When can greed be a good thing?

Question

Most would see greed as a bad thing. Its definition says so: excessive consumption or desire for wealth and power. So let's turn the question around. When do you think greed can be a good thing? Perhaps your financial needs or interests? Tell us!

5 Ways Greed is Good: http://yhoo.it/16MA253 (Watch!)

Answer 1

Greed can be a good thing if it drives you to earn for a purpose, like your family, getting out of debt or giving to a worthy cause. I have recently become more driven at work because of greed and the realization that i NEED more to provide for my family. Doing without the basic necessities can make you greedy just to live beyond making ends meet and not living paycheck to paycheck.

Answer 2

Greed can be Good.

When greed is the excessive desire for fairness and equality, for celebrities and politicians not to receive preferential treatment, for peace and respect for your fellow person, for the news media not to be biased and prejudiced, for murderers to be executed and unborn babies to live, for... the list is endless.

Answer 3

Never!!!

Answer 4

It would be good if donation center's were kind-of greedy; Then they will have more donations towards their charity.

Charity would be good, as long as the group/business/organization is a "good" thing.

For a homeless person, they may only get money from donations. But have you ever seen a sign thats asks for food, from a homeless person? Well, some may find that 'greedy', but truly he actually needs the food, unlike how most people need to spend $5.99 on the latest app.

Answer 5

Ambition is the Drive to Cure Cancer, or Provide for your Family more. Greed is the Desire to See Cancer eradicated from Earth, or see your family have a better life-style. The Ambition is born from Greed, because you desire something. It doesn't have to be money, it can be simply a desire to take another breath from those lungs you've got in there. So, if you've got a burning desire to save your life because you're dying of AIDS, Guess what, yo now have lots of ambition, a drive to do whatever it takes to temporarily put down the virus (for the uneducated, that's the best you can hope for). Why would have a drive, a determination to save your own life, if your life is not in danger? Now, sometimes Greed is bad. It starts wars, People Get screwed over, people die, etc. But it's also Good sometimes. Cars would've never been made without the intention of patents and a profit, and a name in history. I wouldn't be typing to you on this computer if someone hadn't been trying to win WW2 (Alan Turing made a very primitive computer by today's standards, but was revolutionary back then), Make a Profit (people like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, as well as any hardware company (not just software) ceo that I cannot name right now) and as a result, they make lives much easier, much more efficient, and much better than they previously were. Greed is what every single thing on the earth is born from. Ambition is born from Greed, or the burning desire for something.

Answer 6

Greed can never be good. The less you desire, the kinder your personality.

Answer 7

i think greedy is not good for anything......... because excess of every thing is very bad.........but if we greedy for studies or helping people than may be it be good but......... the main think of mine is greedy is not good

Answer 8

Greed is never good.



Greed means taking more than your fair share.



Those who benefit from plunder would call greed on the part of their provider "good."

That is because they are all evil.

Answer 9

Greed is never a good thing. Greed is nothing but the childish need to have more and more of something without ever having enough.

Answer 10

Whether "greed" is good depends on definitions, really. If you define "greed" in amoral terms as promoting, enhancing, or protecting your own rational self-interest, then "greed" under that definition is never going to be bad so long as you do those things without jeopardizing someone else's security, financial or otherwise.



Every business transaction is inherently based upon self-interest, not on any notion of charity or public service. A worker seeks a job because he or she needs to earn a wage, and the employer seeks to hire a candidate because it needs the services that candidate offers. Under normal circumstances, the employee and employer reach a mutually beneficial arrangement where both their respective needs are adequately met without undue detriment to the others' ancillary interests. Both are "greedy," in that they seek the best possible result for themselves, but in the absence of coercion they will come to an agreement that helps both parties.



The only time "greed" becomes detrimental is when a person acts to advance their self interests at the expense of another person. Usually, this happens through deceit, coercion, or some other illegal or improper activity. In those cases, it is not the greed, or self-interest, itself that's bad, but rather the means by which it is exercised.

Answer 11

There is not good reason for greed. If a person has something of value and

wishes to maintain this item, they should be allowed to keep it.

Answer 12

Is Greed Good

Answer 13

Assassins Greed

Answer 14

Greed is a good thing when it is for the best intention. For Example: If you greed for good health that is good, but on the other hand if you greed for someone else's misfortune then that greed is bad. Depending what you are expecting in the end, your greed could be good or bad. If you want good health so you can rule the world for instance, then that is evil. Whereas if you hope for good health for yourself because you want to be able to raise your children up, then that is good greed.

Answer 15

1) Protecting your family

2) it will increase your odds of not going broke because you just want to spend and spend money you don't have

3) What about a greed for knowledge? Maybe you just want to learn as much as possible? This too can turn into a bad thing easily though because not everyone can handle the truth of everything. I know from experience.

Answer 16

Greed is a grave sin.

Greed can never be a good thing

Answer 17

Greed can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing depends on certain situations. The most important thing about greed is not to do most harm to many life.

Answer 18

Greed for things as -



1) Salary Increment

2) For new things

3) How we make money in easiest way

Answer 19

Greed is good in the general sense of good so long as:

1. no one is physically or mentally or permanently financially harmed

2. the wealth acquired by greed is used in some manner, ANY manner.

Answer 20

Greed as defined in the lexicon is the inordinate desire to possess wealth, goods, or objects of abstract value with the intention to keep it for ones self, far beyond the dictates of basic survival and comfort. It often goes beyond just acquiring everything for one's own use but they often acquire thing they necessarily do not need at that particular time. A greedy person go out of their way to even kill another person to get what they do not need or want.

Answer 21

Greed can be a good thing sometimes in a situation where you need to accomplish something really badly.



But remember too greedy people are always unhappy deep inside and are most low self-esteem people in the world and also most of the time greediness will "eat" people inside out.



If there would be no greediness in this world, this world would be safer place to live.

Answer 22

Sounds like another case of justifying a bad thing.

I don't see greed as good in any situation.



I couldn't get the video to work, but that's okay... I still believe greed is not a good thing no matter how you look at it.



Anything bad can be made to sound good.. but, it's still bad.

Answer 23

Greed is never a good thing.

Answer 24

to much of anything can be bad for you. nothing last forever ,all things come to an end weather good or bad. if you have god in your life and you are sincere with god then you can control your greed. and at some point you would rather do right and you would have a great concern as to were your soul is headed.

Answer 25

any of you that say greed can be good , truly don't know the true meaning of greed ,



say what you want, but the truth of the matter is quite simple, greed can never be a good thing , nothing good can ever come from anybody that is greedy ,



what a bunch of crap this question is , its just a scam to get you to watch a commercial ,



is this really what yahoo answers is coming to ,, very sad yahoo very sad

Answer 26

I think greed is good in terms of knowledge. To acquire knowledge with ardor is great , self-building, and can help in many phases of your life. Being greedy would make you curious, wanting to know more about different fields and aspects of life.



Also It can be a good thing when you have an excessive desire for power to save others with this power. I mean that if you are greedy to be in authority as to the welfare of others, greediness becomes no bad thing anymore.

Answer 27

Greed can be good thing when people wants to study more about things which improve there lives.

Answer 28

The simple answer is that greed has the connotation of hurting others in order to satisfy the need to have more. This is the reason why greed has a negative value in civilization. The solution to greed is simple enough, try to do all your deals on a win-win basis. In other words, endeavor to succeed, while doing what you can to make sure that others also succeed. That's the win-win concept.

Answer 29

Don't get me wrong but, greed at a certain extend is needed but I don't think that makes greed a "good thing". No matter how you think of it, greed is bad since it is the source of many other evil things. However, as mentioned above, it is needed to maintain the balance between good and bad in this world.



I mean it's like saying when can love/good/generosity be a bad thing. Love,generoity and good at a certain extend, will never be bad but too much of them is bad. I hope you get my point.



Greed combined with love/good/generosity etc can help you achieve all goals. It's all about the balance between them.

Answer 30

Greed can be good if you happen to come across a lost cache of expensive jewelry. Of course that's only if it's not a trap, and you intend to give some to a reputable charity.

Actually greed is really just a type of selfishness that is often disguised as positive trait, because greedy people get more things that some people think they want. But you don't have to be greedy to get what you need to be happy, you just have to be good. Sometimes it's hard to be good, but having a clear conscience is worth the effort.

Answer 31

When you set aside a chunk of time for you and you don't let anyone or anything else get in the way.



When you stop putting up with selfish, greedy kids who talk about nothing more than their inheritance and tell them the only WILL they will see in their lifetime is the one created by their own sweat. Then use your money for the best cruise of a lifetime!



When you stop letting others on your job take credit for YOUR hard work.



In short, when you stop putting everyone else before yourself and start taking center stage for ONCE.

Answer 32

Some would actually see greed as being a bad thing , but me myself i would use the definition that says excessive consumptions or desires for our own wealth and power through god who actually created us. so i think the greed would be a good thing because of our wealth and poer and our financial needs and intersts this is what i think is a greed as a good thing from my aspects of it to be truthful about it because we need our wealth and our strenght from god to keep us going a daily basis and the power comes from our god who is jesus christ our lord who wakes us up every day on a daily basis we do not wake ourselves up our heavenly father which is god he gives us everything that we really need to have in our lives today as our wealth and the power all put together as one flesh.the site that i

Answer 33

Greed means "a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than is needed" according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary. How can selfishness and excessive desire for something be GOOD in the first place? If you want to use a word, don't use greed, because the word greed is used specifically for the above definition. And anybody who thinks will know that it isn't and will never be good. Besides, it is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Answer 34

Greed can be a good thing when you are trying to succeed in life.



Greed can lead to prosperity and satisfaction. Sometimes, you have to be greedy in order to get what you want.

Answer 35

Greed can be a good thing when you economize and maximize your finances by means of investing that small ammount.

Answer 36

As humans we are all selfish. we only think and care about OURSELVES. Greed is never good.

Answer 37

Greed can be a good thing, when you have millions of people needing help and you need lots of money. Example : aids patients, cancer patients etc.

Answer 38

I don't. "Greed" is defined as "excessive or reprehensible acquisitiveness"



Words only have meaning if the definitions are standardized so that anyone can communicate effectively.

Answer 39

Greed is good IF. 1) You only apply that greediness to the rich/wealthy, but not to the poor... 2) That your greediness can be use for great cause, by helping poor, needy, etc... 3) That your greediness will not cause yourself and family to go down, or get in trouble to the law... 4) and last but not least, not causing the country/economy to go down hill...



Edit: In the eyes of God, or if you are a religious person being greedy is not a good thing...

Answer 40

Greed is a good thing when you are using it for motivation to better yourself.

Answer 41

no, greed is not bad for the money.more the greed for money you'll earn to consume it.if you use bad method to make money then it is a bad thing. so, in my view having greed for money is essentially important in life to achieve success.

Answer 42

maybe greed is good when you want to do good for others, when you constantly want to see them happy and wish them the best in the world. i remember being so greedy to get the pain of the one i love, just so he doesn't suffer. greed might be a good thing when it comes to a healthy love. the greed to invest as much as you can positively in a relationship maybe

Answer 43

only in 2 situations:

1- greed in educating

2- greed in religion ( doing kind stuff )

Answer 44

Greed is never good. Greed is not the same as "wanting" It is "excessive wanting". Greed for money does not mean you earning for your family. It means making money the primary goal of your life. Which is never good.

Answer 45

when u r able to beat the other guy at his game! because it 4 sure he is cheating sum how? look at the economy today as adverse to the economy since 2006, and do not be surprised u r broke and the banks r rich. and da same greedier guys r still rich?! the chances that u find out the secret it will not *** frum them. i hav been looking for 30 years, and have not made it yet? and i noe the rich guys, they do not share. so ;bet against Facebook and work out an options scam it is gona crash. a full TRUTH =[ YOU NEED MONEY TO MAKE MONEY] GOOD LUCK!

Answer 46

If it is defined as such, then it can never be good:

"Greed is the inordinate desire to possess wealth, goods, or objects of abstract value with the intention to keep it for one's self, far beyond the dictates of basic survival and comfort."



It's the "with the intention to keep it for one's self" part that will trip up the argument that greed is good every time. Sharing with others is the best thing ever. Without it, there would be no families.

Answer 47

i do not think it is possible. greed is by definition a negative. greed cannot be a good thing.

Answer 48

Greed by the provided definition is great when we are seeking that kind of excessive consumption and desire for wealth for others as well as ourselves. When greed inhibits others, it is then not good in my eyes.

Answer 49

Greed is good when you want money for your TEAM(or family).Like,let's say you play poker and you are being very greedy-using opponents weaknesses to your advantage,intimidating them,etc.You want money,and more is better.But,if you are planning to providing your family with food and paying taxes for the money,it is good greed.

It is also good to be greedy when you want to spend the money for someone else or give it away.Like you play the lottery by calculating the odds,you figure out the system,buy a ton of tickets and win.If you give away the money to charity,it was good greed.

But greed is acceptable if you want it straight for yourself,because,I believe,you can't share something you don't have.Like if you don't even have enough money to live,than wanting money for yourself is a good thing,because it will ensure your financial safety(if it will) and there will be one less problem on your list and suddenly you are able to do other things,because you already have money to cover the basic things like buying food,paying taxes,etc.

Answer 50

Like what Qui-Gon Jinn said: "Greed can be a powerful ally, if used wisely."

Answer 51

Greed is always a good thing...as long as you don't hurt people or take they money.

Answer 52

I think we need to draw the line between greed and ambition. Greed is ambition's shallow cousin. Ambition on the other hand, can be so powerful and drive us to get what we want, to achieve more, and push ourselves to our maximum potential.

Answer 53

depends on the kind of business your in it can be good for helping it grow or making money we were given instincts but when the go beyond what it right or causes severe harm to another or a group then it passes the point of us using our will and our instinct now runs us ....we were given certain instincts to survive

Answer 54

greed is good because it will result in reconstruction

Answer 55

There are some words in our vocabulary that I can't seem to ever use as "a good thing" of course greed is one of them. But of course I do tend to think of my own experiences the past few years and greed would probably be one of the words at the top of my list. Not my greed though I suppose now that everything I worked hard all my life for has been stolen & most of those things are irreplaceable therefore priceless. To me. Pictures, videos, my entire collection of autographs (sports of course except the one from Oprah when I was on her show). Those people are greedy by stealing what I worked hard for. So I can't seem to find any way at all to use greed in a positive or good way. Every single piece of jewelry I've owned my entire life has been stolen along with all my pictures & sports collectibles. Every cent I had in my bank accounts. How can I perhaps think of anything good about greed? Maybe your question with others answers can help me with it. Or with any of this. I still have a hard time. The cops do anything? HaHaHaHaHaHa!! Oh please my sides hurt! Even the internal affairs investigation was worthless. I don't even have my bloody bed anymore!! How does this happen? Oh the greedy people are evil. I can't deal with any of this anymore. I give up. I have nothing & no one so why do I bother? Who cares. Sorry.

Answer 56

greed is not bad when your money levels are running low i guess you could say and you are having trouble paying the bills or paying for gas etc.

Answer 57

Greed is never good.



What this guy is talking about in his article isn't greed. It's prudence, wisdom, frugality, but not at all greed.

Answer 58

If you are being greedy to things that you earned or paid for, then I wouldn't consider it to be that bad,or if you are someone that tends to get taking advantage of a lot for your kindness. I think its okay to stand up every once and a while and say no.

Answer 59

never... there is nothing good about greed.

Answer 60

It is said that when we use greed to gain knowledge it could be very effective.

Answer 61

Well, when I was young, I was VERY competitive with my sister, but in a fun, lighthearted way.



One year, she gave me a "glass" paperweight, as a sort of gag gift.

Not wanting to be outdone, on the next gift giving occasion...I returned the "favor" and gave her an even bigger, uglier useless "glass" paperweight.



That Christmas,.....we both got each other more "useless glass paperweights." There was a drug store near us, with a little display case.....and between the two of us.........we wiped them out, eventually buying up all their useless ugly glass paperweights.



Then, it evolved into hoarding pieces for ourselves, so we could actually brag about who had the BIGGER collection.....and we traveled far and wide, trying to add to our own "collections"



Our Greed to keep topping each other, and find the bigger, uglier piece.....and wasting all this money on this useless nonsense......turned into *quite* the surprise years later.



It turned out, the useless "glass" was in fact, Swarovski crystal.



In 1986......they started a Swarovski collectors fan club.



Shortly after, someone printed a BOOK, picturing all the RARE Pieces, and incredibly, what they would be worth on the secondary market.



When my sister and I saw the book......our chins hit the ground.



There in the book, was dozens of pictures, of all our "useless" joke gag gifts & "glass" paperweights.



All of it now worth THOUSANDS. Many of the pieces we had, turned out to be some of the RAREST pieces ever made.



I eventually sold a few , that I paid no more than $50 for, at that time for $1,500. or more.......APIECE. And we had dozens of these pieces.



Greed, turned out to be VERY , VERY, GOOD, indeed.!

Answer 62

Greed is good when you love money & happiness.

Answer 63

greed can never be good....greed is a deadly sin you will cross your moralistic boundaries for money.....join for $25 we are exploding worldwide http://ultimatecycler.com/ref/emaculate1

Answer 64

It's never a good thing. Too much of anything can be harmful. Whether it's the accumulation of said thing or the pursuit of it. I disagree with everyone who says it's good when you "need" it. If you need a lot of money for something important, it is a necessity. If it is a necessity, it is not greedy to pursue money for it.

Answer 65

When? Back in the '80s.

Answer 66

Always

Answer 67

Knowledge, everybody should be greedy about being smart and learning as much as they can

Answer 68

in our study times

Answer 69

If you have excessively consume information and go onto create something that helps all mankind out.

Answer 70

Greed is good, whenever you want to work really hard, to earn money. That way I don't think you are harming anyone, and you are still getting what you want.

Answer 71

Investors should remember that excitement and expenses are their enemies. And if they insist on trying to time their participation in equities, they should try to be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.

Answer 72

Only when business is concerned

Answer 73

When you find money on the ground, and instead of asking whose it is out loud (which would be stupid) you take it yourself.

Answer 74

greed is good when you are rich and everyone wants what you have...!!!!!!!

Answer 75

sometimes its good and to think of yourself and if your not that way u will get walked over on. and take and take with no limit.

Answer 76

When pursuing a goal you want more than anything else..!!

Answer 77

ya u got a point when it comes though money. but it terrible thing to possess...but being greedy sometimes helps you to pack your things

Answer 78

Greed can be good when you have all of the money.

Answer 79

NEVER ..... if ever it was any good , it would be called by other names

Answer 80

It all depends o how you use your greed. if you use it for evil and corruption then it is very bad but if you use greed for good then it is a good thing.

Answer 81

When I work my azz off to EARN some money, and don't give it to bums because I keep what I earned.

Answer 82

Greed is always good.

Answer 83

i think so, but rather its a good thing for those person who believed it.

Answer 84

when it helps other people

Answer 85

Rabbi E.E. Dessler ztl. writes in the name of the Chassidic Masters, “Every power, talent, ability that has been invest in us has some purpose in service of HASHEM (G-d). Even the tendency for “Apikorsis”- heresy and denial of G-d - has a reason for being and that is with whatever regards his friend he is not to declare, “HASHEM will help!” Rather he should try for his friend like a determined materialistic person strives for his own business concerns.” Stands to reason that there must be a way in which also greed may be used for the good.

There is a story about a Rabbi that asked a miserly rich man to look in the mirror. He asked "What do you see?". The man answered myself. The Rabbi asked him to look out the window. "What do you see?" The man said Yankel the Orphan and Leah the widow, who are cold and hungry, and Shloime whose business is bad. The Rabbi said you see by adding a little bit of silver you see nothing but yourself.

I would say that a person that goes with a greedy attitude to raise money for charity, not for himself as explained, would be greed for the good. Doing anything legal to raise charity. Thinking of schemes and whatever stereotype you have of a greedy person and applying that to the purpose of raising money for the needy. This could possibly come close even to excessive consumption for the good. Once a Chassidic Rabbi heard one of his rich followers was subsisting on black bread (today a delicassy with recipes provided along with bread machines), water and onions. The Rabbi called him in and told him to eat like a rich man The Rabbi explained because if you eat like a poor man you will say this is good enough for me. If you eat like a rich man you will the poor man a lower level than what you eat, but not the lowest basics.

Answer 86

on doit être avide de connaitre Dieu , de lui ressembler

Answer 87

Well if you are greedy enough for something you want then you will get it.. And getting what you want isn't really a bad thing ..

Answer 88

I have a good greed. I won't let anyone hurt my mother or 2 sisters. I am greedy by keeping them to myself cause I'm scared they'll get hurt

Answer 89

I loved Greed, it was a great game show, bring it back.

Answer 90

Greed and a desire for riches are traps that bring ruin and destruction. “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,” and Christians are warned, “Do not put your trust in wealth” (1 Timothy 6:9-10, 17-18). Covetousness, or wanting more than we have, is idolatry. “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Ephesians 5:5). The principle to remember is contained in Hebrews 13:5: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”



It is the love of money, and not money itself, that is the problem. The love of money is a sin because it gets in the way of worshipping God. Jesus said it was very hard for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God. When the rich young ruler asked Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life, Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor. “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth” (Matthew 19:16-22; Luke 10:17-31). By instructing him to give up his money, Jesus pointed out the young man’s main problem: greed. The man could not follow Christ because he was following money. His love of this world interfered with his love for God.



People are more likely to cry out to God when they are in need than when they have plenty. Too often, the wealthy become complacent and self-satisfied and ascribe their riches to their own efforts instead of acknowledging that every good gift comes from God. The easier our lives become, the more enjoyment we derive from our wealth, the greater the temptation to store up treasures on earth, instead of in heaven. If we focus on earthly things like material wealth and possessions, then we fail to give God the glory and worship He deserves. We are to serve God, not waste our time trying to become rich (Proverbs 23:4). Our heart’s desire should be to store up riches in heaven and not worry about what we will eat or drink or wear. “But seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:25-34).



Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-greed.html#ixzz2YlN25lQt

Answer 91

It spurs innovation.

Answer 92

in jewish culture.

Answer 93

when in hell

Answer 94

No.

Answer 95

I don't call it greed, I call it enlightened self interest and of course its good!

Answer 96

NEVER