Greed and Craving

 

Why do we have a multitude of exploitative manmade problems facing our nation? For instance, when it comes to income in the United States, according to the Federal Reserve in 1990, white households owned 90.7% of household wealth in United States whereas black households owned 3.8% and Hispanic households owned 2.1%. These numbers have changed little over the past 30 years. White households now own 85.5% of wealth in 2019, black households own 4.2% and Hispanic households own 3.1%. Income inequality in the US is the greatest compared to all other 67 nations according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Moreover the wealth gap between America’s richest and poorest families have more than doubled from 1989 to 2016. Further, middle-class incomes have grown at a slower rate than upper tier incomes over the past five decades. This disquisition focuses on the disastrous effects of neoliberalism capitalism from a psychological and physical health point of view.

Sigmund Freud identified the impact of parents on the psychological development of their offspring. Subsequently, Neo-Freudian Erich Fromm in” Escape from Freedom “penetrated socioeconomic conditions in society that contribute to man’s character.

In our economic system, capital and wealth are the master drive of economic actions. Within these actions are drives for power, success, prestige and material gains. They become ends in themselves. To pursue, to amass, to have, to accumulate capital and things become the pursuit regardless of cost. With accumulation results in possession and ownership. Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall” comes to mind. Fences, as it protects ownership, become barriers that separate and result in aggression between individuals.

Examples of the irrational are found in clichés.  What’s mine is mine, new is better than old, and its state-of-the-art are illustrations. Research has found that money alone does not bring happiness or well-being. However, greed and drive to have, to possess is an irrational passion fueled, chased, pursued and expertly reinforced by our society. It is our society.

 We are told to attend college yet, student loan debt in the United States totals 1.68 trillion and grows over 6 times faster than the nation’s economy. 42.3 million Americans with federal student loan debt each owe an average of $36,520 for their federal loans. Going to the right college or university is too expensive for most. Being left out means just that-left out.

Another example of exploitation can be found in the Fortune 500 companies of which 90 pay no Federal income tax. Taxes are for whom? 

During an earlier time, there was skilled labor and the laborer determined and had control over the selling of his merchandise. He was alive and productive. Today, things are very different in the work world.  Huge corporations are amassing more and more capital. The profits are put back into the Corporations with huge CEO monetary packages, while worker income levels have either decreased or become stagnant. In fact, corporations do not want to pay “benefits “to their workers so they hire them part-time. For example, Save Mart Supermarkets has 250 locations in Northern California and Northern Nevada. It has 23,000 employees and had a $4.6 billion revenue in 2019. When hiring a part-time worker, the new worker is encouraged and directed to apply for food stamps assistance.

Some of my friends have been or are employed by corporations or the State of California. Everyone, when near retirement, counted the number of days for their release. It’s like they had a sentence and were waiting for their freedom. Although happy to be employed, with great benefits compared to unemployed, they were neither excited nor fulfilled with their job. They were dependent and a cog in a large wheel that continues to go round and round. Being bored, non-fulfilled and helpless in their situation, they had no control and submit by going along with salary; hours of employment; benefits; time off , vacation length ; and working conditions that has been decided by anonymous sources. Their world, in their place of employment, is very small compared to the gigantic anonymous system in which they exist.

Within neoliberalism capitalism, the individual is not only expected, a contradiction, to be the master of his fate but also expected to become successful. Is work and employment success based on intelligence, diligence, education, courage, thrift, luck etc.? Or, is it just an illusion that’s propagated by the powerful system? The worker has become more dependent on the system that discriminates according to color of skin. In our society, success has been defined by the amount of capital accumulated and the number of items able to be acquired for possession. However, amassing capital in today’s society is related to the laws of the market; the profit motive; corporation greed; technical improvements; artificial intelligence; and in the hands of the employer. It’s the employer that has the power. No longer is the worker the captain of his ship as there’s too many variables in which he can’t control. He is the alienated captive slave dependent irrespective of the cliché rising from rags to riches.

The rich powerful elite control the corporations, political and educational system, the schools and colleges, the church, the press, the theater etc. The rich have the prestige with egoism in the pursuit of their own self interests. Their personal goals are stronger than their moral considerations. However, selfishness is not self-love and greed is a bottomless pit. It can never be satisfied nor filled. It’s not getting enough, missing something, and being deprived and therefore entitled. These individuals are clearly not fond of themselves and exhibit a deep disliking of self. They lack inner security or satisfaction. They are alienated and narcissistic. Narcissism and selfishness overcompensates for the loss of basic self-love. They can neither love self nor others. To compensate, they have created a social self. One’s social self is a role the individual plays in society. Realistically it’s a disguise for a true or authentic social functioning in that society. Further, modern selfishness and greed is rooted in the development of their real self and in full view of others.

Within our achievement oriented economic system, it’s common to experience anxiety and/or fear accompanied by the strong drive and need for affiliation and affection. With this dynamic, the need for power, prestige and possession becomes activated as a result. It’s the component of obtaining reassurance against the anxiety which, in large part, is a result of the external stressful circumstance of neoliberalism capitalism. One can obtain this reassurance when one loosens the contact with others by fortifying one’s own position. Also, coupled with the reassurance against this anxiety is a means of releasing repressed hostility. In essence, the outcome or outgrowth of the need for power results in the behavior of dominating, controlling, being in charge of all others and in all situations with authority. It’s a bossy attitude of getting one’s own way as well as always being right and never apologizing or giving in.

With the desire for prestige, the individual has to be admired by all and everyone. Of course, acquiring wealth gives that sense of power and prestige. Further, one’s attitude and behavior tends to be dismissive and vindictive. With the need for possession, is the drive not only of acquiring money but also exhibiting a possessive and depriving attitude toward others. Cheating, stealing from, manipulating others are typical and common behaviors as well. This individual has to be the winner at all costs and cannot tolerate being a loser. Clearly, these needs are not only examples of egoism but examples of moving against others with the behavioral tendency to domineer, humiliate, exploit, and deprive. On the other hand, these individuals have a great earning capacity and turn those irrational behaviors into profitable channels. The expression “the one with the most toys wins” fits here. It’s up to you to figure out the ridiculousness of that statement.

Today’s worker is angry, alienated, insignificant, alone, conforms, discouraged and powerless to control and master his future. It’s not surprising that many have not done well in the system. The rich and powerful have created the Coliseum so we can watch brutality between players, teams etc. They have created numerous other avenues to escape like movies, TV, video games, alcohol, drugs, “exotic vacations,” assault weapons, fast cars etc.

Take the David vs. Goliath Biblical story and Bond movies that have the same theme repeated over and over again. One individual with a hand gun against the magna forces of evil and hate. But with a gorgeous female, one individual succeeds at the end and saves the world in the process. Little guy or underdog beats big guy that’s hates. Just as in real life?

Some of the consequences of being psychologically cut off, being self-destructive, feeling helpless to make change, being discouraged or stuck, being dependent and/or trapped in the system, and limited opportunity for future are related to the following statistics: 1. 2013, 26% of male deaths in the US were due to heart disease; nearly 33% of men 20 years and older had hypertension; and close to 36% of men 20 years and older were obese 2. In 2020, there were 20.6% drug deaths per 100,000 population; 7,350 premature deaths before age 75 per 100,000 population; and 14.8% suicide deaths per 100,000. 3. Covid-19 is the third leading cause of death for persons aged 45 through 84 years; individuals 45 years of older are more likely to die from Covid- 19 than from chronic lower respiratory disease, transport accidents, drug overdose, suicide or homicide.

 The demand for psychotherapy services has exploded. The demand for depression treatment, prior to the pandemic, has tripled. Lower economic and social resources, and greater stressors such as job loss are some factors contributing for depression. In 2020, there were nearly 20,000 Americans killed by gun violence with Alabama and Alaska leading the way. In 2019 there were 85,688 liver disease deaths among individuals ages 12 and older; 43.1% involved alcohol. The US adult obesity rate stands at 42.4% and the national adult obesity rate has increased by 26% since 2008.

Yes, one can argue about the importance of the mind-body dynamic and treatment. In our “healthcare” system, third-party payers or insurance companies dictate coverage. Keep in mind that profit for the company is the primary goal and not the health of the insured.  As far as psychotherapy reimbursement is concerned, the insurance company defines coverage based on “medical necessity.” Translated, this means if the presenting problem can be treated with a pill, and limited to a few sessions, psychotherapy benefits can be covered. For instance, symptoms of depression and anxiety are considered medical necessity while symptoms related to marital relationships, school under achievement, employment issues are not covered for payment. In other words, treat the symptom that has developed and assist with the adjustment to the insaneness of the person’s life space. Assisting the individual to fully develop intellectually, morally and interpersonally is not important or a medical necessity. Yes, help that person, as quickly as possible, get him back in the situation that caused maladjustment. There are sharks in the water, help him learn to swim faster.

Yet, God warned about the evils of hoarding, greed and possessiveness in the Old Testament. Abraham was told to give up his country “go from your country and your kindred in your father’s house to the land that I will show you.”(Genesis 12:1). Abraham did so and went into the unknown. Yet, his descendants settled on a soil and new clannishness developed which led to more bondage, becoming rich and powerful while becoming “slaves.” They also lost their vision of one God and began to worship idols. These gods are the rich which turned later into their masters.

Moses liberated his people by taking them into the desert. The desert symbolizes home without cities; absence of riches; and is the place of nomads who owned what they need, and what they need are the necessities of life not possessions. God promises to feed them: in the morning with “bread,” in the evening with quail. God adds “and the people of Israel did so; they gathered, some more, some less. But when the measured it with an omer, he that had gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little have no lack; each gathered according to what he could eat.” (Exodus 16:17-18). The people of Israel were enjoined not to save anything till the next morning. “But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and became foul; and Moses was angry with them. Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. (Exodus 16:20-21).

The New Testament adds to the notion fellowship and not possessing. In essence, the people must liberate themselves from all greed and cravings for possession. They must totally liberate themselves from the structure of having and possessing. These ethical norms are rooted in sharing and solidarity. See (Matthew 5:39-42; Luke 6:29 f.; 32-36). A concern for other human beings and complete surrender of all selfishness can be found in (Matthew 7:1-5; Luke 6:37 f.; 41 F.). Further, is the renunciation of property and warning against collecting riches: “do not layup yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but layup yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal? For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 12:33 f.) Ideas from the past are insightful and valid regarding behavior. They were cognizant about the evils of having, possessing, controlling, exploiting, chasing false idols etc.

Capitalism is great for contributing in the development of egoism, greed, exploitation and selfishness. This system is also deleterious to the planet by the raping, the extraction, and the pollution of resources. Further, too many others are affected by physical and psychological impairments related to the system. The crazy statistics regarding income inequality, guns, killing, wars, depression, divorce, obesity, suicide, military spending, hate, hostility, selfishness etc. cannot be ignored. The sins of capitalism (greed, hate, profit, exploitation, having, possessing) are contributing to our society’s decline. Perhaps, 40 years in the desert to rid oneself of Satan’s material consumption influences is a solution?

PS

Buddha stated that greed and craving causes human suffering, not enjoyment.