Psychology of Greed
Social

Psychology of Greed

A person feeling happy with lots of money

Human beings use personality in a variety of terms, it determines every aspect of a person for which use adverbs such as charming, arrogant, appealing, nice, cute, egoistic, etc. In front of the word personality itself. Humans are full of personality characteristics and so does Human behavior. It is so complex in nature and differs from person to person who is driven by their instinct, most of the time. One of the most prominent aspects of human nature is ‘greed’. Greed is the never-ending desire for wanting for more and more, sometimes more than we need. Whether in terms of wealth, money, or objects this greed seems to never be satisfied no matter how much one has already achieved.
So, what is greed, and why we are psychologically driven by it?

What is Greed and how does it develop?

Greed can develop in many forms ranging from one person to another. It can be in the sense of materialistic needs, fame, excessive spending due to capitalism, or done out o jealousy of others. Inside put mind greed exists because of the ability to not be satisfied and contented with what we have in our position. The feeling in mind that we don’t have enough, we want good enough. Instead, this feeling to get more things constantly pushes us too far without caring about others well being.

How can greed be harmful to us?
1. Social Inequality:

Speaking in terms of society, greed is the most common cause of inequality in society. It is known to everyone that uneven distribution of wealth or hoarding an unnecessary amount of wealth by only a small portion of society can cause unrest. Among common, people, it could cause conflict in society. A sense of exploitation and discrimination could arise in people out of anger.

2. Destruction of Relationships:

Greed has such a strong effect on the mind of people that it has a tendency to destroy relationships. Over-obsession or overindulgence in oneself due to greed blinds our tendency to see right and wrong. If end up being selfish without having regard for other’s feelings. People go to such extents and break the trust and manipulate others for their personal gain. All these negative impacts of greed destroy people’s pace and life.

3. Environmental Degradation:

Speaking of the large-scale result of greed is ‘Environmental Degradation’. Overexploitation of our natural resources, deforestation, pollution, excessive mining, biodiversity decline, etc are some examples of large-scale human-driven activities done out of greed. It is constantly harming our planet because human being tends not to get gets satisfied with already occupied enormous wealth. They want more than the mother earth could replenish at a time.

4. Affect ethical judgment:

Excess of any kind of negative emotions breaks our sense of morality. We can easily forget the sense of right or wrong under the influence of greed. People tend not to forget about ethical values and moral principles that one’s people used to govern themselves. There must be constant motivation for our achievement but when it comes to overwhelming you one should create an ethical boundary between need motivation and greed.

5. Causes of Psychological Distress:

It is obvious that greed is a constant desire to get more in life. This constantly unhealthy urge could easily take a toll on your mental health if not controlled. The exercise obsession to achieve more makes us restless and anxious all the time, not allowing us any time to relax or settle down. It can make our minds stuck on one thing only. For example, engaging in gambling in order to win more money is the classic and most abundant example of how greed completely destroys us.

6. Financial Crises:

Throughout history, it is undeniable that unchecked greed could create financial difficulties and crises for people. For instance, online gambling games have become a popular trend in society nowadays, and the excessive obsession to earn easy money has really taken over a lot of people. They end up spending more and more time and money over the cost of losing and here it gives the vicious never-ending cycle of greed that has the tendency of consuming a person and their family.

Ways to cope with greed
1. Mindfulness and gratitude:

Having satisfaction and gratitude is something not easy to have especially when someone’s needs are not fulfilled. However, having patience and being mindful of one’s condition is the only answer t balance the negative emotions of greed. One should try to attach meaning to things related to the soul rather than being materialistic.

2. Education and Awareness:

Educating people about the harm that things associated with greed could bring is important. Sometimes in achieving aspiration, we take it too far without realizing that something is wrong. Self-awareness about oneself and our surroundings is the best way to navigate the oath through success without blurring the line.

It is completely understandable to have an aspiration to achieve something. The constant desire to want or achieve something gives us with motivation to strive and never settle down even with setbacks. However, if things go out of the set healthy boundaries, unchecked greedy behavior could significantly impact the physical and mental well-being of a person and the people close to them. It could blind us to ignore our achievements and be constantly restless and stressed to get more and more. To have a sense of great motivation along with a genuine feeling of satisfaction is necessary to achieve something and satisfy our needs and desires.

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