Typological basis of greed?

[Inquisitor]

Are there certain types that are more prone to greed? When I say greed here, I am referring to lust for money, power, possessions, wealth, prestige, fame...

From what I've observed, some people will literally feel like they failed at life if they don't become ultra-rich and powerful. What drives these people? Can typology contribute to an explanation for this behavior?

Reason I ask is because I actually feel like amassing money and power beyond what you need to live a simple, comfortable life is just plain wrong. Let's say you're making millions of dollars a year in pure profit, that means you're taking way more than you need from others. Beyond a certain level, every dollar you earn has diminishing utility, but that same dollar for anyone who hasn't reached that same level of comfort will have a much higher marginal utility. Just basic economics really. So that extra money could be going towards savings for consumers, higher wages for your employees, improving your product/service, better/more comprehensive benefits for workers, and so on...

Anyway, bottom line is I've never felt any overwhelming urge to want to be super-rich, powerful or famous, and I'm actually somewhat against it. But why are other people evidently not the same? In addition, it seems that for some, it's a priority to live better than everyone else. They actually crave that sense of superiority...mystery to me.

 

[Nox]

I don't believe typology can contribute to this behaviour because to do so would be acting in a manner of type bigotry. There is not one specific personality that is greedy, there is a multitude of various types of personalities that are underdeveloped which contribute to a greedy attitude or greedy behaviour. Not only that, but we live in a culture which tends to promote the idea of wealth and fame, and to attribute all of that to just a personality type would be overly-simplistic and inappropriate.

 

[AniOmega]

I don't believe typology can contribute to this behaviour because to do so would be acting in a manner of type bigotry. There is not one specific personality that is greedy, there is a multitude of various types of personalities that are underdeveloped which contribute to a greedy attitude or greedy behaviour. Not only that, but we live in a culture which tends to promote the idea of wealth and fame, and to attribute all of that to just a personality type would be overly-simplistic and inappropriate.

 

[Perfectly Normal Beast]

 

[Inquisitor]

I don't believe typology can contribute to this behaviour because to do so would be acting in a manner of type bigotry. There is not one specific personality that is greedy, there is a multitude of various types of personalities that are underdeveloped which contribute to a greedy attitude or greedy behaviour.

Maybe...What you said doesn't advance greater understanding in any direction though. I don't get what "underdeveloped" means either. You're saying more "developed" types are not greedy? I don't get that at all.

It's true all types are susceptible to greed in various forms, but I'm asking are some types more susceptible to it than others? This isn't bigotry, it's just logic. Obese people are more prone to getting cancer. Is that bigotry? I think not.

INTPs in general do not seem to be greedy for external objects. But they are greedy for knowledge and understanding. Once they have achieved a certain level of competency and extracted what they wanted from a given subject/topic, they will move on to something else. Roughly speaking, their whole life can be seen as massive consumption of ideas. Not saying that's the only thing they do, but it's a significant part.

Not only that, but we live in a culture which tends to promote the idea of wealth and fame, and to attribute all of that to just a personality type would be overly-simplistic and inappropriate.

My, my...aren't we feeling indignant and self-righteous today...The underlined part is true. Look at my original post again before you have another emotional outburst and tell me where you see anything about personality type being responsible for all instances of greed in humanity.

 

[Brontosaurie]

Se wanna get stuff
Si wanna keep it

just a stupid notion

 

[Nihilmatic]

I think, although that typology only states how you function as a person this can catapult into many personal traits, such as ego, being materialistic, etc. That's where mbti comes in, it makes a lot of generalizations between correlations about how people function with what they want. I feel like most of the ones that want what you said is for superiority and to compensate for their insecurity. People with dom Se would want it to boast, while Fe might have similar reasons. The ST's and SP's usually fall into that category though (keyword: Usually).

 

[StevenM]

Se wanna get stuff
Si wanna keep it

just a stupid notion

Not that stupid. I've seen the same pattern. Works in reverse too.

Se ditches stuff easily.
Si is more reluctant when getting stuff. (conservative with finances)

 

[DIALECTIC]

Si is more reluctant when getting stuff. (conservative with finances)

Totally right ! I'm 42 and my tertiary Si has now been extremely well integrated and i am now very reluctant when getting stuff (mainly because i used to get stuff all the time when younger and Si is there to remind me that all in all it didn't make me any happier, on the contrary !). Si is always there to look for cheaper and more practical alternatives ; yes they do require time (like cooking at home or preparing lunch the night before instead of eating out the next day out of conveniency / lazyness), but all the money saved over time can be used in a lot more intelligent way than just throwing money at problems...

If Se ditches stuff easily while Si is more reluctant when getting stuff, can't we also say that:
- Fe ditches people easily while Fi is more reluctant in making friend with people ?
- Ne ditches ideas easily while Ni is more reluctant in choosing the right idea ?
- Te ditches systems easily while Ti is more reluctant in choosing the right system ?

 

[Inquisitor]

Totally right ! I'm 42 and my tertiary Si has now been extremely well integrated and i am now very reluctant when getting stuff (mainly because i used to get stuff all the time when younger and Si is there to remind me that all in all it didn't make me any happier, on the contrary !). Si is always there to look for cheaper and more practical alternatives ; yes they do require time (like cooking at home or preparing lunch the night before instead of eating out the next day out of conveniency / lazyness), but all the money saved over time can be used in a lot more intelligent way than just throwing money at problems...

If Se ditches stuff easily while Si is more reluctant when getting stuff, can't we also say that:
- Fe ditches people easily while Fi is more reluctant in making friend with people ?
- Ne ditches ideas easily while Ni is more reluctant in choosing the right idea ?
- Te ditches systems easily while Ti is more reluctant in choosing the right system ?

This is an interesting idea. I wouldn't say that Si intrinsically is necessarily more reluctant when getting stuff though, I think it's just that in your case Si reminds you of your past experience, and you realize buying new shit never made you much happier in the past so it's not likely to now either. I'm the same way.

My father is ISTJ, Si dominant, he's a hoarder by nature. Hates to let go of anything, no matter how worthless it might be. I think that's Si's true nature: to hold onto and accumulate. It's true Si is more reluctant when buying new things, because this entails a corresponding loss of money, but if it's free stuff, my dad can't resist, even if he doesn't need it. He'll never pass up a good deal anywhere. If something's on sale, and the perceived value is higher than the price, which has to be very low, he'll get it w/o hesitation, even if it's shit. That would fit into your theory as well.

I think you nailed it with Se. Even Jung says that:

The more sensation predominates, however, so that the subject disappears behind the sensation, the less agreeable does this type become. He develops into a crude pleasure seeker, or else degenerates into an unscrupulous, effete aesthete. Although the object has become quite indispensable to him, yet, as something existing in its own right, it is none the less devalued. It is ruthlessly eXploited and squeezed dry, since now its sole use is to stimulate sensation.

I'm not sure about the others, but you might be onto something there. In terms of possessions then, it would seem that Se doms may be more prone to becoming shopaholics.

 

[DIALECTIC]

My father is ISTJ, Si dominant, he's a hoarder by nature. Hates to let go of anything, no matter how worthless it might be. I think that's Si's true nature: to hold onto and accumulate. It's true Si is more reluctant when buying new things, because this entails a corresponding loss of money, but if it's free stuff, my dad can't resist, even if he doesn't need it. He'll never pass up a good deal anywhere. If something's on sale, and the perceived value is higher than the price, which has to be very low, he'll get it w/o hesitation, even if it's shit. That would fit into your theory as well.

My mum also was an ISTJ and yes she was a hoarder too ! She passed away 3 months ago and now my dad and I have the whole house to "empty" and that's going to take a loooong time and a lot of effort. And she was the same as your dad too: when there was a good deal she would get it even though she didn't need quite need it because she had already several identical items so she would keep the old and add the new to them ! My Si coupled to Ti is a lot more rational, I don't do any of that, however if something is totally free and I do need it I will take it without any hesitation because I will be thinking how much money that will make me save ! Nowadays I see money as a way to buy myself more freedom...
In the past I would be happy in making money (and for about 15 years of my life I made loads, more than I would spend so I ended up spending it in useless shit), now I am happy when saving money or resisting impulse of buying stuff I don't quite need especially when others do fall for it.

It seems a lot of INTPs were raised in sensors families...

 

[Yellow]

You first have to identify the different motivations for greed and the different types of greed. Some are trying to impress/over compensate. Others may be feeling entitled. A few may just lose touch with what "enough" really means. Perhaps many more accumulate excessive wealth because of a highly successful, competitive nature.

While it is possible that some types are more likely to gravitate toward one mind set or another, but I think greed as a whole, would exist in similar numbers across types.

 

[StevenM]

My father is ISTJ, Si dominant, he's a hoarder by nature. Hates to let go of anything, no matter how worthless it might be. I think that's Si's true nature: to hold onto and accumulate. It's true Si is more reluctant when buying new things, because this entails a corresponding loss of money, but if it's free stuff, my dad can't resist, even if he doesn't need it. He'll never pass up a good deal anywhere. If something's on sale, and the perceived value is higher than the price, which has to be very low, he'll get it w/o hesitation, even if it's shit. That would fit into your theory as well.

I'm not sure about the others, but you might be onto something there. In terms of possessions then, it would seem that Se doms may be more prone to becoming shopaholics.

Describes an ISTJ I know exactly as well.

Though I'm not associating with greed. It's more just anxiety over not having something around when needed, or there can be lots of sentiment attached. Sometimes the pathology is more complicated than that. Though if someone is liked (Fi) and deemed worthy, a huge amount of generosity surfaces.

With Se's, I wonder if they have lower impulse control. I also consider how I'm typing these people to begin with though, which is usually a more rowdy demeanour, do first plan later, and their tolerance level for abstract thought, or realism.

 

[Analyzer]

I think the premise of this topic is differentiating between Greed and greed, similar to Success and success or Ambition and ambition. The capitalized from is associated with the external standard or what "everyone thinks of those labels". So Greed equals(to most) being after money, recognition and power. But you can be greedy about things few care about.

Every type and temperament has their greedy and lazy side.

INTP's lazy about external standards, can be greedy when it comes to knowledge/ideas — Intellectual hedonists.

 

[TheManBeyond]

Describes an ISTJ I know exactly as well.

Though I'm not associating with greed. It's more just anxiety over not having something around when needed, or there can be lots of sentiment attached. Sometimes the pathology is more complicated than that. Though if someone is liked (Fi) and deemed worthy, a huge amount of generosity surfaces.

With Se's, I wonder if they have lower impulse control. I also consider how I'm typing these people to begin with though, which is usually a more rowdy demeanour, do first plan later, and their tolerance level for abstract thought, or realism.

meh, i'm really impulsive when somehow something new which perhaps i don't need that much crosses my head. Like i literally feel a fire consuming myself for having that, specially if i know i can buy it. it pisses me of so much to abort because of the procedures, consecuences and any self punished obstacle, as fast as this necesities come they also go. So, i try not to lose the grip.
Admit that sometimes it is better to wait, like when i want to get my hair cut, xD. After chasing after it, the thrill is gone. :8
The point is that greed might not be a strong trait to decide if some function or not. Cuz in other aspects of Se like agressiveness and power of will at the moment i might be quite lazy which is a symptom of Si and it's erosive paradise.

 

[TBerg]

Following the cue of Nietzsche, I would say that getting rich is not based on a sinful notion of greed but is a desire to fulfill greater and greater ability to do something. When our ability to do things is monetized, then we must get money to use for our pursuits. It would be sacrificing power otherwise. Everyone wants to have the power to go on a vacation, but a couple nice things, or procure a politician or two. It is in our nature. Whether there are more important things is up to is to decide.