Greed Is a Problem of the Heart

Greed, which is also known as avarice, is the tendency to be selfish, cheap and to hog everything for yourself. Someone who is greedy wants to have more than is necessary or more than they deserve, especially when it comes to money, riches, food or any other type of possession. Greed is also known as avarice. Avarice is one of the seven deadly sins within the traditional Catholic church (the desire to please oneself with material acquisitions and possessions instead of trying to please God). Also in Buddhism, "desire" is one of the fundamental obstacles for enlightenment. You can't walk down a path in search of happiness with a compulsive desire to acquire material things. “Do you want to be rich? Don't toil to increase your riches, instead try to diminish your greed." -Epicure- Greed within the heart is the key to self-destruction Greed derives from the basic fear of not having enough. So, without even noticing, the more greedy we are, the more we are self-destructing. Filling the inner void with material things will only aggravate the problem and will make the person feel worse about themselves and the world around them. Greed is caused by the fundamental feeling of deprivation, a necessity for something that is absent or missing or simply not available to us. When this feeling of shortage is particularly strong (especially in an emotional sense), someone can become obsessed with the search for things they "need." All the while seeking potential possessions that will eliminate that painful sensation of emptiness rooted within their heart. But, it doesn't matter what that person buys or all of the riches they gather, because even though they may feel a slight momentary relief, it is only temporary. They will once again suffer that emotional void that needs another type of attention in order to heal. A greedy person can feel greed when it comes to money, sex, power, food, attention to others, knowledge... you can feel greed about almost anything. It could be about something concrete or towards something abstract, real or symbolic. But it will always be something specific that the person will obsess over and need more and more of. Once this happens, life becomes torture, because it will only revolve around having as much as possible of a specific element. Greed can be helpful According to a study by Richard F. Taflinger in "The Sociological Foundation of Avarice," greed can be something that helps us survive. It implies that desire is something that doesn't have to be harmful. Because actually desire, as long as it's not something obsessive that wants to bury feelings of emotional void or emptiness, doesn't have to be a bad thing. As Richard F Taflinger says, we all need to buy food, have money to pay rent, clothes to cover ourselves, etc. Does acquiring money amount to greed? We can't live without money. This social element can be perceived in two different ways: as a symbol of richness or as a symbol of the necessary resources for survival. The more money you have, the better the quality of the objects you can acquire. How can the desire to improve our ability to buy things transform into greed? Where do we draw the line? The line lies in wanting things only to fill an emotional or existential void. It's fear which marks the difference between greed and achieving things for our own well being. The fear of shortage, of not having something that is essential for "happiness," something that won't be enough to make us happy. Due to this constant fear, the person desires in a compulsive manner, things that they think they need and that's why they are extremely competitive and greedy. “If someone possesses the necessary spiritual foundation, they won't let themselves be beaten by technological temptation and the insanity of possessing. They will know how to find the right balance, without asking for too much. The constant danger lies in opening the door to greed, one of our most bitter enemies, and that's where the real work of the spirit lies." -Dalai Lama- Understanding greed in order to put a stop to it Greed is a toxic attitude that can only harm us as it grows within people. We live in a competitive society, in which we measure success to feel well. We want to be successful in order to "beat" others and grow as people. This society idolizes people that have expensive cars, the latest fashionable clothes or the biggest house. Greedy or not, society helps greed become a horrible addiction that sickens the soul. We need to find a motive for greed in order to be able to cure this emotional wound and be able to increase the value of generosity above material wealth. Because helping others will make us feel fulfilled and full of happiness. Generous people feel more satisfaction in life, because it is always better to give than to receive. Generous people who give love, and not out of obligation, have learned that the people who grow greed within themselves are characterized by not ever having enough. They are like sharks, spending their whole lives hunting and consuming. And all of the oceans in the world can't satisfy their hunger for more.