Philosophers, spiritual leaders, and economists can all debate the topic of "greed" - is it the root of all sins, as St. Paul once wrote, or is it simply a form of self-interest, and therefore a part of our biological imperative to self-preservation? What's wrong with wanting it all, and wanting it now? We Americans are pretty proud of our capitalist economy - well, I mean until recently, of course; isn't that based on getting and keeping as much money and stuff as you can?
When Puff Daddy tells us it's "All About The Benjamins," people don't shake their heads sadly and move on - they line up to buy the song. And this isn't new - the Beatles tune "Money," whether they meant it satirically or not, hits enough of a nerve that the song keeps reappearing in different guises, most notably the Flying Lizards' sardonic, half-spoken, electropop version of the early 80s. Why do we like these songs? Maybe we're all greedy on some level, somewhere, and we recognize that little, suppressed part of ourselves actually being celebrated in these songs.
Tell us: Do you have a favorite song about greed? Why do you like it?
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John Schaefer has hosted Soundcheck since the show’s inception in 2002. He has also hosted and produced WNYC’s radio series New Sounds since 1982 (“The No. 1 radio show for the Global Village” – Billboard) and the New Sounds Live concert series since 1986.
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