The sickness of greed, how big of a problem is it in our country for the 'elites' and for the rest of us...money over freedom, money over fitness, money over family/friends and etc.?????

What say u?

I spend more time at work than at home. Lately I'm home 7 days a month. I tell myself it's temporary just untill I get back to debt free and savings bumped up a touch. So possibly by the end of the year to 20 months depending on how long I can keep up this pace. Then I will cut way back to the minimum and enjoy life. But I wonder if I'm lying to myself and will continue with O just tell I get the fence put in or just tell I get a new tractor paid for.

I can't even answer knowingly and honestly from myself so coming up with opinions to voice about others would be hypocritical. I believe it's a big problem for a lot of people including me.

^ it is rare for a person to be so honest, kudos.

Greed is like whiskey. A little is healthy. To much destroys you and everything around you. Without greed we would have no factories. The people employed there would not put out any effort. Things like electric lights and automobiles would not have been invented.

Then there's wars, and starvation wages. Tyranny and lawlessness. Yet still its greed that creates civilization. And destroys it.

Money is the root of all evil.....power is a close second...

Good post! Without greed, we could not have a Capitalist nation. Greed runs capitalism. No one creates and runs a business for loss.

I was about to say greed is a necessary evil, but that's not even right. Greed is necessary.... period. A person, any person, endeavors to make money... as much as they can, for the most part. Then they trade that money for things... whether it be time at home, science to further help their business, groceries, or raw materials needed to further their business. And in so doing they create jobs. The people who sell them "things" whether it be at a Mercedes dealership, or the local Piggly Wiggly. The people who assemble, and the people who sell those Mercedes cars. Greed isn't outright evil, but many who fall back on it for an excuse are!

I work 7 days a week because my Company needs me to. I have a 19 man crew and they do not work unless I do. When I retire in less than two years I will relax and enjoy Family and Life. It is not greed. It is American.

Absolutely correct what is wrong with busting your tail to get ahead when the people complain someone has to much are not willing to work and put in the days and hours that the people who are ahead do.

The love of money is the root of all evil…..

Power comes from the ability to spend other people’s money.

I think people are getting greed and slothfulness mixed up, one is misrepresented as necessary to provide things for your self to live which I don't believe is greed when done to just survive in this world, it is a living.

Whereas having not enough of one thing to manifest in your grasp of what ever others may think is to much is being slothful in no regard of needing an common or normal abundance of anything, where be it money, clothes, cars, any thing that may be represented as more than the regular amount to live with.

But who chose this amount as any standard for others, why is one interested in what another has more of any way, unless they them selves feel the need to just have more of something, is it greed to have much of something and then not use it, or is greed just a natural thing to keep things in our lives to live on ? Why is this not called surviving ?

Why do others set limits on others because they them selves don't have so much of some thing then another ? Because one has to much of one thing and does not use it is this the epitome of being slothful ? Or is it storing for use at another date when need to live on ?

When your greed hurts others it is more than just the desire to acquire stuff. If you had no greed Grit Guy you would live like Henry David Thoreau did when he wrote Waldons Pond.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21
This verse sums up greed for me. It's not necessary but it is truly a part of the nature of man.

fixed it for you

There is nothing wrong with ambition. Some may call ambition greed in the context of money.

How you define and balance success comes down to character.

The bigger problem is that too many people in this country have no ambition. And no character.

Nothing wrong at all. It USED to be the American way.

I'm with BC. I think you guys are defining greed a little different than I am. Greed in my context is unhealthy for you. I guess u use Danny's analogy greed to me is when you go from one that enjoys a drink here and there to one that is an alcoholic.

Today wealth is seen as greed by many not willing or smart enough to work for it. Wealth instantly makes you a bad person today like it’s a one way street and it only benefits that one person. I’m far from rich but I’ve been dirt poor before but blamed nobody for that I just worked harder to change it.

The idea that one person that did nothing should get another persons wealth just for the taking is ludicrous we are a giving people. Shortsighted people have a voice today because other like them don’t want to work to earn a living. If your rich and not a thief politician there is a whole tree of people making a living off of you then all earning a living and paying taxes.

Politicians have become the example. Not good ones either. lol

Greed and ambition are totally different things.