GREED - Embedded in the inner-most DNA of humanity. A part of humanity. No other creature on earth has it etched in its core. It is present from when we were born and cultivated in our early childhood. It starts with possession. The time we recognize something to be ours is the time we nourish the seed and drown out the principle of a shared universe.
"WHAT IS MINE IS MINE"
In infancy, we are trained to recognize what is ours and not ours. We open our minds to the fact that "what is mine is mine" and what is his is his. We begin to build our world. A world all on our own. "My parents," "my toys," "my food," "my world." We begin to thrive on our possessions and perceive our world revolving around us. His world revolves around him.
"I WANT ONE"
In the toddler years we cultivate our traits in owning. We love what is ours. We shew them off. We are proud of what is ours. My world is the greatest, but his world has a tower. I want one. Not so much for the tower but the toys and everything we don not have. We cultivate another trait - Envy. I want what he has got and I want it better. We nag to get one and plead for it.
"IF YOU WON'T GIVE IT, I'LL TAKE IT"
As we grow older, we tend to adopt the principle: "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." So we take matters in to our own hands. I want a shirt like his only better. my parents wouldn't buy me one so I'm going to save my allowance for it. Good idea, huh? To feed one's greed by getting one's own hands dirty. But what of the others who can't save? they follow the mantra: "if you won't give it, I'll take it." Too bad for the one he's going to take it from.
"TIME"
By our adolescent years, we overcome the greed for material things. It is replaced by our nagging greed for attention, affection, understanding and time. By this time we start growing hair and start to feel love or blinded by infatuation. Crush stage. We confuse admiration for beauty as love. Then we tend to try ans impress our crush. We get envious of the people who has her attention. This is the part where we go down on a slump and figure out what to do to win her attention and affection. Then we turn to change everything about us for her to notice. One day you come home pissed because she did not notice you. Your parents are shocked by your expression and the way you look. Then you go and say "why can't you understand me?!" Greed has taken a new form. And it will again evolve in time.
"GROWN UP"
By the time we get over our pathetic teenage philosophies, we discover something we really want. Liberty. Freedom. A chance to do what we want. But this is not liberty from greed. By this time our greed is growing with us. We take all the stages of greed we have had and put it all in a ball and paint it green. We want to do what we want but in order to do so, we must have "de niro," "money," "the green," or "the bills." "What is mine is mine and I want more so if you won't give it, I'll take it, in time, what is yours will be mine." And most think that money is the root of all evil, but if you think about it, greed is.
"END"
Even to our death bed, we are never content. WE would say "I wish I had more time." As I see it, we can never be content.
Greed is a part of man. It is the truth. The sad and horrid truth.
