Driven By Desire: Greed Or Ambition? QC #138 

There's a thin line between greed and ambition. Sometimes, differentiating the two seems unlikely. But each is fueled by different motivating factors.

Recently, our office celebrated its 12th year anniversary with a small gathering. As we enjoyed refreshments, the General Manager noticing that I was taking only water while others were having beer and wine, thought it kind to let me have a pack of my favorite yoghurt, Hollandia yoghurt. However, what followed was a total display of greed.

One of my colleagues approached me and insisted on sharing my yoghurt. His idea was to mix it with his drink, claiming that it tastes better that way. Despite having multiple bottles of stout, he wasn't content, and even said that I shouldn't have a pack of yoghurt to myself that it's best to share. Imagine his entitlement to my single pack of yogurt.

Seeing how bent he was on sharing the yoghurt, I let him have some and he poured a good quantity, smiling mischievously in the process. To him, he has satisfied his taste buds without knowing that his actions was clearly a show of greed.

This experience taught me that greed knows no bounds. A greedy fellow would always show it wherever and whenever, without an iota of shame. It's not about need; it's about insatiable desire. Therefore,

Greed is simply an excessive or insatiable desire for more - whether power, position, wealth, or material gain, often at the expense of others or one's own well-being.

This constant craving for more can span from lack of contentment, dissatisfaction, envy or a sense of entitlement, etc.

On the other hand,

Ambition is the drive or desire to be productive, to succeed and achieve goals. Determination and hard work are the bedrock of ambition.

Ambition can sometimes morph into greed, but it's not often a guaranteed outcome. It all depends on the individual's values, motivations, and actions.

Greed often comes to the fore when one compromises their values or ethics while trying to achieve goals or attain success. In this situation, such individual may develop the "only-me mentality", and wouldn't mind stepping on others just to satisfy their greed.

Also, when ambition lays more emphasis on success or is overly focused on gaining external validation - to attain a certain status, to belong to a certain class, or amass wealth, etc., at the expense of others or one's well-being, that insatiable desire for more ultimately sets in.

To wrap it up, being ambitious is good, as it can lead to personal growth, progress, drive positive change and innovation when backed by strong value predisposition and a sense of responsibility. However, when these are lacking, greed ultimately sets in. Greed is destructive and can lead to exploitation, harm (mental health and general well-being plus relationships), and other social injustices.

Thank you for reading.

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