Asangba Tzudir
It is said that without greed we would still be living in the caves, but when it is left unchecked the insatiable desire for more and better material things only grows and gets more destructive.
Greed is a general characteristic feature going as far back to the times when human species began life, and with the evolution of times greed is further manifested even as societal values breaks down. This is quite an anthropological argument where the process of evolution favours the greedy people. And very unfortunately, greed does not simply come, but mostly at someone’s expense, and takes an ugly turn while greed comes in the disguise of success.
Recent incidences of ‘temporary’ constructions along certain National Highways in Nagaland and which is “viewed by many as a ploy to get compensation” has come as a moral shock revealing the heights of our moral compass. Conversely, a question may also be raised on the ‘commentators’ as to whether they would do differently if they too were in the landowners shoes, like going to the extent of giving their land for free for the sake of good roads.
Circumstances show that greed is a part of human nature, but going by the argument of mind as a tabula rasa (clean slate) where babies are born innocent and greedless and that society is behind humans becoming greedy. However, studies have shown that greed is inbuilt and with nurturing, greed seems to have gone overboard the material circumstances of life by hankering for more, than what is really needed.
As greed gets nurtured the human character becomes overly self centred, have an envious eye and thus sheds empathy and crosses the limit going to the extent of manipulation while leaving it to others to cope with the consequences.
Contextually, greed has become a syndrome and there is an urgent need to take a conscious journey to awaken the unconscious part of the mind to re-nurture the greed conditioned mind and unlearn the greed-loaded perspectives driven by emotions. Notwithstanding the human nature and the social conditioning and nurturing, change if at all, begins from within the mind and heart, and one that strives for a good life build not on greed but on the moral compass.
(Dr Asangba Tzudir writes a weekly guest editorial for The Morung Express. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
