What motivates excessive Greed?

[Mari333]

Poll question: What motivates excessive Greed?

In light of the uber wealthy on Wall Street, their lack of empathy, their seriously disturbed need to acquire mountains of money for themselves, what do you think motivates that need?

I think it is Fear of Death, personally.

[xiamiam]

1. power..nt

[Mari333]

2. what kind of power and why would they need it?

illusionary power? a form of control? why? what does that gain for them as they lay on their beds taking their last gasps of air..makes me wonder...

[WatchWhatISay]

3. over what? to do what?

what benefit does power give you?

[xiamiam]

6. lets take cheney as an example

unexceptional man who wields unbelievable power..enough to convince many in a nation that torture is ok..to have unbelievable influence on energy and water resources throughout the world..etc etc..its not just about money although that is a huge part of it...it is about control

[Mari333]

7. and I see a man who is terrfied of his own death

when I see cheney..and the need to 'feel' like he is in control makes him imagine he has some illusion of power over it..which he doesnt...thats just my take on it

[lonestarnot]

17. And you don't see a need for power. Please.

[Mari333]

23. power, yes I see his need for power, which is a form of control

he wants to control others and make himself feel like he is in control. I think his fears run him completely.

[lonestarnot]

26. Fear may play a role in the need for power, but power is the ultimate goal.

Some on the thread here have mentioned that it is death shoot em in the face is central to his fear. Some have even suggested go Biblical, so then fear of the unknown to be more specific. Do you think shoot em in the face's intense fear of the possibility of something he can't control happening or not happening to him after death is what he is afraid of or do you think control is not linked to power?

[Mari333]

27. I think he is terrified of death, and I think power is his form of control

I wont go biblical. lol. :)

[lonestarnot]

28. So power is central.

Thank you.

[Liberal Gramma]

20. As he should be

If ever there was a man predetermined for an eternity in hell, it's Cheney.

[Sebastian Doyle]

32. Why should he be terrified of death?

The fucking bastard has survived at least half a dozen heart attacks, and committed countless crimes, including shooting a man in the face in front of witnesses. Sure, everybody dies eventually, but look at how long some of the most vile people on the planet have survived. Ronald Reagan? Strom Thurmond? Jesse Helms?

Besides, Cheney knows where he's going when he dies. That's why he liked hanging out in the super secret really deep bunker under the VP residence, so it would be a shorter trip to Hell. :evilgrin:

[flvegan]

4. Ego. n/t

[Auggie]

5. I'd say it depends on the person

For some it's a compulsion/addiction, or they believe they're simply entitled. For others it's a hobby or game. Instills power in others, for sure.

[farmout rightarm]

8. What's the dividing line between excessive greed and regular greed?

:-)

I think it boils down to ego either way...

[DemoTex]

9. Isn't "excessive greed" redundant?

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed”

Mahatma Gandhi

[Mari333]

10. probably!

I guess I was being overly wordy.

[ensho]

11. starting sometime in the 50s, 60s I think, some religions were pushing

the talk that god wanted you to be rich. that making money was the religious thing to do.

the TV religious were pushing this because they too got more money out of the viewers talking this way.

maybe that changed some thinking.

[CountAllVotes]

12. the need for "more"

I ran into the perfect example of greed the other day. A person I know just retired and is receiving a hefty state pension larger than her paycheck was. She also has a worker's comp. case going and was hoping for a hefty pay-out. Seems she'll be getting maybe $25,000 rather than $300,000; a figure that her greedy lawyer tossed at her not long ago.

Now she is filing for SSDI because she feels she needs MORE MONEY. She'll then have a monthly income (with SSDI thrown in IF SHE GETS IT) of well over $5,000.00 a month.

It sickens me that she feel she needs "more" because having more makes here feel better than others around her. :puke:

I must examine my relationship with this woman and decide if I care to pursue it further. I am frankly shocked.

Most people would be damn happy to retire at 55 with full pay and excellent benefits that cover herself and family. Who would want to end up being considered totally disabled and forced into Medicare early if you could hang-on for several years and enjoy your life and excellent health benefits?

For some, more is never enough I suppose. It can also backfire and stab you right straight in the back!

*sigh*

:dem: :kick:

[Warpy]

13. Addiction

It's the same sort of thing that drives gambling addiction, that little jolt of happy hormones that comes with "winning." As long as the numbers are going up, those jolts keep coming. Even with those numbers up beyond all reason and poverty all around them, they're driven by a need for more jolts just like any junkie is for the next fix.

[MicaelS]

14. The word "No"

With enough money you can buy anyone or anything. You never have to hear the word "No".

[ParkieDem]

15. "Keeping up with the Joneses"

I think this is the real reason, and renowned securities lawyer Bill Lerach has said as much.

He likened it to "penis envy." The CEO across the way has a new 90-foot yacht, so why shouldn't I have one? The same thing applies to professional athletes, and even trickles down to the upper-middle and middle classes.

Generally, people want to be in the same economic class as their friends/peers. Psychologically, it can be difficult to deal with things if you're not ... example, if you are good friends with a couple, and they always want to get together at the new trendy restaurant in town, you definitely want to accompany them -- but can you do that regularly if you always drop $150 on dinner?

The same thing applies to the super-rich. This does not excuse their behavior one bit, but I think that's the psychology behind it.

[lonestarnot]

16. Is this for real?

You knew the answer before you posted didn't you?

[Mari333]

19. I have always wondered about it

and wanted to find out what other people thought..It helps me to understand why people are non empathetic, and cruel to others. I never really understand that.

[CountAllVotes]

21. you could go biblical on this

greed = one of the seven deadly sins FYI.

:kick:

[Mari333]

22. true. I like slothfulness tho

:)

[lonestarnot]

24. Then look into power and look what it does for shoot 'em in the face types.

:)

[guitar man]

18. Sociopathic behavior nt

[Cal Carpenter]

25. Capitalist economic system

nt

[Taitertots]

29. Who among us is in a position to judge them?

When was the last time any of us had the opportunity to get that kind of wealth.


If someone was willing to pay you millions of dollars would you refuse?

[Therellas]

30. The reptilian brain.

imo.

[madokie]

31. Can'tgetenoughofitidies

sorry bastids anyway

[blindpig]

33. Other: Capitalism

n/t

[Initech]

34. I think it's the notion of he who dies with the most toys wins.

When I was a kid I had a shirt that read "He who dies with the most toys still dies". Wish I still had it.

[PassingFair]

35. Security, I guess...no one wants to lose what they've got.

And no one wants their children to want for anything.

[Therellas]

36. Hey i bumped this.....

i stumbled on this just now..haha

http://neurologicalcorrelates.com/wordpress/2007/09/18/neurological-correlates-greed/