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A while ago I remember having a conversation about capitalism being very similar to greed. They both benefit only a few people and they both promote the keeping of goods instead of sharing them amongst the people. This thread isnt about the comparison about the two though....

While an instinct is something that is breed into a species, a social construct is something that the species society has taught their young and may differentiate amongst the species.

Now, my question is this: Is greed a social construct or an instinct?

I believe that it may be a bit of both. Since greed was needed for the species to survive (hording food meant you where more likely to live through the winter. And sharing it only with your family... if you wanted to). This would mean that only the greedy people would of survived through the winter. BUT then we have the society that managed to free themselves of greed and learn to cooperate so that everyone would live through the winter, or at least more likely to. Would this then make it a social construct? Maybe. Greed could possibly be an inherited gene that was out breed in some places so that some could survive. Since greed has both benefits and drawbacks, some humans would have it more then others (or a stronger desire?)

Now, unto the social construct points.
Society seems to teach their children (or at least in my area) that to get where you want in life, you have to do it yourself and keep things to yourself. You are taught that said item is YOURS and only YOURS. And that it is your RIGHT to have it. If anyone asks you to borrow or have said item you have every right to say no. Even if the other person needs it to survive.
Society seems to teach children that if you want something, do anything to get it. ( Besides breaking the laws of course. )
Maybe this is just the place I grew up in though.

Now, if greed was an instinct. It CAN be controlled. A good example would be the instinct most humans have to run from a barking unleashed dog. Everyone gets nervous and scared when they see a big dog without a leash barking at them. Most people (if not taught) run away. And that triggers the dog to chase them (usually). BUT with the help of teaching people that the dog will bite if you run, has stopped some people from listening to that instinct.

If greed was a social construct, it can be controlled even easier. Just temper it with another social construct that benefits the human more.


Another point to add....
survival instincts are only useful when it boils down to surviving in the wild. We dont need that instinct anymore if we have a comfortable life. So... why do we still have it? Is it, once again, in forced by a social construct?


edit: I put this thread in the "misc." forum due to it being not so politically centered. I kinda didnt know where to put it. sweatdrop

Greed is a social construct, end of discussion.

Why?

The squirrels that greedily horde food to themselves for winter (or ground hogs, or whatever creature that stores for itself females and food, while chasing other away) do this because they ere taught to do this, from generation to generation. Instinct is blinking, swallowing, breathing, crying when sad, laughing when amused, being violent when angry... those things are instincts, things that are inherent to creatures that feel and behave impulsively. Greed it a conscious thing, something you'd have to knowingly do at some level. Rich men are taught to exploit others, and generation after generation of rich and wealthy people train their successors to exploit people, preferably with gaining success. Greed is an action more than a feeling or position... it's like consuming. You naturally consume, but how much you freely, uninhibitedly, guiltlessly consume, is based on how much you've been taught to be able to get away with. I do not believe people naturally consume beyond their means on instinct alone.

Summar/tl;dr: greed is a social construct, developed by people and taught to other people. people don't naturally and instinctively manipulate others and horde food and women to themselves. These are learned behaviours, taking more than you're owed, more than you deserve, consuming as much as you want, for the sake of pleasuring yourself even to damn others.

I'd have to say greed is instinct.

"Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, and what we will do" -Jeremy Bentham

Basically we are instinctively greedy, the hoarding of resources for yourself allows for better security and self preservation. It is by our nature that our greatest pain is to experience the death of those or those in our closest group.

However, greed can be defeated through culture. Our culture can insert in us the experience of pleasure from giving to those around us and looking at the bigger picture.

"A witty saying proves nothing." -Voltaire

If everyone has enough there is no room for greed. The development of human society has taught us that under different material circumstances, peoples ideas and world views change. This is true. One cannot imagine a tree without first perceiving one. Communists wish to advance the capabilities of the existing productive forces as well as remove the economic barrier divorcing the working class from its products of labour. That and only that is how you diverge greed. You can tell people to be selfless all you'd like, but unless the material circumstances of a given society do not permit such, it will not matter what you say or do.

Color me impressed, ming.

You are now the guild's own Rosa Luxemburg.