Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2003 13:47:38 -0800 (PST)
From: ALYESKA-AT-pseud.pseud
Subject: RE: M-INTRO: Right on GDA? or not?


I disagree.  I think that greed is a natural human
tendency that we all strive to overcome.  There are
examples of this all around us...why do little
children have to be taught to share?  Even cultures
void of materialist possesions manifest issues with
greed when foreign objects are introduced - the movie
the 'The Gods Must Be Crazy' is a great illustration
of this problem.  Although, I do tend to agree with
'Che' that the Capitalist system reinforces our
negative behaviors and allows greed to run rampant.


--- che-AT-pseud.pseud wrote:
> 
> 
> The argument that GDA brought up and that others
> have commented on seems
> to boil down to the old Nature vs. Nurture argument.
>  Are we born as
> greedy takers, or does the society we live in drive
> us to take or die?
> I think bsw8 brought up a good point, 
> 
> "Under capitalism and previous economic systems
> selfishness has been
> rewarded while selflessness had been punished
> (financially).  Therefore
> an individual under such a system has incentives to
> behave selfishly,
> this behavior isn't natural, it is learned.  Would
> individuals continue
> to behave so selfishly if such behavior wasn't
> rewarded and kindness
> wasn't punished?"
> 
> I believe that it is nurture, I don't believe that
> all humans are born
> with the innate tendency to steal, extort, or
> exploit, at the cost of
> other human beings.  But I do believe that it is in
> our nature to seek
> after rewards for our deeds, or seek after pleasure,
> and retreat from
> pain.  If we could see outside of ourselves and view
> the pain that comes
> from selfishness, and the pleasure that comes from
> giving, our society
> would change dramatically.
> 


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