Greed (emotion)

Greed is a desire to obtain more money, wealth or material possessions than one needs. Greed is listed as one of the Catholic seven deadly sins, usually by the synonym of avarice.

Related Topics:
Money - Wealth - Seven deadly sins

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Greedy individuals are often believed to be harmful to society as their motives often appear to disregard the welfare of others: if one person is to increase in wealth, somebody else must be decreasing in wealth (assuming, of course, that a market economy is a zero sum game). However, greed has become more acceptable (and the word less frequent) in Western culture, where the desire to acquire wealth is an important part of capitalism.

Related Topics:
Market economy - Zero sum - Capitalism

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When greed entails the covetousness of another person's possessions the term envy is used. When greed is applied to the subject of the excessive consumption of food or drink the term gluttony is often used, another of the Catholic seven deadly sins.

Related Topics:
Envy - Food - Drink - Gluttony

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Buddhists believe greed is based on incorrectly connecting material wealth with happiness. This is caused by a deluded view that exaggerates the positive aspects of an object.

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