So what is it about us Home sapiens? Embry and I have been adoptive parents to seven cats and one dog, two hamsters, two paraquets, and an untold number of goldfish and white mice and have not once observed the kind of outrageous behavior that the Tech Bros and other multi-billionaires have exhibited in amassing wealth–and protecting it– beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. When a dog or a cat–or for that matter practically any animal except for us humans–has gotten enough to eat, they step aside or move on. Sharing is not a problem. They do not hoard the food in a corner for themselves to eat at a later time like too many of us humans do. What is wrong with us?
Why do Tech Bros and other multi billionaires– including one whose net worth is now approaching $1 trillion dollars–need all this money? Does it make them happy to know that if they have countless billions stashed away that they have a rainy day fund to put food on the table during hard times? And are they happy? Certainly, Trump isn’t. Occasionally he manages a faint smile, but the dude is not a happy camper. Has anyone heard him laugh? His net worth has increased more than $1.5 billion since becoming president during his second term, but he seems angrier, meaner, nastier, and unhappier than ever.
So, of course, it is not about money per se but about power and self-worth and what money symbolizes. Beneath the veneer of power is often a deep seated insecurity. Perhaps we can fantasize what Trump would have been like if only he had had a better father.
The other mystery is why Trump’s MAGA base sticks with him. A lot of these people are working class people who have had to struggle from paycheck to paycheck. What do they see in a billionaire who boasts of his wealth and power? And what about the Christian Right, many of whom belong to evangelical churches? The fundamental message of Christianity is love and forgiveness and helping fellow human beings in need. How do they reconcile their religious convictions with the angry messages and actions of Trump, who is responsible for cutting off aid to poor countries, and tormenting, jailing and deporting immigrants, most of whom do not have a criminal record?
The question of the day therefore is this: Does greed “trump” love?
Here is what AI has to say about greed:
Self-Greed is an intense and selfish desire to acquire or possess more than one needs or deserves. It is characterized by an insatiable longing for wealth, power, food, or status, often at the expense of others.
• Acquisitiveness. An overwhelming urge to continuously gain more.
• Self-Interest. A focus on personal accumulation that ignores the needs of others.
• Inordinate Desire. Wanting things to a degree that is unnecessary or unfair. In Christian theology, greed (or avarice) is one of the seven deadly sins, seen as a “spiritual disease” that leads to further immoral behavior. In psychology it is often described as a “bottomless pit,” where the individual is never satisfied regardless of how much they acquire. While modern thought sometimes distinguishes it from healthy self-interest, excessive greed is viewed as a social inhibitor that can lead to financial scandals and unethical business practices.
So it appears that greed is part of the human condition. Our species appears stuck with it as a strange corollary of the evolutionary process. But are there ways for dealing with this problem now?
Here is the advice from AI as to how to deal with greed:
To counter greed, psychological and philosophical experts suggest shifting from an “accumulation” mindset to one of generosity and contentment. Counteracting greed involves identifying the root causes of your desires and actively practicing behaviors that prioritize community and self-awareness over material gain.
1. Cultivate Radical Generosity.
Generosity is the primary “antidote” to greed.
• Give Regularly: Habitual giving—whether it is a small weekly donation or volunteering time—creates “habitual karma” for letting go.
• Give Spontaneously: Practice “spontaneous dana” (donations) to break the rigid attachment to your resources.
• Share Credit: Greed isn’t just about money; practice giving away non-material things like credit for a success or a sincere compliment.
2. Practice Psychological Contentment.
Shifting your internal focus can silence the “never enough” impulse.
• Gratitude Practice: Actively thank God or life for what you already have to refocus on abundance rather than lack.
• Mindfulness: Use mindfulness to create space between a greedy impulse and your action. Observing the craving without acting on it allows you to see if it is filling a true need or an emotional void.
• Internal Goals: Replace external rewards (like wealth or status) with intrinsic values such as personal growth and community involvement, which lead to higher long-term well-being.
3. Work on self-Reflection.
• Understand Your roots: Introspect to identify what triggers your greed. Is it fueled by insecurity, a need for status, or early life deprivation?
• Define “Enough”: Pre-determine your lifestyle standards instead of letting social comparison dictate them.
• Seek Help: If greed feels overwhelming or causes significant life distress, therapists can provide cognitive behavioral techniques like “coach talk” to challenge and restate greedy thoughts.
Thanks, AI! (You are one smart dude.)
So maybe there is hope for changing some people who succumb to greed, but it is probably a long shot for the predicament we find ourselves in now, given the cast of characters running our government and influencing policy makers. Yet we can’t just throw in the towel. We have to resist with all we have and work hard to get the bums thrown out. The starting point is the 2026 mid-term election. Give generously to Democratic candidates and speak out. Love your neighbor. Practice random acts of kindness. The stakes have never been higher.
The Miser and His Gold
Once upon a time there was a Miser who used to hide his gold at the foot of a tree in his garden; but every week he used to go and dig it up and gloat over his gains. A robber, who had noticed this, went and dug up the gold and absconded with it. When the Miser next came to gloat over his treasures, he found nothing but the empty hole. He tore his hair, and raised such an outcry that all the neighbors came around him, and he told them how he used to come and visit his gold. ”Did you ever take any of it out?” asked one of them. “Nay,” said he, “I only came to look at it.” “Then come again and look at the hole,” said a neighbor; “it will do you just as much good.”
Wise fable. Thanks, Jim!