Roman Day

Dr. Colombo
UWRT 1104
20 February 2017
Is Greed Good?
Research Journal Entry #1
Citation:
Alford, Harry C. Conquest and Greed: What Made America Great.

Conquest and Greed: What made America Great, National Black Chamber of Commerce,

www.nationalbcc.org/news/beyond-the-rhetoric/439-conquest-and-greed-what-made-

america-great.

Main Claim
1. We are economically great from less than holy experiences (Alford, 1).
2. The Conquest of the Americas included brutality and genocide, but this lead to the
development of the United States of America.
Summary of Source:
The United States of America has a past filled with greed. In order for the nation of the U.S.A to
grow into what it is today many people and resources were use and abused. From the birth of the
conquest that took over the Americas masses of people were killed. The nations that are now
diverse in culture and ethnicity did not begin as such, and even this is the result of a violent past.
Even after the establishment of the U.S. we, as a country, continued to hunger to grow and
conquer taking Florida from the Spanish and buying the West, Alford writes. Even into more
modern day happenings, the economy in the U.S. has grown to where major banking
corporations are in every part of our life. The United States is a nation that conquers, and
historically does so at any cost.
Evaluation of Source:
This is a reliable source. The article is backed by a national and established organization-
National Black Chamber of Commerce. The only potential for bias is from the organization,
since it is ethnicity specific. The author, Harry C. Alford, is an Officer in the American Military
and has lead such companies as and including Proctor and Gamble in corporate America. The
information is relevant to as Mr. Alford has seen the modern business world for some time and
can offer insight into how modern tendencies of greed meet those of history.
Important Quotations:
We went through other trumped up wars such as the Spanish American War and fire sales to
acquire Puerto Rico, Philippines, Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Alaska and other territories (Alford,
1).
Instead of touting that we are blessed and great because of our love of freedom, perhaps we
should pray for forgiveness and asked to be blessed with kindness and a truly religious way of
life for ourselves and others in the future (Alford, 1).
Lives resembling Hell on earth is what waited for them in the New World (Alford, 1).
Research Journal Entry #2
Citation:
Christianson, Thomas. Wheres the Line Between Greed and Ambition? RELEVANT

Magazine, RELEVANT Media Group Inc., 14 Oct. 2015,

www.relevantmagzine.com/life/make/wheres-line-between-greed-and-ambition.

Main Claim:
1. Ambition says, I want to go get this. Greed says, I dont want anybody else to get
this (Christianson, 1)
2. The line between greed and ambition is characterized by the individuals intent.

Summary of Source:
Greed and ambition fill the modern business world. Christianson interviews Warren Buffett
about the issue of greed as well as explores how young individuals find themselves battling with
extreme ambition and greed. Christianson explores the relationship between the teachings of
Christianity and ambition. Furthermore, the article works to define what goals are and how
they can be used to set boundaries and attainable checkpoints along a life or career path,
(Christianson, 1). On the subject of religion, the article discusses the difference between building
a kingdom to relish in your own accomplishment against living in that of God. In that, how
religion can help aspiring individuals to balance their ambitions without crossing the line into
greed.
Evaluation of Source:
This source is credible and relevant. The author, Thomas Christianson is a speaker and author in
topics of this nature. This source is very current as it was published just over a year ago. The
article has not been update nor is there a direct need to. Furthermore, the article is historically
current as it was written after the modem day greed-filled tragedy that is the Stock Market Crash
of 2008.The information is directly related to my topic. The target audience consists of
businessmen and those aspiring to stay in-the-know on modern business ethics issues. The article
is very relevant as it supplies a take and definition on the line that exists between greed and
ambition, a helpful tool in defining the terms of my argument. The magazine is an independent
authority. The author of this article is a public speaker and investigative journalist. In this case,
he is qualified to write such a paper as would any other journalist. Specifically, a respected
journalist who was able to interview one of the worlds wealthiest men in order to gain insight
into the topic. The article appears to be accurate. As a topic of discussion there are not grand
conclusions drawn but ideas considered as well as definitions supplied. This is subjective, but
accounted for as a historical reference, that is to see how a modern businessman defines greed
and ambition as opposed to those of an older day. In addition, the article uses definitions and
arguments supplies by the Bible.
The purpose of the article is to inform the reader on the line between greed and ambition.
Greed and ambition are metaphorically placed on the same plane and examined to properly
understand as well as compare and contrast. The real investigation is to how greed and ambition
coexist as do how individuals with extreme ambition turn to greedy avenues.
Important Quotations:
Are your goals going to help other people, or primarily just yourself? Greed is serving myself;
ambition is serving a purpose (Christianson, 1).

Jesus told us that the meek and lowly would inherit the earth, so is ambition a good thing in the
life of the believer? (Christianson, 1).
I think that not only are these two ideas of ambition and meekness not opposite, but meekness
actually protects us from moving out of ambition into greed (Christianson, 1)
A meek person will care about others even in the midst of their own great efforts (Christianson,
1)
Research Journal Entry #3
Citation:
Lerman, L G. THE SLIPPERY SLOPE FROM AMBITION TO GREED TO DISHONESTY:

LAWYERS, MONEY, AND PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY. Hofstra Law Review.,

vol. 30, 2002, pp. 879-922.

Main Claim:
 1. Those possessed by greed tend to be preoccupied with self-interest and tend to
disregard the interests of others (Lerman, 1)
2. There is a growing issue in the world that stems from greed and dishonesty, this in
turn causes an inequality of distribution of wealth.
Summary of Source:
Lerman writes that people who stirve to have success often follow a patter. Speficifaly, in high
profile professional careers. The issues arises as to how wealthy is too wealthy. Specifcaly,
Lerman analyzes the slope of descent into greed and dishonesty through individuals who are
lawyers. The author seeks to evaluate all of the factors that drive individuals to greed. Factors in
the text evaluate the effect of salaries, spousal partners, education, debt, student loans, number of
hours billed, firm size, competition in lifestyle. The source eventually finds that competition
breeds greedy individuals as once someone has acquired a resource or position they are
motivated, exponentially, to earn or secure more. The article ends by discussing the decent into
dishonesty and deterioration of loyalty and the detrimental effects this can have on an
individuals life.
Evaluation of Source:
The article is credible. The piece serves to illustrate ideas as to how greed can penetrate the lives
of ambitious individuals. The piece was written for on conference on legal ethics and is
published by Hofstra Law Review, a credible institution. The information presented is relevant to
my issue, although not published as recently as other articles, the issue will serve to showcase a
definition of greed form the early 2000s. The article incorporates multiple studies done by
universities that show increasing amount of greed and dishonesty in individuals who work in
executive positions. I argue that this piece is of quality nature and constructs a clear and
academic argument.
Important Quotations:
Thus, over the last ten years, the average annual profits per partner rose by thirty-four percent
(adjusted for inflation) (Lerman, 1).
Many lawyers are preoccupied with gaining power within their law firms and with expanding
their own incomes (Lerman, 1).
Perhaps some members of our profession have always been money hungry. Perhaps they have
become more so in recent years.9 Or maybe in recent decades, lawyers have simply gotten better
at generating wealth (Lerman, 1).
Those possessed by greed tend to be preoccupied with self-interest and tend to disregard the
interests of others (Lerman, 1).
Rich people are getting richer (Lerman, 1).
In 1979, one percent of the population in the United States owned twenty-three percent of the
wealth.1 By 1992, the concentration of wealth had nearly doubled: one percent of the population
in the United States owned forty-two percent of the wealth in our country.2Since then, the figures
have remained fairly stable (Lerman, 1).
Research Journal Entry #4
Citation:
Robert, John Paul. Greed Is Good: A 300- Year History of a Dangerous Idea. The Atlantic,

Atlantic Media Company, 7 Apr. 2014,

www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/04/greed-is-good-a-300-year-history-of-a-

dangerous-idea/360265/.

Main Claim:
1. As a matter of public discourse and polite conversation, Greed is unlikely to be
Good anytime soon, but a vice need not become a virtue for the end result to look
the same. (Rollert, 1).
2. Greed has been a part of history since the dawn of society and modern economic
systems only support the age-old value.
Summary of Source:
Rollert writes of the history of greed and its long standing impacts. The article opens by
discussing and citing information about greed appearing in the Bible as well as other religious
texts and that it is widely taught against. However, the article reflects on the work of Bernard
Mandeville who was the first philosopher to pitch and promote greed as a value of successful
individuals. This notion appears in historical cases and eventually leads up to modern capitalism,
a system described and defined as on that embraces greed-filled tendencies, as Rollert writes. It
is in the opinion of author John Paul Rollert that this idea is the root of evil imperialism.
Furthermore, Rollert discusses how society should shed and devalue greed, even though he fears
it may continue to appear in our Complex Commercial Society (Rollert, 1).
Evaluation of Source:
This source is credible. This source will serve a purpose different from those previously listed. In
that, this article provides historical context and specific example of greed which will be used in
turn to aid in defining greed and its root. However, this does not subtract form article validity.
John Paul Rollert is a professor of Business Ethics at Harvard and currently sits as an
administrator for the Chicago Booth School of Business. Rollert holds published work through
the Los Angeles Review as well as the NY Times. The only bias is in the political affiliation in
The Atlantic as an independent but political source. The purpose of the work is to educate about
the dangers of living in and contributing to a greed-filled society. The historical context provides
direct relevance to the research question at hand and the authority is authentic and valid.
Important Quotations:
Greed, as such, became an acquisitive exercise that fell on the wrong side of this divide
(Rollert, 1).
Andrew Carnegie might have proclaimed that it was the responsibility of a rich man to act as
agent and trustee for his poorer brethren, but the steel magnates beneficence was backstopped
by cheap labor, dangerous working conditions, and swift action to break strikes (Rollert, 1).
As a lingering distaste for the profit-motive combined with continued economic development,
the assumption began to wane that self-interested pursuits were the organizing force of a modern
economy (Rollert, 1).
Research Journal #5
Citation:
Stern, Linda. Economy: The Human History of Greed. Newsweek, IBT media, 13 mar. 2010,
www.newsweek.com/economy-human-history-greed-76435.
Main Claim:

1. Those Wall Street bonus-baggers may have been innovative enough to develop
credit default swaps, but they didn't invent greed. (Stern, 1)
2. Greed is not an attribute of business or modern capitalism, but is an ancient moral.
Summary of Source:
Stern writes of the recent stock market crash of 2008. Specifically, the connotation that it was
solely caused by greed. From this point, two arguments are crafted, the first being that greed
itself does not have arms and legs, it is a value that people have and carry. The second and main
argument exists to demonstrate that greed is not a new concept, not just to us but to people.
Stern writes of government policy and structure in specific regards to how it accounts for the
greed that will occur. In regards to the current U.S. economic system the viewpoint is suggested
that intervals do not think about greed in a conventional sense, but are upset and angered when
people who are accumulating great sums are doing it dishonestly or at the expense of many who
are suffering as Robert Brent Toplin stats in Sterns article.
Evaluation of Sauce:
The source is valid. This source in particular is published to a magazine, which does not usually
incite validity, however the article is based on scholarly articles and historical events. Yes,
historical events and figures that represent greed could be skewed, however the message stills
stands regardless. The purpose of the publishing is to educate on the human condition that is
greed, that greed is in us (as people), has been, and will most likely continue to be. The article
was published in 2010, two year following the economic recession of 2008. This timeline is
relevant as it provides historically important outlooks on greed as the United States jus tbegan to
rebuild and recover from economic challenges.