Greed and Generosity

As was mentioned in Lust and Chastity, there is the wanting and there is the having. Gluttony is the actual indulgence in what you want or what you have. Because greed is the sin of having, it covers all manner of excessive possession, hoarding or control. Greed is a matter of keeping things of this world under your control. So you might be greedy to have money, but you might also be greedy to have some collectible or even some experience that you want to keep for yourself. You love that front seat on the roller coaster, and you'll be pretty sneaky to make sure that you get it and that nobody else does. Greed.

By comparison, generosity is not so much about making sure that we control something, but more about offering it to other people so that they can use it. It's about the idea that other people are as important to us as we ourselves are. That's what love is, after all. When we have that general sense about other people, we're happy to turn over that front seat to somebody else because we're happy for them. Yes, I know that sounds terribly altruistic, but it's entirely possible to develop that mindset and experience life that way.

A big part of developing that mindset, and of developing any virtuous mindset, is to be greedy for the benefits of the virtue instead of the vice. When the virtuous outcome is more pleasing to us than the outcome that we achieve through the vice, we aren't as tempted by the vice. The person who has their heart set on that front seat is focusing on greedy goals. Once set in their heart, it's difficult to just stop and turn on a dime and act virtuously. It's necessary to say to ourselves from the very start that when we go to the amusement park, we're not just there for our own enjoyment. That would be greedy. We're there for everyone's enjoyment. That's being generous.

The cynical reader is thinking how idiotic that approach to life is. Everyone at the amusement park is going to take full advantage of their generosity and offer nothing in return. While that may be true, there is a certain sense of self-respect that comes with the genuine practice of the virtues. Most people are so shamed by their own activity that they have no sense of what it is like to have a sense of self-respect. Self-respect is reinforced every time we do something that is virtuous. Never do anything virtuous and you never get that reinforcement. People's character will erode if not reinforced.

So when you practice virtues such as generosity, you are presenting an example of virtue, and that removes a tiny speck of erosive vice that blasts at us every day by people who no longer believe in the value of virtue. When you practice virtue, you lessen the impact of the world's collective vices. So virtues are worth the effort, even if every person you demonstrate a virtue to doesn't reciprocate.

Practice your generosity. What do you have in abundance that someone else might not have? Are you particularly talented with tools? A gifted voice? Are you tall? Are you short? Do you organize well? Are you artistic? Are you wealthy? Do you know everyone in town? No matter the gift, possession, skill or trait that you have, a small application of generosity can produce wonderful results. Other people get to witness your generous spirit and you gain in character for having found the means to demonstrate it.

One thing that will help you to practice your virtues is the realization that everyone else has the same capacity for virtue that you do. When you embrace that notion, all of the virtues, including generosity, will flow from you very easily. It's what happens when you love.