Wrong. Greedy people, and others with negative traits that stand out in your minds, have become the focus for pessimists. Pessimism has become the primary focus for most people. It is especially bad in the US and other countries where the news media is more an outlet for entertainment than information. Blood, gore, sexual escapades, crime... these things sell. These are what you hear about most. These are what stick in your mind. I defy you to go interview 1000 people yourself (yes, believe it or not, this is possible to do, ask a couple of friends to help you if you need to) and find 10 that were mugged, car jacked, ripped off in a giant real estate scam, involved in corporate scandal, or had sex with their 14yo student within the past year. Go pick 10 strangers at random. Make a point of introducing yourself to them and get to know them at least a little. Then come back and tell me if you honestly believe that at least 6 of them were primarily greed motivated individuals. -Michael
As far as being "wrong" that is relative, but nevertheless... Some quick facts. http://www.osjspm.org/101_poverty.htm http://www.netaid.org/global_poverty/global-poverty/ And I defy YOU to go and ask 1000 people about their contribution to end world hunger or how many of them have donated to charity this year, or how many cars they drive, or how big their house is, the answers might surprise you. We are all driven by greed on a subconsious level. Here is an interesting article to read that will spare me time from re-inventing the wheel. http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0303-04.htm "...for a nation of believers whose patriotism is bound up with a sense of divine mission - how can you talk of a benign imperium, if that imperium is rotting at its core?"
You claimed that over 51% of the human population is driven by greed. My saying you are wrong has nothing to do with opinion... statistics aren't opinion. It is not subjective, it is not "You might be wrong if you look at it a certain way", it's simply you are wrong. So, are you trying to say that we have a problem with poverty is because most of the people in the world are greedy, and that it has nothing to do with mismanagement, wars, famine, and education? Or are you trying to say that since the world has over a 16% poverty rate, that the other 84% must be greedy? Again, you are equating both a lack of social conscience along with the desire to do well in life with greed. While the first definitely should be fixed, there is no problem with the second, and neither would fall under the definition of greed. Isn't this an article primarily about corporate greed and the 1% upper echelon? -Michael
mvandemar, I think you are missing the bigger picture. That 1% upper echelon is in charge of the 99% of the rest of us, thats my point. And that 1% runs on greed as its main power/driving force. You fail to see the bigger picture while focusing on statistics for the sake of the argument. And as far as your insult about me lacking "social conscience" I will not even waste my time to try to prove anything to you. Again, take what I said for what it is an opinion and leave it at that, I am not trying to stir a never ending relative debate.
The simple fact that americans are fat and overweight, and throw out edible food into the trash every single day - while millions of people worldwide including children and babies literally die of starvation - should tell you something. That fact that we have billions of dollars to waste blowing up Iraq but can't afford to feed the starving... should tell you something.
Bro, I'm not missing anything, and I'm sorry, but you still seem to be completely unable to follow what I'm saying, so this will be my last response to you on the subject. Your EXACT quote: was what I took issue with. Period. That's it. I did not say that the world was perfect, or that there was no greed in today's society. My problem was with your claim using the word "most". People who walk around with the attitude that "most" people are greedy, or generally bad people, discourage brotherly love and a having sense of harmony. Generally being negative towards others does not help things in the least. As far as who runs who, that's a different debate I don't want to get into here. You need to read what I said more carefully, I never said you were lacking in social conscience or anything of the sort. -Michael
That would be due to the fact you support each other because you're not bright enough to know when one of you is wrong, and so entrenched in the whole sheep mentality. I wouldn't be proud of that. -Michael
No, we're bright enough to know that each of us is right Ha, nice edit, saw it on the spy: I wouldn't either. Good thing you don't know what's in our heads ^_^
Btw, conservatives do disagree, and wildly. It just depends on the subject. I was just being facetious. For instance, are you a Creationist, do you believe that evolution is a mere myth? Do you believe that it should be taught in schools in science class? -Michael
compuXP please stop using your divisive methods they will not work here. I am not turning on anybody, quite the contrary I do enjoy mvandemar posts a lot. Just because we are having a discussion does not mean we are fighting or that our core principles are too different. As far as left right middle or top I consider myself to be simply me without any labels, it is you who labels people, seems like your kind seems to come up with all kinds of labels.
Kind if like all of jack abramoff's "friends"? Back to the topic: I dont think the guys in the thread are turning on each other, it's called a debate. If you dont talk over varying views, you will never find out how others think of the world. Feel free to try it instead of seeing everything as right or wrong. Even though I know by now I will never agree with a word you say, I still read all your posts and links to other stories to get a feel for all oppinions. Do yourself a favor, keep an open mind not thinking of the world in 2 groups, christian republicans and terrorists/supporter.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! ROFLMAO!!! That's a GOOD one! ... oh wait, did you actually expect him to do that...? -Michael
Yeah, just because someone supports the causes of terrorists, has the same talking points, makes them out to be victims, gives the credit for their deeds to others, etc, etc, etc, doesn't mean you support terrorists. It just means you are "open minded"
I'm a little confused here... we have tens of thousands of soldiers in Iraq and a few of them commit a crime (probably about the same criminal rate as here in the US) and all of a sudden all of them are rapists? Is every citizen in California a rapist because a gang in Compton raped a woman? It's not right that you hold a group to a different standard then you hold the rest of the world, just because you don't like them. Also, please look at what any other conquering nation has done to the conquered in world history... I think you will find we are by far the kindest and most fair conqueror. No massive pillaging, raping (see what the russians did to the germans at the end of ww2) or genocide? But I thought we were evil?