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On June 14, 2024, Kasie and Rex continued their examination of the 7 deadly sins with “greed.” Here are the show notes:

Theme for the day

Seven Deadly Sins: Greed

Agenda

• Quick Catch Up
• Seven Deadly Sins: what are they?
• Focus on Greed

Segment 1

This blog gives a quick summary of all seven sins and some examples of how to use them. So reading it might mean you don’t need our seven episodes but how about come along for the ride anyway?

The Seven Deadly Sins (this link) in Roman Catholic theology, are the seven vices that spur other sins and further immoral behavior. First enumerated by Pope Gregory I (the Great) in the 6th century and elaborated in the 13th century by St. Thomas Aquinas.

The sins are:

1. Pride
2. Greed
3. Lust
4. Envy
5. Gluttony
6. Wrath
7. Sloth

We’ve done these before (episodes 151–157), but it’s been a while and this time we’re going to sharpen the focus on the sins as potential stakes-raising behaviors.

This week’s focus is Greed. According to deadlysins.com “Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.”

In the Summa Theologiae, Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said Greed: “it is a sin directly against one’s neighbor, since one man cannot over-abound in external riches, without another man lacking them… it is a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, inasmuch as man contemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things.” (2, 118, ad 1)

According to SimplyCatholic.com: 

Greed: the desire for and love of possessions. “Sin … is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods” (No. 1849).

The literary trope is the miser and some of the most well-known misers are (link) Silas Marner, Ebenezar Scrooge, and Shylock.

BUT, greed isn’t always about miserliness. Sometimes it’s about the accumulation of wealth or power (link).

Segment 2

This link takes a look at alcoholism as a “disease of more” rooted in greed. We’re going to get to gluttony, which is a kind of overindulgence but maybe it’s related to greed. The idea of wanting more, hoarding more, keeping your wealth only for yourself, there’s a compelling case to be made that greed is related to both gluttony and pride.

Once your character accumulates wealth, their position changes and that enhances their pride. The loss of those possessions or that wealth can threaten their security. So gaining the wealth can be part of the character’s journey, but maintaining it – protecting it – can also be a critical motivator for the character.

Materialism can also be a book’s theme (this link):

• Get it before someone else does.
• More is always better.
• Money can buy happiness.
• Success is measured by what you have.
• If they can’t hold onto what’s theirs, they don’t deserve to keep it.
• Greed is just a part of being human.
• Greed creates greatness.
• The greedy will ultimately be destroyed by their need for more.
• If you’re not happy with what you have, you won’t be happy with what you want.
• A person who never thinks they have enough will always be poor.
• A greedy person cares only about themselves.

Segment 3

Where does the greed come from? What kind of core wounds would turn your character into a greedy person? (This is a list of backstory possibilities.)

What are some lies the character might believe if they are greedy? (same link)

• I deserve to have everything I want.
• I need more.
• I’ll do whatever it takes to have X.
• I won’t be happy unless I have it.
• To be secure, I need more.
• I have to have more than everyone else.
• Everything is up for grabs.
• If they can’t hang onto what they’ve got, they don’t deserve to keep it.

I know we use Gatsby a lot but it’s a great example of different types of greed. Each character has their own 1) core wound that leads to their 2) drive for possessions and wealth, and their 3) sacrifices they make to obtain and maintain their wealth.

Segment 4

How to do it? Here’s a list of prompts to practice writing a greedy character (link):

Wall Street frenzy

Arctic Gold Rush

Corporate espionage

Scorned leprechaun’s curse

Gold fever – Spanish conquistadors

You could also read these short stories about greed to get yourself in the mindframe (link):

The Emperor’s New Clothes

The Story of Prometheus and Pandora’s Box by James Baldwin

The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning