Eternal Blah-blah

Steve

The earnings of greed is the climax of counterfeit joy. The problem is that where someone is elevated, another may be exploited. None the less, the possession of that which is material or emotional brings pleasure. True joy is to enlarge the pie and bring happiness to all who know you.

Brandon

At the root of greed is pride. At what point is someone seeking joy actually seeking greed? The difference is pride..

pride |prīd|
noun
1 a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired :

True but I like the more specific church definition

Psalms 10:2
The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
President Ezra Taft Benson
The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.”

Enmity can be so very slight, just taking one's self and placing themselves over another in hurtful way: emotionally, physically, financially, or even spiritually.

Steve's Response:

Of course pride is a religious taboo but the world has excepted such behavior. Fortunately, the world also uses the word incorrectly for the most part thus should bring a small measure of comfort. For Example, their is no problem with the supposed "pride" felt towards a child or the accomplishments of our own. The problem is the elevation of ones self status above that of another. For example, "my child is better than yours" or "I'm greater than you are." These are not humble statements and thus prideful. My experience with real joy often comes from other people with the exchange of love and concern whereas my pride comes from the expense of others feelings. This is counterfeit Joy and I strive to avoid it.