Emphasis on Growth is a Fraud

"Greed has an extremely negative connotation for most people. It conjures up
images of Ebenezer Scrooge and Shylock, chortling over their gold and
ignoring the plights and miseries of others. However, it is actually the
gathering of resources, the more the better. Biologically, for any organism
that is successful greed is good." - Richard F. Taflinger

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~taflinge/biology.html

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Greed may be a form of gathering resources, but the assertion, "greed is
good", is a flawed premise.

An organism's success does not necessarily mean it is within the bounds of
natural law and therefore sustainable. Success is no guarantee from failure.
The natural environment provides growth limiting factors to organisms for a
reason, namely, preventing one from being "too greedy".

The tree that can grow so rapidly that it can't be supported by its
environment, is doomed. This contradicts the assertion that the more growth
an organism can achieve, the better for the organism. "Biologically, for any
organism that is successful greed is good."

The assertion also ignores the value of an organism that experiences slower
growth.

Whereas one organism is exceptionally greedy, produces in abundance but who's
qualities are less favorable, an organism which experiences slower growth,
in less abundance can have more favorable qualities. The slow growth of the
oak produces a highly desirable quality in its hardness and the beauty of
its close, straight grain while softer, more abundant maples are necessary
for the construction industry.

Having both oak and maple is more desirable than having more of one at the
cost or even demise of the other.

The organism is part of a larger system in which both are affected by each
other.  The larger system provides for a diversity of organisms also
affecting each other and the shared environment. It seems clear, the system
seeks to create organisms who's success strategy is not one of dominance but
diverse harmonic balance.

It appears greater thinkers than I have missed the obvious and proceeded to
create the myth of "greed is good". The premise is obviously false yet has
been peddled to an unsuspecting public. The deception is for profit and by
their knowledge of the fallacy, is a fraud.
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