Greed
 

Posted By: <b>Lee Behrens</b><p>I just had to write about what I thought about the #1 problem in the Hobby, GREED. I find it curious because I would like to know who is greedy in this matter, the seller or the potential buyer. To me it is more the buyer because he obviously wants the item for less than what the seller is willing to sell the item for. The buyer now wants something cheaper than offered thus greedy, but the seller in the potential buyers eyes is greedy because he will not sell it for the price he is willing to pay. I believe that ownership of the item almost takes you out of the greedy side. I think the whole thing is a catch 22 situation and the ones crying greed are just sore losers.<BR><BR>My thought of the early morning<BR><BR>Lee

Greed
 

Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p>Greed is good. Greed works. Greed cuts through, clarifies and captures the essence of the creative spirit. Greed in all its forms...has marked the upward surge of mankind, and you mark my words, greed will not only save this company but also that other ailing company called the United States of America.<BR>--Gordon Gekko<BR><BR>Like it or not, we live in the free market. If you don't like card prices, don't collect them. That said, I think the VCBC survey was a bit misleading w/r/t "greed." I don't think the criticism was directed so much at the free market for cards (I don't think an honest transaction between buyer and seller can ever be characterized as greedy, and face it, we aren't going to suddenly all join hands, sing Kumbaya and stop making money--doesn't work--see Communism) as at all of the unscrupulous behavior inspired by greed. For example, I just bought 3 OJ cards based on scans that I strongly believe were manipulated to enhance the look of the cards, or at the very least were made with settings that enhanced the cards. I don't quibble with paying what I paid for the cards but I am very ticked at the dealer who sold them to me for using scans that did not fairly represent the condition of the cards.

Greed
 

Posted By: <b>honus3415</b><p>Greed is a motive. <BR><BR>Whether it is "ownership" or the reason we "seek ownership", greed is the motive in 99.99% of ALL collecting. <BR><BR>These items have NO intrinsic value to physical human existence, only the artifical monetary value our GREED has defined for them. These items are like "BEADS" on a "NECKLACE". Each card/item is a material possession and with each acquisition our "necklace" becomes just a little bit more impressive to others. Thus providing us with some degree of artifical satisfaction.<BR><BR>Sure an argument can be made from the educational/historical aspect, but this looses it's foundation once private ownership is attached to the "bead".<BR><BR>It is human nature, from the time we are children to have "MINE". And until we rise to a higher level of existence, GREED will continue to motivate nearly every transaction to some degree.<BR><BR>I don't see it as a question of who's greedy - the buyer or the seller. But more as who's greediest and ends up with another bead for their necklace.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>

Greed
 

Posted By: <b>Judge Dred</b><p>Greed - An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth: “Many... attach to competition the stigma of selfish greed” (Henry Fawcett). <BR><BR>greed - \Greed\, n. [Akin to Goth. gr?dus hunger, Icel. gr[=a][eth]r. [root]34. See Greedy.] An eager desire or longing; greediness; as, a greed of gain.<BR><BR>greed - n 1: excessive desire to acquire or possess more (esp material wealth) than one needs or deserves 2: reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins) [syn: avarice, covetousness, rapacity, avaritia]<BR><BR><BR>If a person purchases a sports card does that make them greedy? <BR><BR>If a person sells a sports card does that make them greedy?<BR><BR>If the vintage card market crashes there will be no one happier than myself because then I'll be able to buy all of the cards I want at (hopefully) reasonable prices. Does that make me greedy?<BR><BR>

Greed
 

Posted By: <b>scgaynor</b><p>Short Answer: Yes<BR><BR>Long Answer: No with a "but"<BR><BR>Scott

Greed
 

Posted By: <b>Lee Behrens</b><p>Psycology 101 on greed on the Net 54 board. You never now what can of worms can be opened. I never liked Psych class we spent the whole class trying to answer a question and never did by the end of the class.<BR><BR>To me if a deal is made where the buyer and seller are both happy there is no greed. Gred only seems to factor in when a deal is not made. No one every forces someone to purchase a item, we do not need our memorbilia to sustain our life.

Greed
 

Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p>or do you mean "blathering"? You might want to turn the page on that thesaurus a little more, that or use spell check. <BR><BR>Lighten up. None of us "need" the cards; we do it because we enjoy it. Some of us do it to try and make some money too. Nothing inherently greedy about trying to feed our families or support our collecting habits through transactions, as long as no one is cheated.<BR><BR>And while we're at it, give the Bible-talk a rest; not all of us subscribe to a belief in sin, much less deadly sin. You advance no meaningful mechanism for differentiating between "greedy" transactions and acceptable ones. I remain convinced that the greed everyone laments is the force that drives unscrupulous deals, not the basic desires that drive ordinary commerce.

Greed
 

Posted By: <b>FatBoy</b><p>BLITHER: Dictionary Entry and Meaning<BR>Pronunciation: 'blidhur<BR>WordNet Dictionary <BR> Definition: [v] to talk foolishly; "The two women babbled and crooned at the baby" <BR> Synonyms: babble, blather, blether, smatter <BR> See Also: blab, blabber, chatter, clack, gabble, gibber, maunder, palaver, piffle, prate, prattle, tattle, tittle-tattle, twaddle <BR><BR>Focus on the complete discussion. Your bible reference is a red herring.<BR>

Greed
 

Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p>I would focus on it. Unfortunately, there is none. This thread has gotten silly. I'm done.

Greed
 

Posted By: <b>jay behrens</b><p><i>looks around waiting for someone from Monty Python to show up and end this silly thread</i><BR><BR>Jay