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Here is the relationship I would like you to consider: That the more fear we feel of losing our money, the more underlying desire we have to accumulate more, which may or may not result in greedy behavior. This desire may be conscious or unconscious. |
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When I scratch the surface with investors who are telling me about how afraid they are at risking money on a trade, I see they often harbor strong desires for more than they have. These desires are not all that deep and hidden. They are simply blocked by fear from ever being acted on. Often, they are revealed when investors talk about their dreams and fantasies for the future. Or how they have gone without certain possessions they would really like to have. |
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But the fact that they may not be acted upon does not mean they are not unconsciously motivating the investor. This is what makes the bipolarity of fear and greed so powerful. They feed off of each other in what for some becomes a vicious cycle. |
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Conversely, when someone exhibits greedy behavior and is very upfront about the desire for wealth and possessions, beneath the surface he or she harbors fears of loss of wealth, material possessions, and what is believed will be the accompanying loss of respect of others. Again, this may not be conscious to him or her, as false pride may get in the way of admitting fear. |
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For some, it may not be the fear of directly losing their wealth but of losing their health, a marriage partner, or coping with getting older and losing some of their strength and power. The point is, there is fear of loss of something that is deemed of the utmost value. |
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Greed, then, is fueled by the fear of never having enough. It is a psychological stance of insecurity in the world and an attempt to provide security through the insulation of wealth. This is often why it seems that those who have so much material wealth continue to push themselves to keep making more money and accumulating more possessions. They are afraid that feelings of emptiness and loss are just around the corner. This underlying insecurity it also why wealth and possessions do not necessarily make us happy. |
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This insecurity is not just on the material or personal levels, however. It is also related to the basic insecurity we all face simply being in the world, confronted with continual change and never knowing exactly what may happen to us. This is called existential insecurity, as it is a fact of our existence, and therefore must be faced by everyone. |
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