Greed in Old Time Radio

Most people have everything they need. A serviceable car to drive to school or work, enough food to be healthy, a safe, dry place to sleep, and the companionship of people they love and care about, these basic needs are actually not so hard to come by in the modern world. This is indeed fortunate because if a person's basic needs are not met, things become difficult, even unhealthy, sooner than later.

There is nothing inherently wrong with wanting to improve your lot in life beyond your basic needs. Sure, a serviceable used car will get you where you need to go, but if you can afford a faster, more luxurious ride, what is wrong with that? A nicer, bigger house? Tastier, fresher groceries? Striving for something better than what you have is not only healthy, it drives what is the greatest economy in the world, so if you can afford to chase better things, then do.

Problems begin to arise when we want more than we can afford but greed tells us we should still have them. Greed is the desire for material wealth or gains, often at the cost of spiritual needs. By spiritual needs, we are talking about more than simply the lessons taught in church, spiritual needs include the companionship of friends and the love and nurturing of the family unit. These are things which are criminally easy to take for granted, but if they are neglected or ignored, they slip through our fingers.

Mahatma Gandhi pointed out that "Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed." In the prosperity of the Eighties, it was common to teach that "greed is good", and we have discussed here that desiring and striving toward better things and a better life is healthy and even admirable. The problem occurs when our greed blinds us to the real cost of that "better life". If advancement comes at the cost of our basic needs, especially our spiritual needs for companionship and love of family and friends, if we even consider risking the welfare of others, then the cost of our greed is too high.

• The Lone Ranger, June 30, 1944, Mutual Network, "Ricky Meadows/The Phantom Rider". Ricky is doing well with his job at the general store, he gets a raise to $12 a week and puts some money on a ring for his girl but his greedy Ma has other plans.  The Ranger and Tonto are in the Territory trying to find information about the Phantom Rider but have a run-in with a bounty hunter. 
• The Adventures of the Falcon, February 20, 1949, Mutual, "Murder is a Knockout". Kay took it on the lam from Los Angeles with $75,000 of Peter Alexo's money. He tracked her to Chicago and then to New York where he tries to hire Mike Waring, the Falcon, to find her. Alexo also has one of his boys. Hagen, looking for Kay. The web of deceit and greed get deeper when Hagen turns up dead.
• The Saint, August 14, 1949, Mutual, "Greed Causes Murder". Fancy Dan Turner wants to get his hands on the Old Timer's jalopy. Simon Templar is determined to figure out what a dude like Dan would want with such a dud set of wheels, but first, the old man turns up dead, and his won't be the last body involved.
• The FBI in Peace and War, March 23, 1950, CBS, AFRS Rebroadcast, "The Criminal Proposition". The company where Walter Donner is keeping the books is in bigger trouble than it appears, so his bosses make a criminal proposition. Walter will make off with the books so that the bosses can hide the cash they have embezzled. Donner wants to do the right thing, but his wife is feeling greedy.
• Mr. and Mrs. North, October 27, 1953, CBS. "Runaway From Murder". "Greedy, grasping, selfish relatives" are the bane of Mr. Gordon's existence. His wife spends lavishly, the kids are spoiled, her family expects to keep their jobs, and the bank is going to call their loan. In desperation, he has Mr. North sell his collection of antique books and he will liquidate a division of his company. Out of the blue, his secretary suggests that they run away together, which will lead to even more trouble.
• Our Miss Brooks, January 30, 1955, CBS, AFRTS Rebroadcast. Connie's landlord, Mrs. Davis, cannot afford the installment on her mortgage and may lose the house. Meanwhile, Madison High has its own real estate troubles, the school wants to buy the vacant three acres next to the school but the greedy miser who owns it won't sell. Can they get him to sell if Connie fakes an injury?

See also: Revenge, Double Crossed, and Conspiracy in Old Time Radio!