First comes evidence of a mis-spent youth, then the mid-life crisis and finally senior moments. Not that we need to complain about where we are on this continuum since any place is preferable to the alternative of not being there at all.

Surely, there are advantages at both ends as well as in the middle. The young may enjoy adventurousness, the old a sense of contentment and peace while those in the middle years take great delight in their accomplishments.

As Socrates-asked Cephalus, "Do you sense, as you grow older, a growing liberation from the drives and passions of your youth?" Or are you still driven by your passions? Ah, youth. How well I remember.

It used to be, perhaps several generations ago, that the elderly were not only respected but even revered. This was due, in large measure, to their being the only source for accumulated knowledge and wisdom, and the youth who were developing in wisdom took great delight in learning from their elders. Nowadays, all of the accumulated knowledge one might require may be found by consulting Google. In this sense, the elderly have become superfluous. However, Google will never be able to provide us with wisdom.

It seems that philosophy remains most attractive to the mature and elderly. Perhaps young people are so distracted by the demands and opportunities of daily living that they are rarely concerned with examining why they exist.

As philosophers, we would do well to seek and learn the secret of growing old gracefully while maintaining our sense of dignity.

In AD 590, Pope Gregory I condemned greed when he included it in his list of seven deadly sins, along with lust, gluttony, sloth, wrath, envy and pride.

Gordon Gekko, Michael Douglas’ character in the 1987 movie “Wall Street”, praised greed when he said:
“Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge, has marked the upward surge of mankind and greed, mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the U.S.A.”

So, with whom do you agree, the pope or the movie character?

Would you agree that one is greedy if they buy simply for the sake of owning rather than based on need?

Is it greedy to acquire as much as possible as long as no one is harmed or deprived in the process? Is it possible to acquire excessively without harming someone else?

Can greed by cured? If so, how? Think in terms of greed having deep psychological roots.

To what extent was greed responsible for the real estate/banking crisis and recession of 2008?

How does greed interfere with relationships? Is it addictive?

Would you agree that greed only becomes problematical when someone else is involved?

Look around you. What do you possess that you don’t need? How would you feel if you were deprived of it?