A confession to the mortal sin of avarice

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bill_cash

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I was doing some self reflection the other day and realised how often throughout the day I think about money: how much money I have, how much money I will have at a particular time/in different scenarios, how I could make more money, how much money I have in relation to my peers, etc. etc.

Money is obviously an important element of life and needs due consideration but at what point does the scale tip into greed?
Do you consider yourself greedy in either your thoughts or actions with respect to money?

Personally, I don't think people would consider me greedy as my actions are (I think) not generally greedy. However, I feel my internal thought processes are needlessly and probably unproductively focused on money as an end in and of itself.
 
Avarice is one of the 7 (?) deadly sins, but it's not a mortler.

A mortal sin has three criteria if I remember my catechism correctly:
Grievous matter
Full knowledge
Free consent

Thinking about money would not constitute grievous matter.

Brendan
 
I generally have enough money to stay fed, watered and sheltered. Beyond that the law of diminishing marginal returns kicks in. I rarely think about money unless there's some big purchase that needs to be made, such as a house or extension, and I (almost )never think about what my friends or peers get paid.

I'd like a nice car but I'd prefer nice holidays. Time is way more valuable than money.

I would definitely think less of anyone who judges anyone on the basis of what they get paid.
 
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Brendan Burgess said:
Avarice is one of the 7 (?) deadly sins, but it's not a mortler.

A mortal sin has three criteria if I remember my catechism correctly:
Grievous matter
Full knowledge
Free consent

Thinking about money would not constitute grievous matter.

Brendan
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That's a huge relief to me. I'll end up in a higher ring of hell.
 
I don’t enjoy reading RIP.ie each day, but when a rat from the rat race appears there the reading becomes less onerous. Nothing wrong with trying to make a few bob, but an obsession with it, sin sceal eile.
 
It's interesting that I'm the only confessor on a site dedicated to money where many individual members have thousands of posts!
 
bill_cash said:
I was doing some self reflection the other day and realised how often throughout the day I think about money: how much money I have, how much money I will have at a particular time/in different scenarios, how I could make more money, how much money I have in relation to my peers, etc. etc.

Money is obviously an important element of life and needs due consideration but at what point does the scale tip into greed?
Do you consider yourself greedy in either your thoughts or actions with respect to money?

Personally, I don't think people would consider me greedy as my actions are (I think) not generally greedy. However, I feel my internal thought processes are needlessly and probably unproductively focused on money as an end in and of itself.
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Nothing wrong with that given that money essentially equals freedom so nothing to do with greed imo. If you're thinking about having/wanting more purely as a way of self-validation that's a different kettle of fish! :)
 
bill_cash said:
It's interesting that I'm the only confessor on a site dedicated to money where many individual members have thousands of posts!
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Yes, but most of those people's posts are low quality and uninformative. ;)

Money is a tool. If you use it well you can build things and make your life better. If you use it badly you can hurt yourself and those around you. If you don't use it at all then you may as well not have it.
 
I think the OP should learn the first rule of having money:- Money is of no use until you spend it.

But, try telling that to many who underwent a Money Makeover on this forum.
 
Money for money’s sake is silly. But money as a means to acquire freedom is a different story. Personally I just view it as a means to acquire freedom…freedom to experience things, freedom to do things, freedom to buy things, freedom to acquire time by retiring early. Freedom to jack in work if one so chooses.
 
Leper said:
try telling that to many who underwent a Money Makeover on this forum.
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I have to say that I don't see the connection. Or you could say that about any forum.

Most people here understand that money is there to be spent.

The MM forum is a great way for them to think systematically about their finances now, so that they don't have to worry about them later.

Brendan
 
The OP's username is most apt given the subject matter of this thread.
 
I'd say you should read Dante's Inferno. Figure where you fit in and then give some though to improving your lot!
 
There have been times when I've literally struggled to put food on the table. I now find myself quite well off. The really remarkable thing is how little it changed or influenced my happiness.
If you're lucky having money will teach you how relatively unimportant having money is.
If you're unlucky then real problems such as your health and that of those you love, the loss of those you love or the breakdown of your relationships with the people you love will teach you the same thing.

People are all that matters, the rest is just stuff. Invest your time in things that matter.
 
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bill_cash said:
It's interesting that I'm the only confessor on a site dedicated to money where many individual members have thousands of posts!
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Well it is hard to confess to something that requires a deity to judge your actions.

But adding knowledge/experience or anecdotes to help others in financial need would generally be the opposite of greed.

bill_cash said:
how much money I have, how much money I will have at a particular time/in different scenarios, how I could make more money,
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Well none of that is greed unless you intend to acquire it by unfair means or at the expense of others.

bill_cash said:
how much money I have in relation to my peers, etc. etc.
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Well that's a different sin altogether, that's envy
 
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