24.Greed is the vehicle of progress

Maria Maksimova, Yulia Karostik

Greed is the Vehicle of Progress

Introduction

1. The notions of greed and progress

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 is applied to a markedly high desire for and pursuit of wealth, status, and power; greed is one of the three universal causes of war and unrest in the world, right next to religion and power.

As a secular psychological concept, greed is, similarly, an inordinate desire to acquire or possess more than one needs. It is typically used to criticize those who seek excessive material wealth, although it may apply to the need to feel more excessively moral, social, or otherwise better than someone else.

In historiography, the Idea of Progress is the theory that advances in technology, science, and social organization inevitably produce an improvement in the human condition. That is, people can become happier in terms of quality of life (social progress) through economic development and the application of science and technology (scientific progress). The assumption is that the process will happen once people apply their reason and skills, for it is not divinely foreordained. The role of the expert is to identify hindrances that slow or neutralize progress.

Greed is the vehicle of progress. Arguments for and against.

Two businessmen, Mr. Miserman and Mr. Spendthrisfsky have not seen each other for more than 20 years. They got their MBA degrees in the same university and used to be best friends back in those times. It happens so, that they bump into each other in the street once, after all those years of complete oblivion. After exchanging some news and Mr. Spendthiftsky invites Mr. Miser for a drink. Though immensely happy to see the old friend, Mr. Miser only agrees to go on condition that Spendthriftsky should pay.

While in the bar, it turns out the old friends are very well off now, both running their own companies and both having made it big. They talk and talk until at a certain point their conversation turns into a heated debate about the notion of greed and how it affects people. As you might have already guessed from the names of the two, the old friends do not see eye to eye on this issue, rather, they hold opposite opinions on the issue. While Mr. Miserman passionately advocates the idea that greed is the vehicle of process, Mr. Spendthriftsky brings up arguments against the motion. Here is how their debate goes.

Miserman: - I’d like some caviar, shrimps in truffles souse, some foie gras and a glass of Crystal champagne, please.

Spendthriftsky: -Ha, I can see you haven’t changed much, buddy. The same old Miserman I used to know.

Miserman: - Well I haven’t changed much and you see the result. Having started from scratch I own a multibillion business now. However, I am surprised to see that you are doing quite well too, too well I should say, for a spendthrift that you are. However, for the moment you might be doing quite well, but be sure it won’t last long. Only people like me can survive in business and make a fortune. I shall admit that I am greedy, but I am proud of it. I strongly believe that greed is the vehicle of progress and I am going to prove you my point.

Spendthriftsky: - Well, go prove it then.

Miserman: - First of all, greedy people are definitely more motivated to get a better/ more well-paying job. Hankering for money, they are always on the move, trying to make more, changing jobs, working day and night in order to make it in their job. By doing so, they stimulate progress at their workplace, in the area of business where they work, and in the society in general. At the same time, people who are not greedy, sit around doing nothing and pay no contribution to the world around them.

Spendthriftsky: - Well, you are most right about their strong motivation. However, money is the only interest greedy people have. Such people are hardly ever beneficial to the company they work for or the society. Instead of contributing to progress, driven by greed alone, they are even likely to resort to dishonest methods of money-making, such as lying and stealing. Their motivation being most strong, greedy people are prone to illegal behavior which hampers progress rather than triggers it.

Miserman: - If you are greedy and eager to earn the lot, you are more likely to start your own business than work under a boss. This stimulates progress in 3 ways:

1. By establishing their own business greedy people create workplaces, thus allowing their fellow citizens to progress in their own ways.

Spendthriftsky: - Well their contribution here is questionable. If those workplaces are created out of greed, they will be low paying. People working for the Mr. Greedy will lead a poor and miserable life which is the worst of all evils since “Nobody suffers like the poor, baby.”

2. On the state level, greedy businessmen contribute to progress by paying taxes. A successful business results in huge taxes, which the government can use on equipment for schools and hospitals or invest it in human capital by providing a scholarship for a gifted young person who might in the future discover a drug curing cancer. If not progress, how do you call it?

Spendthriftsky: - Well, I would call it progress whatever the government does with the taxpayers’ dollars, I just question greedy people’s contribution to this chain. In their strife for amassing money and having it all for themselves, the greedy are likely to resort to tax evasion. Once they learn a way to pay their way out of taxes by bribing the right person, they go for it without any hesitation, never thinking about pensions, schools and scholarships.

3. Since the competition in the market is tense, starting a successful business is only possible if your business idea is new, noteworthy, and completely different from those already existing. Craving for money, a greedy person would go into a genuinely new sphere of business, start producing a new good or service thus satisfying yet another need of the society.

Spendthriftsky: - Goods and services, produced by greedy people can’t satisfy the people’s needs since their quality is poor. The greedy scrimp on everything, from raw materials to machinery and poorly qualified personnel. However, the people will still buy the product or pay for the service for they will have no other choice since the product is new and has no alternatives by other producers.

Miserman: - Here is another thing. If a greedy person already has a business, he will aim at cutting the costs of it. The only way to do so, as you know, is to rethink the production process and optimize it. Optimization of a business process is all about inventions, know-hows and breakthroughs; hence a greedy businessman contributes to progress through invention of new technology.

Spendthriftsky: - Well business optimization and stuff sound cool, but where will the people go? Once a greedy person introduces cutting-edge technologies to his business, he will start mercilessly firing his staff never thinking about their future. With all the money and power he has, instead of making the world a better place, he will sow unhappiness and unemployment. If you should call it progress, I am a dinosaur.

Miserman: - Whatever you say, only greed keeps the banking system going. As greedy people are savers rather than spenders, they never blow money and tend to keep it on savings accounts. This stimulates issuance of loans and mortgages, as well as investment in business, allowing people, businesses and banks themselves to progress.

Spendthriftsky: - True, greed does keep the banking system working. However, if we take economy in a more comprehensive sense, we will see that greedy people are more of a burden to the system. What keeps the economy going is consumption, and greedy people are anything but consumers. They hoard money that otherwise could have worked, thus impeding the progress of the economy.

Miserman: - You can’t disagree with the fact that in order to progress the human race first needs to survive. Another obvious thing here is that we can’t survive unless we protect the world around us, and greedy people contribute a lot to a cleaner environment. They do it in several ways.

1. Greedy people scrimp on petrol, electricity and water and other non-renewable resources, thus making them last longer.

2. A greedy person would never throw a plastic bag or an old garment away, thus paying a contribution to the solution of the problem of ever-growing dumping sites. He would never use non-rechargeable lithium batteries, that as you know are non-recyclable and keep emitting toxic fumes long after being utilized. And finally, a greedy person would print his documents on both sides of the sheet of paper, thus helping solve the problem of deforestation.

3. A greedy person would probably drive a car only in a case of emergency or resort to carpooling. In this way he prevents ozone layer depletion, hence fighting the problems of global warming, climate change and ultraviolet radiation.

Spendthriftsky: - How don’ t you see that a greedy person would do all those wonderful things for a wrong reason. He would scrimp on petrol, paper or batteries because he is tight with his purse, not because he cares. Once the more environmentally-friendly option is also more pricey, a greedy person will never go for it. For instance, no greedy man will ever buy an expensive car with up-to-date exhaust purification system or an electric car. He will rather drive a cheaper car, no matter how harmful to the environment it is. That is why I don’t think greedy people are beneficial to the ecology.

Miserman: - Let me prove you my point economy-wise. A greedy person is not a spender. It suggests that every greedy person lowers the demand for a range of products, especially overpriced items of famous brands. When the demand is low, the producer is likely to reduce the product’s price in order to sell it. This wise consumption of the greedy’s will ultimately lead to a world of adequate prices and happy people.

Spendthriftsky: - Well, suppose what you say is true, people will have more money, so what? This has nothing to do with progress. Those who really trigger progress and technological advancement are companies and following your logics greedy people deprive companies of income, makes them experience instability. As a result of a decrease in sales, less taxes will go to the government and less money will be invested in innovations and progress.

Miserman: - Come on! Companies will only spend the income on bonuses and invest in themselves, while individuals can use the money wisely, let’s say giving it charity or helping their neighbours.

Spendthriftsky: - By the way, speaking about charity, greed can not be considered the vehicle of progress, since greedy people never give money to charity; and charity is an integral part of progress. Through charity education , healthcare and nutrition reaches the 3^rd world countries, where there is most room for progress.

Miserman: - I shall disagree here, since by giving money up to charity has nothing to do with progress. Greedy people would rather invest their money, than give it up to charity, thus creating workplaces and allowing people to earn money rather than get it from charity. Investment is a more progressive way to make the money pay back than charity is, since it makes money work. In case of charity money is simply distributed with no payback to be seen.

Spendthriftsky: - Here is another thing. Greedy people are deprived of morality and high aspirations which are the hallmarks of progress. In their strife for money and cutting the costs of production, they are ready to resort to such things as hiring illegal immigrants and minors in order to pay less in salaries. They sometimes threaten their stuff with disclosure in case they want to quit or require a higher pay. Also, greedy bosses very often scrimp on sanitation and balk at dropping bucks on improving the working conditions which in many cases are appalling and present a threat to life.

Miserman: - You are exaggerating. Moreover, if illegal immigrants agree to do that kind of job, it means it is still a lot better than what they had back at home. They voluntarily do so, fully understanding the risks. Contrary to what you said, greedy bosses do these immigrants a favour, as no one else would hire them and they would die in the streets.

Spendthriftsky: - Well this can go on forever. We will never see eye to eye on the issue since we are very different people. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I respect your point of view. However, on a personal level, my point is this: I paid for the meal and drinks we had this evening and I had a marvelous time. Tomorrow I will go to work, happy with my life and eager to do my job to the best. By doing so, I’ll make a difference. This is my idea of progress.

Miserman: -I had a marvelous time too. I drank what I wanted, ate what I like. Tomorrow I will go to work just as happy with my life, or even happier, pleased with the thought that the happiness didn’t cost me a penny.