The Negative Force of Greed in Business
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The Negative Force of Greed in Business
Throughout history man has laid the groundwork for the idea of capitalism to manifest and become part of human life in America. I feel that every individual should be free and be able to pursue their interest and possess economic freedom. With these powers could something evil find its way to manipulate people’s actions in making money? Greed; and from this selfish desire creates a negative force influencing business decision-making.
Plato was writing about the differences between wants and needs centuries ago and in his work titled The Republic he exemplified the process of creating a city and what that city would
‘need’. It becomes apparent quite quickly that these men weren’t thinking any longer about needs but comforts and wants. Most of these men had clothing, food, and shelter their interests reached out elsewhere to create more luxuries for themselves. After creating wonderful ideas about their markets functionality they didn’t stop they wanted territory from their neighbors, and that outcome would inevitably bring war (p.87). This continual want for more in business ultimately leads to force and is usually ended by catastrophe. With all this progress of exchange for products, money was designed to influence buying and selling. This tangible item was symbolized as wealth and then stigmatized by greed. Was it money that held the evil or the man who possessed the large amount?
Ayn Rand addressed this issue in her novel Atlas Shrugged . She makes a profound statement through one of her main characters, Francisco d’Aconia; that “[y]our wallet is your statement of hope that somewhere in the world around you there are men who will not default on that moral principle which is the root of money” (p. 95). The root he speaks of is the morality of value for value, that money is a tool of exchange. “Money is not the tool of moochers, who
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The Negative Force of Greed in Business claim your product by tears, or of the looters, who take it from you by force” (Rand p. 95). This statement is very true but the negative connotation to that is that there are looters and moochers who exist in this world. These men are the ones to tell you that money is evil and that is a for sure sign of a looter. It is solely upon a man’s pride, self-esteem, and moral sense that determines upon his level of greed. The negative impacts of greed on society is as follows:
“[w]hen you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion- when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing- when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors- when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you- when you see corruption, being rewarded and honesty becoming a selfsacrifice…” (Rand p. 97). This quote based upon societal doom caused by greed is so undesired among civilization that we make it known to our children.
The Lorax was written by Dr. Suess, published in 1971 and distributed as a children’s book. It concerns industrialized society and gives life to a character named the Once-ler, who represents the industry. The Lorax, who speaks for the trees, represents the environment and as the story goes on the environment is being taken over by the industry. The determination between a need and want becomes jeopardized; everyone finds themselves buying the Once-ler’s creation of ‘thneed’. Therefore making the Once-ler extremely wealthy, pair that with greed and he ends up building a gigantic monopoly of businesses and invites his family to assist in his creation. The Lorax pleaded with the Once-ler through the entire process, extrapolating the gravity of the situation he was to create and with greed in his eyes the Once-ler continued. After the last tree had been used to create the Once-lers last ‘thneed’ he shuts down his factories and his family leaves him as does the Lorax. The Lorax I feel could have also been symbolized as
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The Negative Force of Greed in Business the Once-lers conscience that he ignored. This story proves that greed is a negative influence on business-making because it blinds a person’s rational and objective side. Greed makes a person only think about themselves and how any action done through business will benefit them.
I believe in capitalism and what it promotes. We are the first country that allowed an individual to create their own economic freedom, but we mustn’t lose sight of the bigger picture.
Society as a whole is fragile and not everyone possess the same qualities; those in leadership should be put in check more often by the societal body. More questions should be asked and everyone should step up to find the answers. Greed is a by-product of wealth that can be eliminated if everyone becomes aware and knowledgeable of what is happening in our world.
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The Negative Force of Greed in Business
Plato (360 B.C.E.). Excerpt from The Republic . In C. M. Boardman & A. N. Sandomir (Eds.),
Foundations of Business Thought (2007, pp. 84-89). Boston: Pearson Custom
Publishing.
Rand, Ayn (1905-1982). Excerpt from Atlas Shrugged . In C.M. Boardman & A. N. Sandomir
(Eds.), Foundations of Business Thought (2007, pp. 95-98). Boston: Pearson Custom
Publishing.
Seuss, Dr. (1971). The Lorax . New York: Random House Publishing.
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