There is a misnomer that every rich person is greedy, and every poor person is not.
Being greedy means you want more and more of something, especially money. But you can be greedy for just about anything, including food, drink, or fame.
People who are greedy are a little too interested in having something. Usually, that something is money. Rich people who keep trying to get more and more money are often accused by being greedy. A gluttonous person is greedy for food. If you're obsessed with something and can't get enough of it, you're greedy for it. This is a word for extreme, grasping, devouring behavior.
This society is driven by neurotic speed and force accelerated by greed and frustration of not being able to live up to the image of men and woman we have created for ourselves; the image has nothing to do with the reality of people.
Yoko Ono
What causes Greed?
The roots of true greed stem from genuine psychological addiction. Excessively greedy individuals derive their main feelings of pleasure from the accumulation of money and material possessions. For the greediest individuals, there is no endpoint to the gathering of wealth, and no set amount of money can ever be satisfactory. Gaining wealth creates a release of dopamine in the brain, causing these individuals to relentlessly desire more money and more possessions.
An addiction to greed may come from deep-seated feelings of inadequacy, depression, loneliness, anxiety or other negative feelings. Greedy individuals may attempt to stave off these feelings through the accumulation of a fortune. Their wealth may allow them to fool themselves into thinking they have no problems or that all problems can be solved by money. Greed also frequently leads to narcissism. Many greedy people are highly concerned with their self-image and accumulate extravagant possessions to serve as status symbols.
The greediest individuals often mistakenly correlate money with feelings of self-worth. They may perceive their fortune as a substitute for virtues such as friendship, love or loyalty. These individuals may become suicidal if they experience a significant financial loss, because so much of their self-image is tied up with money.
highly intelligent people that are greedy?
Ever heard of Larry Ellison?
Yes, there are people who are both intelligent and greedy. Intelligence is no defense at all against greed.
BEATING THE MONSTER: If you’re the captain of the ship and greed and power are steering you toward an iceberg, change course! The scenery may be a little nicer on the other route, but you may find that you’ll be just as content taking a slower-paced journey.
It’s safe to say that even if you are the least greedy person on the planet, you will still be affected by greed in your day-to-day life.
some of the context may have been used from:
http://www.mikedubose.com/posts/power_greed_and_the_love_of_money/
https://www.reference.com/world-view/causes-greed-fb33eedf366efe34
https://www.quora.com/Are-there-highly-intelligent-people-that-are-greedy-for-money
http://time.com/money/4357067/greed-keeps-you-poor/