What is the fundamental flaw in human nature? Pride - or greed?

Answer 1

At moderate levels, greed can form positive actions. The greed for more financial secruity (not wealth) or a better position for one's children, for example, may lead one to a more responsible lifestyle.

Pride, on the other hand, usually involves some level of self deception. The false impression that something is of greater value than it truly is. And reliance on a false premise will eventually lead to failure.

Anything that allows a false belief into the human condition is a flaw. Therefore, pride is a fundamental flaw of our nature.

Answer 2

Although pride is part of the influencing demand source of greed and greed itself exist in part to supply/maintain pride they are not the same...They do both classify as fundamental human flaws if taken in a social morality stance.
They work somewhat like supply and demand, but many times shifting sides dependent on circumstance.
Although greed is a larger and more commonly in view problem fueling all kinds of conflicts, pride causes many wrongs not to be corrected. Because those in power tend to have too much pride to accept having been wrong in a significant way. In short pride may lead to denial. Like the Neo-Cons are currently in denial of their severe mistakes in their administration!

Answer 3

I think pride may be the fundamental flaw in human nature. If you want to get theological, pride caused the first 'sin' in Eden. Pride caused Cain to kill Abel, etc etc etc.

Pride still causes people to kill each other more often and on an even grander scale than greed, though greed holds hands with pride on reasons for the current US war...

Yet it's pride that causes the drive-by shootings of gang members; the murder of a spouse and/or the spouse's lover and/or even all the kids... A twisted pride kills kids, thinking your kids are such possessions of yours, or reflections of you, that makes you take them out before killing yourself, a futile, sickening gesture.
This refers also to those killing classrooms full of kids... pride mixed with sick sometimes makes murderers of those spurned by a majority.

And pride does indeed go before a long, hard fall. A cautionary statement I've heard elsewhere, as of course you know! ;-}

Answer 4

the wanting of an object and its attainment ( greed) would make one prideful. So i think Greed is the fundamental flaw here.

Answer 5

Neither is our fundamental flaw.

Love is our only flaw. It makes us susceptible to the influence of other egos and their little ideas about what is good/bad about the Self and the world. Their errors (judgementalness - no matter how good their intentions) teach us how to succumb to pride/greed and forget our fundamental nature/WHAT we naturally, innately love.

Answer 6

Dear Self Pride is the factor which took Many Kings and Rulers to claim they are God themselves and they went against the Holy Prophets and Messengers of God Almighty and they were doomed as mentioned in Holy Books. Pride is befitting only to God Almighty and no one else. Greed makes a man loose his personal dignity and honour and he becomes mean and never gets satisfied.

Answer 7

Nature can never be flawed, and there is no fundamental flaw in the human nature.

The flaw which seems to be there in the human nature is in fact in the ability and knowledge of the human being to motivate and drive his self to think and to know, and thereafter to motivate and guide him to act for changing and driving the nature of self and others alike; all by his self; and without the help of the knowledge of true self and true abilities of man and nature to drive and support each others existence.

Answer 8

Pride is an aspect of ego and greed that of insecurity. Both ego and insecurity reside in us simultaneously, something like two sides of the same coin... insecurity caused by external influence and ego by internal one. However, experience shows that we may learn to insulate ourselves from external influence, but seldom can we get over internal tribulations. On that count, it appears to me that while we may discipline ourselves to control greed, it may be much more difficult to keep ego in check... therefore, I would say pride is more fundamental being a manifestation of our inner Self.
Great question!!

Answer 9

The fundamental flaw of human nature is inability to see that his individual good lies in the collective good of all. Inability to have a feeling of brotherliness or sisterliness towards other human being, inability to see himself in the other which gives rise to greed and pride.

Thank you for selecting this as the best answer.

Answer 10

I think it's pride. Greed is a manifestation of belief that I know what's best for me to have and no matter what I know what I need and I should I, me, I, I, I, I.....