Greed - page 2. | Bitcointalksearch.org

Elwar

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Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 01:38:51 PM

If not greed, then what is the cause of species going extinct or on the verge of going extinct due to poaching?

Sumatran rhino horn is now valued at $30,000 due to its dwindling supply. Nothing like a dwindling supply of Sumatran rhino horn, a sky rocketing price, coupled with greed to accelerate the demise of this species.

Communal property leads to species going extinct.

myrkul

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Quote from: asdf on August 01, 2012, 03:54:24 PM

Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 02:18:45 PM

If not self-interest, then what is the cause of toxic dumping?

Government licenses.

^^this.^^

asdf

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Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 02:18:45 PM

If not self-interest, then what is the cause of toxic dumping?

Government licenses.

wachtwoord

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Quote from: Elraffa on August 01, 2012, 02:45:50 PM

Quote from: Nefario on August 01, 2012, 12:02:55 PM

"Greed is good" - Gordon Gecko.

"Lunch is for wimps." - Gordon Gecko

I actually haven't seen the movie, but isn't Gecko supposed to be a caricature of the greedy Wallstreet broker, not someone you quote to make a point (unless you want to undermine said point)?

I for one like lunch very much. :-)

That was the intention of the movie (which I also refrained from watching because it would probably just annoy me).

The speech however is spot on. Except that I could make up a better list of examples of greed. Money should be replaced by the word power (money is just a form of highly liquid power) and greed for freedom is also an example I would add to the list.

westkybitcoins

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Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 02:17:02 PM

Quote from: westkybitcoins on August 01, 2012, 02:06:45 PM

(2) What it IS, is simple self-interest, which is what most free market supporters accept as OK, and really, one can't argue that.

I can argue that.

If not self-interest, then what is the cause of species going extinct or on the verge of going extinct due to poaching?

Of course there's self-interest there.

My point is, self-interest is not, in and of itself, an evil thing. Arguing against self-interest because it's ubiquitous isn't exactly a profitable exercise (although if you want to argue that self-interest is inherently bad, by all means go right ahead.)

When self-interest BECOMES greed, through one's desires becoming excessive, then there's a problem.

Elraffa

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Quote from: Nefario on August 01, 2012, 12:02:55 PM

"Greed is good" - Gordon Gecko.

"Lunch is for wimps." - Gordon Gecko

I actually haven't seen the movie, but isn't Gecko supposed to be a caricature of the greedy Wallstreet broker, not someone you quote to make a point (unless you want to undermine said point)?

I for one like lunch very much. :-)

kiba

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Greed and self-interest flow to whatever actions suit them, whether or not it is beneficial. It is up to people to shape incentives, monetary and social, to make sure the greed and self-interest flow to beneficial actions instead of malicious actions.

FirstAscent

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Quote from: SgtSpike on August 01, 2012, 02:24:43 PM

Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 02:18:45 PM

If not self-interest, then what is the cause of toxic dumping?

Are you saying that people shouldn't act in their own self interest?

Follow along. I'm sure there's a chance you might get the finer nuances of the subject if you try.

FirstAscent

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Quote from: notme on August 01, 2012, 02:22:19 PM

It is actually usually in your best interest to care how your actions affect those around you.

Assuming poachers almost certainly do understand that most people don't want to see tigers, elephants, gorillas, rhinos and other such animals become decimated, then can you really call their actions motivated by naive self-interest, vs. just plain old self-interest?

SgtSpike

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Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 02:18:45 PM

If not self-interest, then what is the cause of toxic dumping?

Are you saying that people shouldn't act in their own self interest?

notme

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Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 02:21:00 PM

Quote from: notme on August 01, 2012, 02:19:51 PM

Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 02:14:39 PM

Quote from: CoinCidental on August 01, 2012, 02:00:20 PM

Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 01:58:58 PM

If not greed, what is the motivation for toxic waste dumping?

lazyness

Is that response because it suits your world view?

I think it's a valid response when combined with apathy. Many people just don't care. It's all part of the large ego mindset that is the real problem.

Apathy, ignorance, willful ignorance, greed and naive self-interest.

FTFY.

It is actually usually in your best interest to care how your actions affect those around you.

FirstAscent

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Quote from: notme on August 01, 2012, 02:19:51 PM

Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 02:14:39 PM

Quote from: CoinCidental on August 01, 2012, 02:00:20 PM

Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 01:58:58 PM

If not greed, what is the motivation for toxic waste dumping?

lazyness

Is that response because it suits your world view?

I think it's a valid response when combined with apathy. Many people just don't care. It's all part of the large ego mindset that is the real problem.

Apathy, ignorance, willful ignorance, greed and self-interest.

notme

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Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 02:14:39 PM

Quote from: CoinCidental on August 01, 2012, 02:00:20 PM

Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 01:58:58 PM

If not greed, what is the motivation for toxic waste dumping?

lazyness

Is that response because it suits your world view?

I think it's a valid response when combined with apathy. Many people just don't care. It's all part of the large ego mindset that is the real problem.

FirstAscent

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If not self-interest, then what is the cause of toxic dumping?

FirstAscent

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If not self-interest, then what is the cause of deforestation?

FirstAscent

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Quote from: westkybitcoins on August 01, 2012, 02:06:45 PM

(2) What it IS, is simple self-interest, which is what most free market supporters accept as OK, and really, one can't argue that.

I can argue that.

If not self-interest, then what is the cause of species going extinct or on the verge of going extinct due to poaching?

Sumatran rhino horn is now valued at $30,000 due to its dwindling supply. Nothing like a dwindling supply of Sumatran rhino horn, a sky rocketing price, coupled with self-interest to accelerate the demise of this species.

FirstAscent

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Quote from: CoinCidental on August 01, 2012, 02:00:20 PM

Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 01:58:58 PM

If not greed, what is the motivation for toxic waste dumping?

lazyness

Is that response because it suits your world view?

westkybitcoins

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Firstbits: Compromised. Thanks, Android!

It might help if we agreed on a definition of "greed" here, or at least take note of which one others are using. I usually use the textbook definition:

Quote from: dictionary.com

excessive or rapacious desire, especially for wealth or possessions.

Emphasis on excessive. As in, if your desire for wealth is so strong that you've just sold your grandma into slavery for thirty pence, yeah, that's definitely excessive, and it's definitely bad.

I understand the desire to defend it as OK when people start saying ridiculous stuff like "You don't want to pay taxes?! You're just an evil, greedy ogre!" But:

(1) That's hardly greed. Wanting to keep what you earn is in no way "excessive."

(2) What it IS, is simple self-interest, which is what most free market supporters accept as OK, and really, one can't argue that.

Calling greed good may be an effective way at making liberals/socialists/etc. flinch, but it hardly seems to be defensible without conflating greed with self-interest.

CoinCidental

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Quote from: FirstAscent on August 01, 2012, 01:58:58 PM

If not greed, what is the motivation for toxic waste dumping?

lazyness

FirstAscent

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If not greed, what is the motivation for toxic waste dumping?

Topic: Greed - page 2. (Read 4036 times)