Greed makes the world go round

[batcoin]

Without greed, no one would have invested any time or money into Bitcoins a few years ago.

Unless they believed they were doing something worthwhile. An intellectual exercise. That's not greed.

You need to appeal to people's instinctive greediness on some level to get just about any project off the ground.

So you start all your projects based on greed? That's pretty depressing. You must not do much for fun.

I don't really see greed as a problem to Bitcoins. It's a necessary kickstarter to build its infrastructure.

If BTCs were worth zero, then why should anyone care to trade them or mine them?

So yeah, greed does make the world go around.

Depressing.

I think people in this thread are conflating greed, with a desire to attain financial security through hard work and productivity. The difference between the two is probably pragmatism, humility, and respect for their fellow man*. But I'm no philosopher.

You want to attain (financial) security through hard work and productivity? This goes against every natural instinct and drive for pretty much every species out there. (I am sure there are probably a couple exceptions, but I doubt they will be around for much longer. ) Those that manage to obtain the most for the least amount of effort are the ones in the best position to utilize their stores and survive in possible future times of famine and further be able to pass their genes on. Having finance and trade as tools to attain these goals is only slightly more sophisticated than squirrels storing nuts in a tree for the winter.

You might want to watch this sweetheart. She might help you understand "greed" a little better.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEE9A33593A261433

Define greed. Is holding your BTC because you believe it has much more potential greed? I call cashing out an action of greed, where you want to take your fiat money afraid that bitcoin will lose value. That's the true greed.

Greed is buying and selling speculatively, waiting for the price to go further. And since more of the traders are doing it with this in mind, it goes up. When their cash dries out, what do we do?

What about the guy who buys good from a wholesaler to sell them in his local neighborhood. Is he also a greedy speculator? Isn't he speculating that he can buy low and sell higher? What if he sees a potential shortage of his goods coming in the near future. Is it bad for him to plan accordingly? Does that make him greedy?

I don't hold BTC, I have investments in other places. I want to see BTC become something stable before I buy into it. I'm not bearish, I am a realist.

That's too bad. Maybe you could buy a few now and then read my signature. That way you don't have to be exposed to BTC for very long.

But some people should stop being greedy and look at how BTC can benefit them and the people around them in the long run. That way we'll get a stable currency and escape from the grips of government and greedy bankers.

Again, please, by all means, you go first (and this includes you, too, Crazy). Can you prove what an upstanding, selfless person you are? Show us how you have such a lack of greed by donating some BTC to the address in my signature. I can assure you that they will not be used (they possibly moved to a more secure address) for a very long time (short of getting hacked) and that will help stablize BTC as a currency suitable for everyday trade.

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[myrkul]

Greed is humanity's natural desire to better themselves. Sometimes financially.

That's not greed. Reacquaint yourself with the definition ASAP.

True. Greed is (for me) the desire to better yourself while [not caring about] worsening others

No, that's irresponsible greed.

click

Well, the question still stands. Do you have a better word for that desire? If so, then we can define greed as "irresponsible X."

[Geddi]

Greed is humanity's natural desire to better themselves. Sometimes financially.

That's not greed. Reacquaint yourself with the definition ASAP.

True. Greed is (for me) the desire to better yourself while [not caring about] worsening others

No, that's irresponsible greed.

click

Well, the question still stands. Do you have a better word for that desire? If so, then we can define greed as "irresponsible X."

Maybe 'irresponsible hoarding' could work.
But greed not only expresses the desire to better yourself, also the desire to obtain power to keep bettering yourself.
Dunno if irresponsible hoarding does the job.

[myrkul]

Greed is humanity's natural desire to better themselves. Sometimes financially.

That's not greed. Reacquaint yourself with the definition ASAP.

True. Greed is (for me) the desire to better yourself while [not caring about] worsening others

No, that's irresponsible greed.

click

Well, the question still stands. Do you have a better word for that desire? If so, then we can define greed as "irresponsible X."

[[having trouble recognizing which question still stands.. Going for a desciption of greed]]

Maybe 'irresponsible hoarding' could work.
But greed not only expresses the desire to better yourself, also the desire to obtain power to keep bettering yourself.
Dunno if irresponsible hoarding does the job.

No, hoarding does not successfully express the desire to better yourself. Merely a desire to have more stuff.

I think the desire to better yourself and to obtain the power necessary to keep bettering yourself is a natural and commendable trait. Only when this comes at the expense of others is it irresponsible.

[Geddi]

No, hoarding does not successfully express the desire to better yourself. Merely a desire to have more stuff.

I think the desire to better yourself and to obtain the power necessary to keep bettering yourself is a natural and commendable trait. Only when this comes at the expense of others is it irresponsible.

Come to think about it.. Human greed is freaky  

My previous 'better yourself without caring about others' indeed doesn't cut it.

I saw at a documentary about a tiger mom last week. 3 cubs, cute as hell  

At some point tigermom bettered herself and she didn't really care about what that little monkey thought of her plan. She bettered herself, killed a monkey in the process but still I can't call that greed. Even when that monkey was just 'a lesson' for the cubs; They didn't eat it.

So here's another shot
Greed is bettering yourself beyond reasonable. While [not caring about] worsening others.

[myrkul]

Greed is bettering yourself beyond reasonable. While [not caring about] worsening others.

All well and good, but we're not looking for a definition of the word greed. What we're looking for is a word to replace it to mean the natural and commendable desire to better yourself and obtain the power necessary to continue bettering yourself. Whereupon we can then use that word in the definition of the word greed.

Until then, for lack of a better word, I'll continue to use greed, and consider what you call "greed" to be "irresponsible greed"

[Geddi]

Greed is bettering yourself beyond reasonable. While [not caring about] worsening others.

All well and good, but we're not looking for a definition of the word greed. What we're looking for is a word to replace it to mean the natural and commendable desire to better yourself and obtain the power necessary to continue bettering yourself. Whereupon we can then use that word in the definition of the word greed.

Until then, for lack of a better word, I'll continue to use greed, and consider what you call "greed" to be "irresponsible greed"

self-nourishment?

As in "Greed is irresponsible exaggerated self-nourishment"? 

[batcoin]

Greed is bettering yourself beyond reasonable. While [not caring about] worsening others.

All well and good, but we're not looking for a definition of the word greed. What we're looking for is a word to replace it to mean the natural and commendable desire to better yourself and obtain the power necessary to continue bettering yourself. Whereupon we can then use that word in the definition of the word greed.

Until then, for lack of a better word, I'll continue to use greed, and consider what you call "greed" to be "irresponsible greed"

self-nourishment?

As in "Greed is irresponsible exaggerated self-nourishment"? 

Who gets to judge what is irresponsible? Perhaps I feel that what I consider responsible for me could be considered irresponsible by another. If someone is greedy, who cares? As long as they aren't harming anyone it really shouldn't matter, should it?

Might you be looking for the term self-interest?

[Geddi]

Greed is bettering yourself beyond reasonable. While [not caring about] worsening others.

All well and good, but we're not looking for a definition of the word greed. What we're looking for is a word to replace it to mean the natural and commendable desire to better yourself and obtain the power necessary to continue bettering yourself. Whereupon we can then use that word in the definition of the word greed.

Until then, for lack of a better word, I'll continue to use greed, and consider what you call "greed" to be "irresponsible greed"

self-nourishment?

As in "Greed is irresponsible exaggerated self-nourishment"?  

Who gets to judge what is irresponsible? Perhaps I feel that what I consider responsible for me could be considered irresponsible by another. If someone is greedy, who cares? As long as they aren't harming anyone it really shouldn't matter, should it?

Might you be looking for the term self-interest?

You are right. Didn't think about that. Greed doesn't imply irresponsibility. Does feel that way, though.   Maybe because greed and jealousy are friends.

[myrkul]

Greed doesn't imply irresponsibility. Does feel that way, though.   Maybe because greed and jealousy are friends.

There we go.

Without greed - or self-interest, if you prefer - the human race would still be living in caves and crapping in a pile of leaves at the door.