Greed has proven to be a more effectively harmful force against humanity than hatred. We should have greed crimes in addition to hate crimes. - eviltoast

Hatred often makes you want to hurt people, but people hurt peope in the name of greed more often, and not only with less potential for guilt, but is often the cause of delusional accolades and reassurance both from within oneself and from others.

Hypothetical:

A CEO lays off 10,000 employees that helped that company succeed, solely to increase earnings and not because the company is hurting, not only seriously hurting 9,997 people, but causing 3 to commit suicide.

A bumpkin gets in a fight with someone he hates the melanin of because he’s a moron and kills them.

Who did more damage to humanity that day? They’re both, I want to say evil but evil is subjective, they’re both highly antisocial, knowingly harmful behaviors, yet one correctly sends you to prison for a long time if not forever, while the other, far more premeditated and quite literally calculated act, is literally rewarded and partied about. Jim Kramer gives you a shout out on tv, good fucking times amirite!

Edit: and this felt relevant to post after someone tried to lecture me about equating layoffs to murder.

“Coca-Cola killed trade unionists in Latin America. General Motors built vehicles known to catch fire. Tobacco companies suppressed cancer research. And Boeing knew that its planes were dangerous. Corporations don’t care if they kill people — as long as it’s profitable.”

https://jacobin.com/2020/01/corporations-profit-values-murder-culture-boeing

  • GreenMario@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    When I hoard it’s a mental illness.

    When billionaire hoards he’s just successful.

    Bullshit

    • AllonzeeLV@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 year ago

      Hoards newspapers

      People harmed: themselves

      Society’s Verdict: Mentally ill

      Hoards capital

      People harmed: innumerable exploited employees deprived of receiving most of the value they produce.

      Society’s Verdict: virtuous job creator, titan of industry, esteemed member of the business community, role model

      • SCB@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Capital cannot be hoarded, or it loses value. The entire existence of capital is tied to its use.

        Jeff Bezos does not have a vault full of money

          • SCB@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Lmao it really isn’t. You have been lied to.

            If Bezos had a vault full of cash, he would be poor. His wealth is tied to his assets, and his biggest asset is the best logistics company in human history.

            Hate Bezos all ya want, but his wealth is not in cash or gold or any other hoardable thing.

            • aesthelete@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              The guy’s got multiple mega yachts and private planes. Just because it’s not all in a literal huge Scrooge McDuck vault you think this isn’t hording? Even buying a few mansions is a form of hording wealth.

              Don’t bother replying btw because I’m not really interested in an extended exchange with someone who is this big of shill or an intentionally ignorant person until they take steps to educate themselves.

              • SCB@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                Mega yachts and private planes provide many jobs, so how exactly is that hoarding? Rich people spending money is the literal exact opposite of “hoarding wealth.”

            • Eldritch@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              Oh wow. Indoctrinated much? That’s literally all wrong. In fact the dictionary defines Capital as…

              wealth in the form of money or other assets owned by a person or organization or available or contributed for a particular purpose such as starting a company or investing.

              Bezos is found is literally in a lot of those horrible things. Granted there is a lot of perceived value in his company. But even if that went belly up today he would still be a wealthy man.

              • SCB@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                contributed for a particular purpose such as starting a company or investing

                You really shouldn’t have skimmed that line.

                Also nothing you described is “horrible.”

                • HaggierRapscallier@feddit.nl
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                  1 year ago

                  available or contributed for a particular purpose such as starting a company or investing

                  You missed the two words prior m8.

                • Eldritch@lemmy.world
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                  1 year ago

                  I didn’t skim it. I read it with full reading comprehension of someone not indoctrinated is all. You can have political capital. Assets of any kind can also be capital. Even if you don’t give them away or use them up.

                  And I’m here to tell you. If you don’t think all the theft that bazos has perpetuated. Leaving people homeless and starving. Millions of others without housing or food security. All so he can ride penis shaped Rockets. Etc isn’t horrible. That’s your problem.

        • pinkdrunkenelephants@sopuli.xyz
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          1 year ago

          What he actually has are stocks in his company and other companies that are worth billions, that’s all. And rich people like him simply take out loans against their stocks and live off of the loan money. Part of the reason why they do everything to raise stock prices regardless of cost: they need more collateral to roll the loans over year after year.

          Rich people are not actually rich. They don’t actually have cash on hand like that.

          Actually most businesses aren’t really profitable like that either.

          The U.S. isn’t even as wealthy as it claims to be, not by a long shot.

          • SCB@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I mean that’s still actual wealth, but yes billionaires tend to be significantly more cash-poor than is believed.

            He’s worth a lot of money. He does not have a lot of money. Important difference.

          • SCB@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            So then you don’t actually care about how the economy works, and are just mad you don’t have as much stuff

            I appreciate you admitting it to yourself.

            • Alien Nathan Edward@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              “That’s how capitalism works.”

              “You’re right. But that’s a dumb way to do things, we should try something else.”

              “No dude you just don’t understand how capitalism works.”

              I don’t want more. I’m doing fine. I want the family where two people are working four jobs and still don’t have a month’s rent in the bank to have more. I want the money I kick into the community kitty to go to them, rather than funding multiple private space programs for multiple billionaires.

              • SCB@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                Idk if you’re the dude i was responding to but that is the opposite of what that person claimed to care about.

                Anyway, all of those things can be done without socialism, and I actually know for a fact that the best method is to not kneecap your economic system and just change your social safety nets. Taxing people and using it for social services is not socialism.

                Privatization of space is absolutely a good thing tho and we should subsidize the fuck out of it while still remaining revenue-positive over running the programs ourselves.

                NASA has done more amazing shit since that privatization than in like 3 decades before it, and their goals are only increasing. It’s really worked out. I was extremely unhappy when the policy was enacted but I’m happy to admit I was wrong and Obama was right.

    • Zirconium@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      1st one is Detrimental to your physical and mental health 2nd one is Detrimental to the environment and maybe their mental health (by having no relatable friends)

  • SadSadSatellite@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    That’s actually a fantastic way to word what I’ve been thinking about for years. Greed crimes.

    I don’t know where you’re from, but as an American, I’d rally for that to be an amendment.

      • MinekPo1 [She/Her]@lemmygrad.ml
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        1 year ago

        Not to blow out your flame, but I doubt you will be able to succeed through a “democratic” system, especially in the US, as politicians need corporate backers to get a seat. Besides, even if you get one independent representative, their voice, so your voice as well, will be snuffed out by several politicians using the hot topic of the day to rally support from masses, while passing bills which benefit their corporate backers.

  • dylanmorgan@slrpnk.net
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    1 year ago

    I think this will be a pretty popular opinion here, but in society at large it’s definitely unpopular.

  • Changetheview@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Some historical perspective as it relates to greed:

    During some of the United States’ most prosperous times, the marginal income tax rates were higher (topping out around 90%!) and executive compensation was no more than ~20x the average worker pay.

    Now, marginal tax rates and capital gains rates are so low, the wealthy often pay the lowest effective rates (sometimes less than 10%). And executive pay is simply off the charts at 300x, 500x, even 700x median pay.

    https://www.epi.org/publication/ceo-compensation-2018/

    The problem is greed and its manifestation as tax and corporate policy. Basic tax reform and implementing new corporate regulations can and would fix many issues plaguing this country.

    Those in poverty would be lifted out by higher wages and adequate social safety nets. The growth of a thriving middle class creates a premier labor force, allows people to innovate and start new businesses, and creates additional private support networks that reduces stress on government programs.

    It even helps the elite by letting them live in a prosperous country where they don’t have to step over people dying in the streets to go to their entertainment spots. Theft and crimes of desperation decrease as stability increases. Labor is more educated and healthy. They don’t have to drive on roads with defunct bridges. On and on.

    We are all in this together. It’s time to act like it. We’ve done it before and we can do it again.

  • oo1@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    they’re bothsupposedly “deadly sins”; i’m just not sure if it isn’t people other than the sinners who get the death part of the deal.

    • SCB@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      “deadly” in this case, means these sins put you at risk o losing eternal life.

  • ToasterOverlord@feddit.uk
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    1 year ago

    Greed has often been described as equally evil to hate. As Robert Frost put it:

    Some say the world will end in fire,

    Some say in ice.

    From what I’ve tasted of desire

    I hold with those who favor fire.

    But if it had to perish twice,

    I think I know enough of hate

    To say that for destruction ice

    Is also great

    And would suffice.

    • lingh0e@lemmy.film
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      1 year ago

      Not really. If there’s a known defect in a product that has the potential to severely impact the quality of a person’s life… and the company decides it’s cheaper to pay the lawsuits than proceed with a recall… that’s greed.

      Any time profit takes precedence over the customers health and well-being… that’s fucking greed.

  • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I mean since we’re making up arbitrary numbers why doesn’t that bumpkin have a handy firearm? Should raise their number to more than 3.

  • simin@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    not sure if related but a lot of ancient cultures have many rules to hold back envy for a more stable society. they can be very exterme leading to say the recent mask protest in iran but current culture might be the other extreme so to speak.

  • bouh@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Greed has been made the only power/drive of society. That’s why. Capitalism is as bad as sith, it’s just a different driver.