Wiki definition:
“Greed (Latin, avaritia), also known as avarice, cupidity or covetousness, is, like lust and gluttony, a sin of excess. However, greed (as seen by the Church) is applied to a very excessive or rapacious desire and pursuit of material possessions. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “Greed is a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, in as much as man condemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things.”
Even in my darkest days, I had a big heart that was willing to give for others. When I haven’t listened to that altruistic urge I have suffered. Greatly. Being selfish and self-centered feels like you’re constantly eating poison. But it’s invisible, so you never know that is what you’re doing until someone brings awareness to it.
Certain people are never satisfied with what they have. I have known people like this my whole life. They operate from the mentality that there will never be enough for everyone. And, it seems as though we proliferate this mentality throughout every level of our society.
Here’s the thing, it really all boils down to what you believe and your perspective. Is there a possibility that there isn’t enough for everyone in the world?
Yes, very much so.
Is it a reality that resources are finite?
Yes, definitely. Resource scarcity is a very real thing, and I’m not naive enough to act like it’s not.
But the real question in my mind remains: Are the current resources we do have limited because that is the reality of this existence? Or, is it because people get greedy, scared, and then don’t leave enough for everyone else?
They are questions worth considering. Because, if it’s the latter…that means we can do something about it, we just aren’t.
We teach our children that sharing with others is a virtue, yet as adults we practice relentless self-preservation and resource mongering. On a small and large scale. Life with such contradiction is a vicious cycle.
It makes living for the greater good nearly impossible.