"The Cure for Greed", by Diddo

Whatever we feel about greed, we can agree on one thing: it exists. Whether there’s too much of it in the world, or too little, is a matter of opinion, not understanding. We all have strong feelings one way or the other. On one side of the debate, some believe it’s the root of all that is corrupt and evil. Conversely, greed is seen and often celebrated as the key behavior that allowed our species to adapt and evolve so successfully.

But what exactly is greed? Is it an immutable algorithm hardwired in our DNA, a survival instinct that triggers responses to a constantly changing environment that can turn hostile at any moment? Maybe greed is an emotional reaction to our cultural reward system? Or the embodiment of the darkest side of our natures, rooted in fear? When you get down to it, you realize how little we really know about 'greed'.

Still, we’re somehow certain about the effects of greed on individuals and our society.

Understanding the effects of this behavior, without understanding its underlying causes, is a dangerous leap of faith. It’s critical that we come to terms with greed at a deeper level if we are to find a ‘cure’, and not just treat its short-term symptoms. We need to dig deeper and investigate how greed shapes our personal and cultural values, and how these in turn affect our potential as a civilization and our future as a species.

‘The Cure For Greed’ is an iconic object that sparks an internal and social dialogue
on all aspects of ‘greed’, the benefits as well as dangers of this basic and pervasive human behavior. It’s an invitation to reexamine our assumptions and inject them with the type of energy that will ensure new and evolving perspectives. Our hope is to learn from this process, and grow, to become more human, not by repressing our nature, but by transcending it with understanding and compassion.

The Cure for Greed - The making of from Diddo on Vimeo.

Making of 'The Cure for Greed'

A behind the scenes peek, excerpted over the four-month process to produce ‘The Cure for Greed’. Intricate mechanical and chemical separation is needed to extract and recover pigment from US currency. The ink is then re-stabilized, divided into individual doses and packaged into medical vials.

About the object

Each personally monogrammed custom-made mahogany or walnut box contains:

- One 24-karat gold plated syringe.

- One 5ml crimp-sealed serum vial containing one dose of stabilized pure dollar ink
mechanically and chemically recovered from approximately $10,000 in US currency.

- Two 24-karat gold plated needles.

The Cure for Greed is the latest project made by Diddo.