Why do people do things just because they can?

[Agaric]

As a general trend, when people have a lot of money, they buy a lot of things. Why do you need four cars? Why do you need a house with rooms you never use? Why do you buy expensive items that aren't that much better than modestly-priced items?

 

[palefrost]

I honestly think the "rich" are questioning this themselves. There is a limit where its just over indulgence. Look at bill gates and the Virgin Atlantic Billionaire. They realize that money has to go back into the world to help make the planet a better place for everyone! That's a legacy that's more important then money.

I think over the next decade you will see a switch from money grubbers to people caring about each other again. The world moves in cycles. We go to extremes till we find a middle ground. At the present we have reached maximum greed and look at the state of this country because of it. Im not the only one looking around and realizing what a sad place we have created.

 

[dong]

The valuation of material wealth is tied in with the values of alot of other things, among them blessings from God, status, the satiation of desires. However, I believe that now is an unprecedented era in that the acquisition of money has often become an ends in itself, especially in the corporate world. Palefrost's comment has me thinking of the Yeatsian gyre, actually.

 

[Furious George]

I honestly think the "rich" are questioning this themselves. There is a limit where its just over indulgence. Look at bill gates and the Virgin Atlantic Billionaire. They realize that money has to go back into the world to help make the planet a better place for everyone! That's a legacy that's more important then money.

I think over the next decade you will see a switch from money grubbers to people caring about each other again. The world moves in cycles. We go to extremes till we find a middle ground. At the present we have reached maximum greed and look at the state of this country because of it. Im not the only one looking around and realizing what a sad place we have created.

While you're right about cycles, greed [a characteristic of human nature] will never go away. Greed is spawned from pride, competition, and ego. After these three obstacles are demolished, only then can we defeat greed as a civilization. Sadly, these three obstacles, are what some people base their entire lives on.

 

[palefrost]

While you're right about cycles, greed [a characteristic of human nature] will never go away. Greed is spawned from pride, competition, and ego. After these three obstacles are demolished, only then can we defeat greed as a civilization. Sadly, these three obstacles, are what some people base their entire lives on.

Agreed. The Greed will turn to ego needs IMO. I think part of the reason you see the rich working on global causes is because of the ego needs they still have.

Sadly i dont think the charity push we see is because they truly believe its its the right thing to do. Look at the celebrities that jump on the cause bandwagon begging us to donate as they sit in the mansions and live an overindulgent lifestyle. I wish i could be as self indulgent and give out money as easily as they make it seem.

 

[capitalist_junkie]

Why should we care how other people spend their money? Seriously, don't we have better things to worry about? Why don't we just focus on our own lives and what we do to help the world and let greedy people just be greedy?

 

[dong]

Because of concerns that greedy people will act in a way that will harm other people, obviously.

 

[Furious George]

Why should we care how other people spend their money? Seriously, don't we have better things to worry about? Why don't we just focus on our own lives and what we do to help the world and let greedy people just be greedy?

Because in a Market economy, the Consumers are supposed to make the decisions, and with that decision making process, comes the responsibility of GOOD decisions. I'm not one to critique, but a lot of the things that are sold to mainstream America are certinaly NOT GOOD decisions. People don't realize the side effects of feeding their children junk food, but McDonalds has served over a billion people. Obesity is on the rise. Life expectancies are falling. This is not capitalistic, this is anti-consumers rights, and is the polar opposite of capitalism. It's nearly impossible to have a true capitalistic society, when your society is dominated by privatization and corporations.

 

[Furious George]

Agreed. The Greed will turn to ego needs IMO. I think part of the reason you see the rich working on global causes is because of the ego needs they still have.

Sadly i dont think the charity push we see is because they truly believe its its the right thing to do. Look at the celebrities that jump on the cause bandwagon begging us to donate as they sit in the mansions and live an overindulgent lifestyle. I wish i could be as self indulgent and give out money as easily as they make it seem.

There are a lot of things that are egotistical. For one, Pride. I do however, disagree that ALL rich people are philantrophists because of greed. I can tell you right now, people like Bill Gates, are NOT egotistical. He is the perfect example of someone taking an idea, improving upon it, and making fortune. Only then to go on to doing other great things. He is philantrophist and humanitarian in many senses, all while running one of the world's most successful companies.

 

[capitalist_junkie]

People don't realize the side effects of feeding their children junk food, but McDonalds has served over a billion people. Obesity is on the rise. Life expectancies are falling.

Remember Darwin? Survival of the fittest? Our society can continue to develop and those who do not make good decisions will eventually die out. If people are too stupid to realize that McDonald's is bad for you, that's your own fault. I have better things to do with my life than police stupid people.

 

[Furious George]

False. In survival of the fittest, you are making decisions on a need only basis. We live in a Capitalist society, far from a survival situation. Corporations advertise on television, with very shady techniques. How is this at all similar to nature, or survival for that matter? Exactly--it isn't.

 

[dong]

I'll remind myself to segue this into the "western culture" thread as I believe that our value system is based on conditions that are no longer related to our survival per se is very important. But for now, I have a lab to go to!