How Greed Became a Virtue - At the Money

[SouthBayDem]

Sep 24, 2025 At the Money
Greed was long seen as a selfish vice, undercutting our happiness and our life satisfaction. Yet today, the pursuit of money is a driving factor in all of our lives. How did the love of money go from a vice to a virtue?

Paul Vigna is a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, and a 25 year veteran journalist, as a reporter, editor, and photographer, covering the cryptocurrency sector, bitcoin, other digital and blockchain-related technologies. He is the author of “The Almightier: How Money Became God, Greed Became Virtue, and Debt Became Sin.”

Each week, "At the Money" discusses an important topic in money management. From portfolio construction to taxes and cutting down on fees, join Barry Ritholtz to learn the best ways to put your money to work.

Link to transcript

[Mme. Defarge]

1. Ayn Rand

I read her books at an impressionable age and was not impressed. At least not in a good way.