Choose to be Greedy
Oh. My. God-he didn’t just say them words-did he!?
He did, he really did. He needs to be stopped before he goes too far.
Call the ummm…internet police or something. “Choose to be greedy?!” Who the hell does he think he is?
I’m going to stop following the bastard on Twitter.
I’m sending him hate mail on Twitter.
I’m burning effigies of him on Youtube.
Well I’m definitely not poking the shit-head on Facebook any more, that’s for sure!
Greetings! This week I was very happy and honoured to be mentioned on two blogs that I blooming love reading! Lovely fellow native (although she is a Southerner 
) Sarah Robertson is doing a series of interviews for travellers in savings mode and I happily obliged to answer her questions. Click here if you would like to read the interview.
Sarah and her boyfriend, Alan are five weeks away from embarking on a jealousy-inducing trip, leaving London for several months in South-East Asia and several more months in South America. Cool trip huh? Oh no…that’s not the end of it. These two are HUNGRY FOR MORE and are finishing off their adventure in…no. I take it back. Their adventure will not be ending, it will be ongoing. After the jaunt around the two continents they have booked a one-way ticket to the beautiful country of New Zealand! Greedy girl! I’m itching to read about their trip and it will also keep me selfishly informed because these are places I strongly desire to go to.
Thai food, Tango and tantalising countryside. Yes please!
Head over the water to the land of mounties and ice hockey and you’ll find the delightful Canadian, Patricia Taylor. Patricia gave me a shout out in her recent post about the struggle of belief and you can click here if you would like to read it.
Patricia decided that “enough was enough” after working soul-destroying 16 hours a day, every day and is now completely self-sufficient and free from the constraints of a boss. But of course, this didn’t happen over night. She got greedy and decided there was more to life than the one she had found herself living. After breaking free from her job, self-sufficiency was not enough for this lass-oh no! Escaping her miserable job was just the start of her greed and she now devotes to having an adventure every single month and writes about them to inspire others. Constantly striving, wanting, learning, growing and desiring. She’s a greedy lass too. Despicable.
But greed is always a bad thing, right?
*Holds head in hands and shakes head.*
As soon as you hear the word ‘greed’, what do you think of? Personally I think of a morbidly overweight person continuing to over-eat and kill themselves, or an evil billionaire screwing over poor people for more pennies with an evil cackle. Something along them lines. I am definitely not an advocate of obesity nor am I a fan of unethical money-making. What’s the point of greed if it’s going to kill you or ruin other peoples lives? I went to a Catholic school and am very aware that it is seen as one of the “seven deadly sins” by Christians.
Like many things in life, greed is a misunderstood concept and sometimes choosing to be greedy (within reason) can be a very good choice. It can be the difference between feeling alive or feeling miserable. It can be the difference between life or death; why do you think human beings have evolved millions and millions of years to run the planet? Because we are greedy by nature.
“Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals.”
(Aristotle, Ancient Greek Philosopher)
Well said. If Aristotle was alive right now, I’d so be stalking him on Twitter. Since the dawn of man we have been genetically modified to be greedy and to constantly want more in order to survive. You wouldn’t be sitting here now if your ancestors weren’t so greedy. Imagine that: “I could go and kill a Woolly Mammoth or invent the wheel so our family can live and breed, darling-but I don’t want to be greedy now!”
Why do you think so many people are miserable and disillusioned with life? I believe it’s because we have all of that good kind of greed in our DNA but we also have the guilt that goes along with it. Do you know what I mean? I’m a perfect example of why my internal greed can conflict with outer guilt. I was born in England, one of the most developed countries in the whole entire world with a free health-care system. Speaking of health-that’s always been fantastic too; so far so so so good. I was raised by two great women who have loved me and supported me all throughout my life. (No my mother’s not a lesbian, the other one was my Gran!) I have a job and as of recently-no debt. What more could I want?
There’s probably a lad in Zimbabwe the same age as me, who would swim through an ocean of crap to be in my position. How can I justify wanting more when I’ve been so lucky in comparison? It’s questions like this either inside our head or from external sources that have the ability to make us feel guilty. So here’s what you do: Recognise that you have been lucky so far and that you have been dealt a good hand. Choose to be grateful but also choose to be greedy. It’s you prerogative as a human being. Why not counter-act the two? Use your greed and strive to live a better, prosperous and fruitful life while helping others who have not been as lucky as you? It’s very possible, your limits exist only in your confused, greedy mind
At the end of the day, there will always be somebody who disagrees with what you do. You can’t please everyone and you really shouldn’t try.
What if people like Sarah and Patricia didn’t allow themselves to be a little greedy? What if Patricia carried on with the 16 hours a day grind? Surely it’d have an affect on her sanity and life expectancy! Sarah would be miserable in London, watching life pass her by with an unnerving sense of not being true to herself. She’d probably be one of these bitter old people who stabs footballs when it lands in their garden or something like that, nobody likes a football stabber.
The definition of ‘greed’ is; ‘an excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs.’ Only YOU should get to choose what you need in life, but as long as it’s ethical-what’s the problem? We serve this world no purpose being a shrinking violet and we should never ignore or repress our innate desire to go for more. You can’t get what you want without being a little greedy.
So throw off the shackles of guilt.
Choose to strive when you feel stagnant.
Choose to go for the jugular when you’re antsy.
And when you’re not where you want to be in life; choose to be greedy.
About Anthony
I live for the moments you can't put into words, but I will at least try :)Featured
22 Responses to Choose to be Greedy
Oh, I would so be a football stabber. Also someone who surveys the world with my nose peering around the net curtain.
I think there need to be several definitions of greed. It’s probably very subejctive, but it seems you can have the kind which fosters ambitions, pushing you to want to achieve ever-more. Or you can have the kind which prompts needless consuming of clothes/food/televisions in a bid to validate your existence.
I personally don’t think English culture is great at encouraging us to strive for more. Whereas US culture is based on rags-to-riches stories, we’re more encouraged to ‘make-do’, Brits, in general, seem to not want to make too many waves or draw attention to ourselves.
But I agree entirely, we have to push the boundaries of comfort and expectation to further ourselves as a species. Otherwise, what’s the point in all this?
Sarah recently posted..Lottery-Funded Travel
hahaha. I think I’d be one of these old men who drink in working mens clubs and scorn on young lads dreams because I don’t want them having a better life than mine ever was.
Yes I was quite brave/reckless attempting to define greed in the way I was trying to. You make a good point about consumerism. Wanting 5 TV’s in one house wouldn’t raise an eyelid, but desperately seeking a better life abroad and wanting to leave your job makes some people think you’re a loonie.
So so so true about the US/UK thing, couldn’t agree anymore. Well I think that’s what we are here for but I don’t look down upon people who are happy with the simple life-I usually find it’s the other way round!
I agree with Sarah. The English culture is not encouraging at all even though they think they are. We constantly get told to do something with our life and then when we try there is some one at every turn ready to stick the knife in.
I don’t think English people are good at pushing the boundaries either, they like to play it safe. So what if it goes a*** over tit???? You pick yourself up and start again. Odds are that soon, one venture will not go a**** over tit and will hugely benefit your lifestyle and shape you as a person.
Great Post Anthony and off to read your interviews. BTW – Got your message on Twitter. Thanks for letting me know.
Natalie recently posted..Turkish Women – Meet A Mother Called Hatica
Thank you, Nat
I do honestly believe that English culture plays a part in the guilt of wanting more, and it’s interesting to here a fellow Brit who has travelled as much as you confirm it.
Don’t worry about saying “arse” on my blog, I swear quite a lot in my passionate posts
Hahaha…I definitely wasn’t expecting to see my name associated with the word greed, but when you put it that way…I am, without a doubt, shamelessly, deliciously, despicably GREEDY!!
And why not?
Makes my life WAY more interesting…way more delicious…way more pleasurable.
Definitely a life worth living.
Anthony – thank you for including me in such a great story…I’m honoured.
By the way, the image of the mountains – that looks like the Canada I know and love…either the coastal mountain range where I currently exist…or the Rocky Mtn Range. Am I wrong?
Patricia | Monthly Adventure recently posted..9 – I want to believe…
Haha delicious-what an excellent word to describe such a situation. No worries for the mention, Patricia.
I am sorry to burst your Canadian bubble, but that picture is in fact-New Zealand!
No bubble bursted here…New Zealand and British Columbia are renowned for being similar. That picture could have been taken here!
Mr. Burn’s from The Simpsons pops into my head when I picture greedy. There’s a huge difference in being ruthlessly greedy, and being greedy in the sense where you have goals and want to achieve them. I’m glad you brought up the guilt factor. I’m grateful for the opportunities and chances I’ve been given. But I certainly don’t want to waste this opportunity by feeling guilty for having it, and staying at home my whole life.
It’s interesting to hear you empathise with the guilt factor because I was wondering if it was just a British thing! Yes that was definitely what I was wanting to put across; that kind of greed is not a bad thing and I think you shouldn’t fight it.
No the guilt factor definitely isn’t just a British thing – although I’m Canadian and we have strong ties to Britain. But I think guilt is common in a lot of cultures, or at least with my family.
There is nothing wrong with being greedy if you are greedy for goals and helping. The problem with most people is the greed tend to lead to them hurting others to get what they want. People never seem to be happy when you are doing things they wish they could do.
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I couldn’t agree anymore
Thanks for posting
Nice twist. I do believe if you put greed in its proper prospective that you can achieve a nice balance. They say more money more problems. I wouldn’t having a few of those types of problems. You just can’t lose site on what’s really important.
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Hmmm more money more problems. I’m not sure the logic behind that because most peoples problems stem from lack of money! Money is important but I want to be rich in all areas of my life, because I’m greedy
Thanks for sharing!
Think about the people that win the lotto. All of a sudden every cousin and high school friend is coming to you with there hand out. No one bothers you win you don’t have anything, but as soon as you get something they expect the world from you. No more under the radar. More money, more problems.
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greedy choose anthony people patricia
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