Without the greed for money, there would be no innovation. Agree or Disagree?

Question

Many people argue that without money as an incentive, no one would be willing to work hard, better themselves and society would never improve. What's your take on it?

AmandaYVR · Accepted Answer

I'm not surprised this is a saying, and many people believe this.
But it's too dark for my taste.
We also have to add pride to the mix. And the desire for fame, to be known, at the far end. Which doesn't sound so great either, right?

But here, I'll make us feel better...
Humans are motivated by many things. All living creatures' most driving force is survival (although that varies with intensity, on the individual.) We need our basic needs to be met, as far as food and housing etc goes. But there is much more to human existence beyond that. Our brains are massive by all comparative standards, and while fickle, erratic, and emotional, we also have reason, logic, love, and a sense of humanity.

Some (such as Maslow and his Hierarchy of Needs) would say that once these base needs are met, and the more whole we are inside (from coming out the other end of a deep dive of an exploration into our own subconscious), the more we can understand not just ourselves, but the interconnectedness of society. The more we can think outside of our own small world, the more we can reach for something beyond.

Humans are industrious, but we still have problems. And every person is born with nothing, hopefully cared for by the people who made them, and then sent off into the world to make something not just of themselves, but to contribute to it. The smallest of goals should be to take from it less than we give. But for the wise ones, the intelligent, and most importantly the ones with a heart and conscience, they know there is more at stake than just their own accomplishments, and pride, and pocket. Greed is not good. It makes for a memorable line in film, but we should not glorify the almighty dollar. We should revere the human spirit in the ways that it does not revolve around ourselves and our own selfishness.

Innovation is borne from solving problems, creating more efficiency so that time can be spent elsewhere, and bringing new and fresh ideas to the world. If it does any of those things, it should also justifiably yield dividends for the creator (s.)

There is a vast list of motivations. It is virtually impossible to unwrap the ego from ideas such as philanthropy, magnanimity, innovation and progress. Every individual is likely a complex combination of these and more. But it is the ones who sit on the far end of that curve who say such things, "Without the greed for money, there would be no innovation." And they either don't have the capacity, or more likely, do not want to acknowledge that there are those who are better than they. So they try to amass those with the same ideology, to round out their army, and protect their own fragile ego from collapse, should others challenge the authenticity and morality of their own motivation.

Jaylaaa2000 · Accepted Answer

I both agree but also somewhat disagree.
Most innovation is based off of greed, but there are some. Not a lot but some who truly do it for the love of what they are inventing.
But definitely innovative would've been a lot slower than it currently is

Achilles1 · Accepted Answer

Partially yes, but generally no.

Sometimes it happens out of necessity, sometimes innovation happens out of convenience (ie. the remote control).
But a lot of the time, it happens out of warfare - a need to survive.

The cold war brought a lot inventions, due to the competitiveness of the USA and the USSR.
Ancient Greece the same. The on and off war, between the Greek city states of Sparta, Athens, Thebes and Macedonia, brought advancements in the civilization, as it was a matter of survival.

abc3643 · Accepted Answer

That's ridiculous.
Humans have been around for over 2 million years.
Money has been around for under 12000 years.
So, for the previous +1.988 million years, humans have been discovering, inventing, and innovating without money.
Why?
Survival (and implicitly to make things easier or stable) and curiosity.

Adam1978 · Answer

Money is a piss poor reason for innovation. If your creative person you just innovate unless money or lack of resources prevents it. So I would say it's a way of stealing innovation from the poor to give them to the rich. Not a way to innovate, unless we talk pure business innovation, ie way of handling and dealing with money. That would require greed and interests in money.

andreasderjuengere · Answer

Could it be that there's:
- true innovation, and
- commercial innovation?

Greed actually hinders innovation: Which TRUE innovations did we see in recent years?
Most 'new' stuff we get to see is only an evolution, or alteration, or an 'improvement' of previous stuff. Isn't it, that 'innovations' are quickly picked up by the greedy - and then get commercially perverted?

BeMuse · Answer

The concept of money itself is an innovation… That said, reward is a driver of innovation. When you do innovative things that generate larger pools of resources for the same amount of work, or allow you to put less energy into work to gain the same resources you are still rewarded for your innovation. Money is just an imaginary system that allows for the easy exchange of resources with people that have different resources and work time to offer in exchange.

Madhatter920 · Answer

The scientific method was created by men who were forced to hide in caves because they would have been killed for their work. They lived in constant fear and poverty, but their research led to a much greater understanding of the world. No, I don't believe money is required for people to work hard. Passion for one's work will always be most important. Money is only a major requirement if you seek to encourage people to do work they have no passion for.

ibodi · Answer

Complex, I think dont know how money work so seek for it too much.
sometimes what you want is not what you need.
if poor need money I would not say that they are greedy as christian teach people you show greed to want money.
on another hand innovation service for humen laziness.

NamerOfStars · Answer

I agree- partially. It's not just greed- there's also laziness, and lust, and fear. The main driver of innovation is discontent, which usually stems from a shortage of some kind- money or time or energy or safety or sex. Were it not for the power of internet porn, we wouldn't have these always-on high speed internet connections and multi-terabyte hard drives. Oh, we'd get them eventually; not ALL innovation is driven by desire, but most is.

Aakash_Hangargi · Answer

Necessity is mother of invention and innovation is to keep going on that necessity it could be for money or to end a repetitive task something to make life more easier.

Every invention started with an idea money was never the goal product and invention are always the driving force money is necessary supplement to it

MCheetah · Answer

Definitely disagree. This is implying all innovators are just money hungry or greedy.

RCLJT · Answer

Since our planet isn’t part of The Federation Of Planets and everything ISN’T free like in Star Trek, people need grant money for research as very few can foot the bill on their own. Nobody will spend years developing something then just give it away for all mankind, would you? Socialism sounds good until you are a socialist that’s NOT running things from the palace…

007kingifrit · Answer

every1 is self motivated. so yea that's greed. but that's ok. the desire to better our own lives leads us to better other's lives aswell.

that's why capitalism is such a great system because it rewards us for our greed ONLY IF we help others. its not pretty... but neither are we humans

CreamySeed · Answer

Innovation can come from any economy but there will always be an award not equally distributed compare capitalism which directly rewards the innovator to socialism which the innovator gets favours from the state be it a higher position in government. There will always be the haves and the have nots on this planet but capitalism (and money) creates a larger pie for the world to share.

Losalt · Answer

Innovation predates the invention of money as well as trade to begin with.
So no, that's clearly and probably false.
Does money and greed *accelerate* innovation?
Possibly, although I personally don't think it's really that relevant here...

DarcRefractions · Answer

Greed is also why America is failing currently. And why china is taking advantage of America. Money over common sense

ArrowheadSW · Answer

I worked hard to get to where I am today. However I wouldn't call it "greed". I'd say maybe "the desire to earn money and improve one's life". But yes I think that "profit motive" is a big drive in innovation.

jshm2 · Answer

Money is little to do with innovation.  A lot of startups have little money, but are overflowing with innovative ideas. Likewise, you have many conglomerates with billions, but very little innovation.

msc545 · Answer

The need for better and more clever things exists without the rewards of money.

exitseven · Answer

The Covid vaccine is a prime example. The use of mRNA technology is new and has been refined over the last year to create vaccines for Covid. Modurna and other companies will make billions on this technology.

devilman666 · Answer

Love em or hate em, I don't think you can deny that soviet russia innovated. So, how do you explain innovation in the USSR? Was it still greed?

Oppressed_Leecher · Answer

spreading the wealth makes people lazy. we've already seen it this past year alone. giving people 600 a week unemployment no work no motivation to get back to work. same with food stamps.

JamieLoves · Answer

If you disagree, you’ve Never made or done anything that important in life.

Snakeyes7 · Answer

Greed is the wrong way to put it I think. It's the desire to love the way you want and you can't do that without money anyway.

pokerbot · Answer

Let's not call it greed. Let's call it you need money to survive.

HOAAH · Answer

My husband says he works so that he can take care of his family.

Without the greed for money, there would be no innovation. Agree or Disagree?

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