness, and death. Viparinama-dukkha: The suffering of change — as everything in this world is impermanent and won’t last. Sankhara-dukkha: All-pervasive suffering — an underlying sense of insecurity, anxiety, or basic dissatisfaction. In simple terms suffering may occur by natural disasters and unexpected and unforeseen circumstances, however according to a study a greater part of suffering has a sociological basis(North, Wallis & Weingast 2009), and we as a community are dedicated to alleviating human problems and suffering, little is done to understand the root cause of suffering arguably human GREED and Self-interest which is what I’m talking about today.

Current relevance
But why do we talk about it now, As the well-known Japanese writer, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai proclaimed, “Human desires are endless. It is like the thirst of a man who drinks salt water: he gets no satisfaction and his thirst is only increased.” At a time when the Covid-19 pandemic is raging across India, Atrocities involving Covid-19 essentials including lifesaving oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, and medicines are at an all-time high. Oxygen cylinders are being sold in many parts of the country for an exorbitant price ranging from anywhere between Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 per cylinder, while the actual cost of these cylinders ranges somewhere between Rs 8,500 to Rs 10,000. with desperate requests for help finding the drugs, remdesivir and tocilizumab people are inclining towards these black market platforms. According to Business Insider, The black market for drugs that could treat covid 19, is a surge in India. especially when it comes to Remdesiver. A single vial is going for up to 30,000 rupees. So if a critical patient needs six vials for treatment, which is the norm, they would have to shell up to 1,80,000 in order to procure the required dosage. Following the same article, it states that selling medicines on the side or making medicines disappear overnight so that the patient is forced to buy more. When asked that person who bought it for his father he stated that he was left with no option as his father’s condition was critical. For me, the life of my father is more important than money, Even this case is with the Oxygen cylinders. For many in India, the ability to access oxygen and human-sized medical-grade oxygen cylinders is a matter of life or death — and a symbol of wealth. India’s daily demand for medical-grade oxygen is a staggering 2 million standard oxygen cylinders. According to a data tracker created by the nonprofit organization PATH, India’s daily demand is five times more than Brazil’s, which is around 388,000 cylinders. The saddest part is that the black market is all happening in the open, and hoarders are not scared to publicly share their numbers on social media.

Motivation
While the initial motivation for greed may be the promotion of personal or family survival. It may at the same time be an intent to deny or obstruct competitors from potential means for basic survival and comfort or future opportunities; therefore being insidious or tyrannical and having a negative connotation. This is the average MRP of the various Remdesiver drugs that are available in the market. All doses of Remdesivir, no matter what brand, are going to come from these big seven pharmaceutical giants in India currently manufacturing the vials. These pharmaceutical companies send the medicine to the distributors, who are in turn supposed to dole out the doses to licensed pharmacies. But that’s where things get a little murky. Distributors do give a certain portion of the shipment to pharmacies because they need those records on their books, but the rest of the stock is given to people who are in his known circle. So, when someone comes looking for Remdesivir, the distributor directs them to one of the people within his circle who may have hoarded some of the doses. And, going to a third party, who is not a license holder, makes it a black market deal. According to sources, some pharmacists stocked the drug in March itself with medical experts warning of a second Covid wave with more severity is set to strike India, and they are now selling at Remdesivir exorbitant prices. According to Vice, when asked about why their prices were so high. “It’s a simple matter of supply and demand: there is too much demand, and not enough supply, so we are forced to sell oxygen concentrators, which are not locally made, for ten times their price. Remember that greed is a valuable trait for the individual. It makes to fight for a larger piece of the pie, a good idea from a biological point of view. human social life has radically altered the need to gather resources to live and reproduce. The need for food, water or shelter is biological — a lack results in death. However, human society has changed how and why resources are gathered. The biological necessity is the same: humans need to eat, drink, sleep, stay out of the rain. But society has developed a way to transport current resources into the future for use in that future — money. Thus, humans seek money. Society is the driving force behind much of human behavior. Trade became a major factor in European life after the Black Death, a plague that killed three-fourths of Europe’s population in the 14th Century. This massive decrease in the workforce had three results. First, the end of the feudal system, since the serfs, their numbers now low and thus their value as a workforce now high could now demand wages for their labor. Second, a surplus of goods and food since the number of consumers was so low. And third, a sudden increase in personal wealth as people inherited the belongings of all their relatives that had died. These three factors led to a greater sense of individualism and a decline in spiritual and intellectual interests in favor of material interests. With the new high-demand products, such as spices, tea, and silk, made available by world exploration, trade and exploitation of markets became the goals of European societies and individuals in those societies. This continues to this day. The standard of living for the members of societies practicing such materialism gives them a major advantage over those people and societies that don’t. They can gather more resources, live longer, raise more children in better conditions that can pass on their parents’ and ancestors’ genes, and generally outstrip any competition that doesn’t practice greed.

What is Greed?
What is Greed? It is said that “fraud can be viewed as the daughter of greed”, greed is an extreme or excessive desire for resources, especially for property such as money, real estate, or other symbols of wealth. In basic terms, “excessive” is possessing something to such a degree it’s harmful. According to Wikipedia Greed is defined as Greed (or avarice) as an uncontrolled longing for an increase in the acquisition or use of material gain (be it food, money, land, or animate/inanimate possessions); or social value, such as status, or power. Greed has been identified as undesirable throughout known human history because it creates behavior conflict between personal and social goals. Should we simply assume that greed is an inevitable part of society? Must we accept the idea that society couldn’t function without greed? Do attributes such as ambition and having a solid work ethic neutralize the darker side of greed? however, is that the need to acquire accentuates individualism, has a negative impact on social cohesion and removes the boundaries of what can be called ethical behavior. Some research suggests there is a genetic basis for greed. It is possible people who have a shorter version of the ruthlessness gene (AVPR1a) may behave more selfishly.

The Historical indulgence
Throughout history, greed has had a mixed press. Philosophers still struggle with the notion of how much greed society will tolerate. While it has been hailed as a motor of economic growth and human progress, uncontrolled greed has been the cause of much misery, as recent economic history has dramatically illustrated. Erich Fromm described greed as “a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need. The story of Adam and Eve in the book of Genesis can be read as the first example of greed. From the very beginning, even paradise was not enough for humankind. We could never appreciate what we had. It was never enough. There was always something more. In Classical Greek thought; pleonexy (an unjust desire for tangible/intangible worth attaining to others) is discussed in the works of Plato and Aristotle. In the Sanskrit Dharmashastras the “root of all immorality is lobha (greed).”, as stated in the Laws of Manu (7:49)Greed is also personified by the fox in early allegoric literature of many lands. the Books of Moses, the commandments of the sole deity are written in the book of Exodus (20:2–17), and again in Deuteronomy (5:6–21); two of these particularly deal directly with greed, prohibiting theft and covetousness. These commandments are moral foundations of not only Judaism, but also of Christianity, Islam, Unitarian Universalism, and the Baháʼí Faith among others. The Quran advises do not spend wastefully, indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils…, but it also says do not make your hand [as though] chained to your neck…” The Christian Gospels quote Jesus as saying, ““Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions”, and “For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life comes not from the Father but from the world. Xun Zi believed that selfishness and greed were fundamental aspects of human nature and that society must endeavor to suppress these negative tendencies through strict laws. This belief was the basis of legalism, a philosophy that would become the prevailing ideology of the Qin Dynasty and continues to be influential in China today. Dante’s 14th-century epic poem Inferno assigns those committed to the deadly sin of greed to punishment in the fourth of the nine circles of Hell.

Why the Fuss.?
In 2004, the WEF. (World Economic Forum) established the Risk Response Network (RRN)to develop a list of the top global risks based on the opinions of recognized experts. Since 2004, the RRNhas published an annual report called the Global Risks Report (GRR) which identifies top global risks. The ninth annual GRR,published in2014, lists 31 global risks in five areas — economics, geopolitics, environment, society, andtechnology. From the 31 risks, the GRR lists the top ten risks based on impact, likelihood of occurrence and interconnectedness to other risks. The global financial crisis of 2008 is a classic example of human greed, self-indulgence and selfishness. The crisis was entirely avoidable and was caused mainly due to the failure of financial regulators, undisclosed conflicts of interest, risky investments, excessive lending and borrowing, failure of the credit rating agencies and poor corporate governance. Some of the terrible effects of the crisis were widespread evictions, foreclosures, prolonged unemployment, global stock market collapses, failure of key businesses, economic activity downturn, global recession and European sovereign debt crises. Banking failures have a huge impact on the global economy since most businesses are directly financially dependent on the banking sector. Economic inequality is largely a product of labor market outcomes, globalization, technological changes, policy reforms, more regressive taxation, plutocracy, nepotism and neoliberalism which are directly or indirectly linked to free market capitalism. There is overwhelming scientific evidence suggesting that climate change occurs primarily due to an increase in greenhouse gases caused by human activity. Most greenhouse gases are emitted due to industrial activity. Most greenhouse gases are emitted due to industrial activity. Much of this mitigation failure has been attributed to free-market capitalism driven by excessive consumerism and corporate profits. Water scarcity is primarily caused by climate change, increased pollution and human overuse of water. Water scarcity can be caused either due to physical water scarcity or economic water scarcity. Economic water scarcity is triggered due to lack of property rights, overconsumption, poor water management, corrupt governments, bureaucratic inertia, and shortage of infrastructure investment. Food insecurity is a product of the global water crises, land degradation, land grabbing, climate change, political corruption, agricultural diseases, and food sovereignty. Some of these causes can be directly attributed to corporate and political powers that acquire and misuse arable land for the sake of profits. The main reason for global governance failure has been attributed to power struggles between the most developed countries which are largely controlled by the financial sector of the global economy. From the above discussion, it is evident that the top global risks we face today can be directly or indirectly attributed to unhindered chronic human greed and self-indulgence. The unencumbered chronic greed of a few elite institutions has caused havoc and widespread suffering at the global level. Though greed is not analyzed at the community level, it is rational to infer that greed can cause negative outcomes at the community level too.

Can Greed be good?

Despite this, our culture places a high value on materialism, and, by extension, greed. Thus notwithstanding greed’s darker side, we idolize people who drive expensive cars, possess yachts and private planes, wear designer fashions and live in luxurious homes. Despite its imperfections, Greed is the only consistent human motivation that produces preferable economic and social outcomes under most circumstances. Bernard Mandeville was the first person to attempt the upliftment of ‘Greed’ by suggesting that ‘Private vices yielded public benefits.’ Philosophers pounced on him, most notably Adam Smith, who struggled to differentiate his own theory of the ‘Invisible Hand’ from the one made by Mandeville. mith, also re-defined ‘Greed’ stating that any self-interest pursuit was not inherently morally suspect. Greedy behavior is now not only acceptable but is even encouraged so long as it fights the bigger evils of Poverty and starvation. The economic system of capitalism at its core depends on the pursuit of self-interest to generate a financial surplus which can then be utilized to meet the greater objectives of the society and bring people out of abject poverty and starvation. In fact, Greed is the driving force behind all successful societies, and any political system which has attempted to restrict or eliminate it has invariably ended in failure. van Boesky famously defended greed in an 18 May 1986 commencement address at the UC Berkeley’s School of Business Administration, in which he said, “Greed is all right, by the way. I want you to know that. I think greed is healthy. You can be greedy and still feel good about yourself”. This speech inspired the 1987 film Wall Street, which features the famous line spoken by Gordon Gekko: “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind.” regardless of purpose, greed intends to create inequity of access or distribution to community wealth.

Beyond Greed
The Greek philosopher Epicurus once said, “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” For greedy people, there is a disequilibrium in their need system. Not only does greed hurt everyone else, it especially hurts the greedy person. Because of their fixation with material things — or losing them — they alienate everyone around them. Greed not only destroys friendships and relationships, it is the cause of bigger troubles such as corruption, hostility, even war. Paradoxically, it is far from the best way to look after one’s interests. Studying the personality types of greedy people we often see a “cocktail” of different ingredients: sprinklings of the antisocial personality and the narcissistic personality, with some obsessive-compulsive elements thrown in for good measure Antisocial types can behave atrociously, act like predators, manipulate others for their own benefit, and frequently tell lies and break the law. Narcissists suffer from a sense of entitlement and are selfish by nature. Invariably they want to know “What’s in it for me?” They are into getting rather than giving. As a defense against whatever hurt they have experienced in life, they have developed an inflated image of themselves that is not supported by reality. Thus it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many narcissistic individuals live in a state of self-delusion where rules are for others, but not for them. Whatever their psychological baggage, money and wealth become an important measure of self-esteem, a way to keep score about their self-worth. In attempting to explain greed and its vicissitudes, we know that possessions can bring pleasure, but also that pleasure can become addictive. Given greed’s ability to provide transitory pleasure, no wonder it has invited comparisons with addictions such as drugs, sex, food, or gambling. But as is the case with all drugs, a “fix” gives only a temporary high. Greed “junkies” always want more of what gets them high, more of what gives them pleasure, more of what enables them to escape from anxiety, from suffering, or from themselves. Greedy people, in being successful at what they do, may experience a testosterone “rush” which in turn stimulates dopamine in the brain’s reward system — the chemical messenger that supports addictive behavior. They will thrive on the temporary highs (or dopamine releases) that they receive each time they close a deal, turn a profit, or “make a killing.” But, given its temporary nature, they always want more

Conclusion
Why then, if greed is not only biologically desirable but socially and societally desirable as well, does greed have such a bad name? It goes back to the fact that humans are social and cultural animals, not just individuals. Remember that greed is a valuable trait for the individual. It makes rher fight for a larger piece of the pie, a good idea from a biological point of view. However, since humans are social creatures, and greed says that an individual should take more than their own share, greed creates social conflict, as those who lose out resent those who win more than an even share. Recall people like Donald Trump and Harshad Mehtha: many people cheered their downfalls. After all, who did they think they were? Besides successful, rich, competent, and capable. They were also manipulative, vain, egotistical and arrogant. However, how many people would, if they were honest, have changed places with them in a second, Why are lotteries and sweepstakes so successful? Why do Reno and Las Vegas attract millions of people to their casinos? Because, no matter how much it is decried, people are greedy: they all want more than they have, the more more the better. The thing to bear in mind is that “greed is good.” That is, it’s good for the individual, but perhaps not for the society in which that individual lives. Unrestrained greed in an individual can lead to callousness, arrogance, and even megalomania. A person dominated by greed will often ignore the harm their actions can cause others. Sweat shops, unsafe working conditions and destruction of livelihoods are all consequences of people whose personal greed overcame their social consciences. The thing to bear in mind is that “greed is good.” That is, it’s good for the individual, but perhaps not for the society in which that individual lives. Unrestrained greed in an individual can lead to callousness, arrogance, and even megalomania. A person dominated by greed will often ignore the harm their actions can cause others. Sweatshops, unsafe working conditions, and destruction of livelihoods are all consequences of people whose personal greed overcame their social consciences. Nonetheless, however you regard it, unrestrained greed is detrimental to society; unrestrained disapproval of greed is detrimental to society. People attempt to find a balance between biological imperative and social necessity. Today’s national culture of greed is also an expression of pain and fear. It’s more terrifying than ever to try to survive on a middle-class income. Most people live one or two paychecks away from disaster. Very few of us feel that we have any real control over our own fate. The lives of reality show stars and rappers are merely the most obvious of our escapist fantasies. But as long as we live in a fantasy world, we won’t be working to change the real one. True happiness is found in a life lived with meaning. It’s not just that I can’t afford that car. We can’t afford it. We can’t afford to live in a world where our only aspiration is to accumulate wealth, irrespective of how it’s accumulated while ignoring the flourishing of the human spirit in its artistic, idealistic and intellectual aspects. Like it or not, our society is fuelled by greed, and without greed would descend into poverty and anarchy. And it is not just our society: greed lies at the bottom of all successful modern and historical societies, and political systems designed to check or eliminate it have all ended in abject failure