The Greed Quotient!
The instinct of greed is perhaps as old as Homo sapiens. In fact, greed characterizes this species exclusively in terms of recognizing it as it is, because animals act or react instinctively to hunger or lust or anything without having the power to decipher this as ‘greed’, and if possible we would. I have also seen numerous rivalries, outbursts of envy, uprisings and power struggles in the animal world. Greed is a simple five-letter word, even shorter in some regional languages; but it covers innumerable fields of activity, not only limited to the varieties of food and culinary delights. Greed for money has been historically significant, demonstrated throughout the ages up to and including modern civilization.
It influences human beings in their relationships both in the family and in the workplace leading to a sense of competition and envy; it influences the human being in the basic male-female relationships that lead to subtle or obtuse expressions of lust that actually emanates from the greed for carnal pleasures; influences human beings in their marital relationships in a vicious circle of mutual greed for position, income, clothing, etc.; it creates virtual earthquakes in workplaces where colleagues and bosses act or react in unprecedented ways, obviously driven by the desire for promotions or by absolute control or by the theft-appropriation of credits; the uncontrollable greed for alcoholic liquor that often results in skirmishes both in homes with family members and on the streets with friends or even strangers; and of course, the eternal greed for eating – at home or in the always attractive open-air clubs/restaurants/bars. Of course, we must distinguish between the ‘eat to live’ and ‘live to eat’ impulses to avoid damaging generalizations.
The above examples must be considered extremely limited in view of the unimaginably expansive networks that greed can create and evolve. It can act both at the micro and macro levels, from nuclear families to international politics, strategies and wars. The basic instincts in the operations of die-hard criminals and terrorists also emanate from greed; however, we will exclude this class from our treatment due to the rather ‘lightweight’ nature of this piece. The importance of the ‘greed coefficient’ is crucial when it comes to consequences. As we have already indicated, if the ratio is negligibly small, then greed operates on a subtle level without any visible adverse impact; and when the quotient is almost one hundred percent, then greed operates on an obtuse level leading to family or social or even international unrest.
Once again, in view of the ‘lightweight’ nature of this piece, we will limit ourselves to expressions or acts of greed in relation to the food sector only. Considering the extent of mankind’s civilization, greed should exist only for cooked or ready-to-eat foods, thus excluding raw varieties, save for some of the vegetables and of course fruits. However, this cannot be seen as a conclusive statement. When we go to the fish or meat markets we cannot avoid touching and pressing the raw pieces to test the ‘quality’, basically for mental rest; but there are others whose greed quotient must be on the higher side, putting their fingers on raw fish or meat, squeezing it, and then licking their fingers, perhaps to sample their potential deliciousness.
In the fields of apparel, cosmetics, fashion, and consumer durables, it is extremely difficult to separate the greed quotient from other factors such as necessity, glamour, consumerism, and choice. But, of course, we can rely on this indicator: the higher the number of unnecessary purchases, mainly luxuries and expensive items, the higher the value of the greed quotient. Therefore, it is not surprising to find caricatures of human beings in terms of clothing or cosmetics or the lack thereof everywhere, the foundation of which is deeply rooted in the greed factor.
Going out for lunch or dinner at coveted restaurants — from one-star to five- or six-star — isn’t always based on greed. Sometimes it’s a matter of weekend or holiday habits, sometimes it’s to be free from the constant commitment of the kitchen and other times it’s just for pleasure where greed can come into play. When we find large crowds waiting for hours at restaurants known for their gourmet delights in the dead of night, it is clearly a case of higher or very high values of the greed quotient.
A fierce sense of competition with neighbors, colleagues, and family members makes unfortunate changes in greed quotient values. The famous advertising slogan of yesteryear ‘neighbours’ envy, homeowners’ pride’ was perhaps a direct accomplice to the unfavorable values in the greed quotient. If a neighbor buys an expensive luxury item or a car, you feel compelled to do the same, even risking a financial crisis. The same applies to expensive fashion suits and a variety of other consumer durables, and also to leisure trips that might otherwise have been avoided.
During unusual times like war or a pandemic that goes on for a long time, the ‘repressed greed coefficient’ syndrome arises, and when things seem to be getting back to normal, there is an upward explosion in values, leading to patterns of abnormal behavior. and violations of rules and regulations. The governments concerned react in a way based on their values, in fact. Speaking more positively, this ‘repressed greed’ or even normal greed does not affect the poor and lower middle classes as much as the rich classes, and this is a boon to the needy, saving them from further suffering.
Let’s conclude this article with a beautiful story of a shy and introverted young man who was having dinner one night at his uncle’s house. There was a delicious egg curry prepared by his aunt. The young man was savoring his food, eating the curry-soaked rice licking his fingers, smacking his lips until only the whole egg was left on his plate. His uncle was noticing the proceedings of the young man’s eating pattern. Suddenly, the uncle exclaimed, “My God! You haven’t eaten the egg! Don’t you like it?” and before the poor man could answer, the guy scooped up the egg and popped it into his mouth in one motion, both cheeks bulging in sheer chewing pleasure. The young man looked stunned, horrified, and completely distraught. He had preserved the whole egg deftly, resisting the urge to eat it whole or in parts right away, for a delicious finish.