The greed instinct is perhaps as old as Homo sapiens. In fact, greed characterizes this species exclusively in terms of recognizing it for what it is, because animals instinctively act or react to hunger or lust or anything without having the power to decipher this as ‘greed’, and if possible we would. I have also seen numerous rivalries, outbursts of envy, uprisings, and power struggles in the animal world. Greed is a simple five letter word, even shorter in some regional languages; but it encompasses innumerable fields of activity, not just limited to varieties of food and culinary delights. The greed for money has been historically significant, demonstrated in all eras until specifically modern civilization.

It influences human beings in their relationships both in the family and in the workplace, leading them to a sense of competitiveness and envy; it influences the human being in the basic male-female relationships that lead to subtle or obtuse expressions of lust that actually emanates from the greed for carnal pleasures; influences human beings in their marital relations in a vicious circle of mutual greed for position, income, clothing, etc.; it creates virtual earthquakes in the workplace where colleagues and bosses act or react in unprecedented ways, obviously driven by greed for promotions or absolute control or credit theft; the uncontrollable craving for alcoholic liquor that often results in skirmishes both in homes with family members and on the streets with friends or even strangers; and of course, the eternal hunger to eat – at home or in the always attractive outdoor clubs/restaurants/bars. Of course, we must distinguish between ‘eat to live’ and ‘live to eat’ impulses to avoid harmful generalizations.

The above examples must be considered extremely limited in view of the unimaginably expansive networks that greed can create and evolve. It can act both at the micro and macro levels, from nuclear families to international politics, strategies and wars. The basic operating instincts of hardcore criminals and terrorists also stem from greed; however, we will exclude this class from our treatment due to the rather ‘light’ nature of this piece. The importance of the ‘greed quotient’ is crucial when it comes to consequences. As we have already indicated, if the quotient is negligibly minimal, then greed operates on a subtle level without any visible adverse impact; and when the quotient is almost one hundred percent, then greed operates on an obtuse level that leads to family or social or even international unrest.

Again, in view of the ‘light’ nature of this piece, we will limit ourselves to expressions or acts of greed in relation to the food sector only. Considering the extent of humanity’s civilization, greed should only exist for cooked or ready-to-eat foods, thus excluding raw varieties, barring some of the vegetables and of course, fruits. However, this cannot be seen as a conclusive statement. When we go to the fish or meat markets we can’t avoid touching and pressing the raw pieces to test the ‘quality’, basically for mental rest; but there are others whose greed quotient should be on the higher side, putting your fingers on raw fish or meat, squeezing it, and then licking your fingers, perhaps to sample its potential deliciousness.

In the fields of apparel, cosmetics, fashion, and consumer durables, it is extremely difficult to disentangle the greed quotient from other factors such as necessity, glamour, consumerism, and choices. But, of course, we can trust this indicator: the higher the number of unnecessary purchases, mainly of luxuries and expensive items, the higher the value of the greed quotient. Therefore, it is not surprising to find caricatures of human beings in terms of clothing or cosmetics or the lack thereof everywhere, the foundation of which is deeply rooted in the greed factor.

Going out for lunch or dinner at coveted restaurants—from one to five or six stars—isn’t always based on greed. Sometimes it’s a matter of weekend or vacation habits, sometimes it’s to be free from the constant commitment of cooking and other times it’s just for pleasure where greed can come into play. When we find large crowds waiting for hours in front of restaurants known for gourmet delicacies in the dead of night, it is clearly a case of higher or very high greed quotient values.

A fierce sense of competition with neighbors, colleagues, and family makes unfortunate changes in greed quotient values. The famous advertising slogan of yesteryear ‘the envy of the neighbours, the pride of the owners’ was perhaps a direct accomplice of unfavorable values ​​in the greed quotient. If a neighbor buys an expensive luxury item or a car, you feel compelled to do the same, even risking a financial crisis. The same is true for expensive fashion suits and a variety of other durable consumer goods, and also for leisure travel that might otherwise have been avoided.

During unusual times like war or a long-running pandemic, the ‘suppressed greed quotient’ syndrome arises, and when things seem to be returning to normal, there is an upward explosion in values, leading to patterns. abnormal behavior. and violations of rules and regulations. Concerned governments react in ways based on their values, in fact. Speaking more positively, this ‘repressed greed’ or even normal greed does not affect the poor and lower middle classes as much as the rich classes, and this is a boon to those in need, saving them from further suffering.

Let’s conclude this article with a nice story about a shy and introverted young man who was having dinner at his uncle’s house one night. There was a delicious egg curry prepared by his aunt. The young man was savoring his food, eating the curry-soaked rice licking his fingers, smacking his lips until only the whole egg remained on his plate. His uncle was noticing the procedures of the young man’s eating pattern. Suddenly, the uncle exclaimed: “My God! You didn’t eat the egg! Don’t you like it?” and before the poor man could reply, the uncle picked up the egg and popped it into his mouth in one movement, both cheeks bulging in pure chewing pleasure. The young man looked stunned, horrified, and utterly distraught. He had expertly preserved the whole egg, resisting the urge to eat it whole or in parts right away, for a delicious finish.