To the editor:

Family greed is an ugly and heartbreaking topic. Greedy siblings act underhandedly, such as draining bank accounts or seizing property. When greedy siblings are driven by financial gain, it can cause irreparable damage to a family. Beyond financial loss, greed causes immense heartache to families that soon find the family fractured.

It is difficult to pinpoint where family greed begins in the family history. Is it because parents lack the ability to communicate openly and honestly with their children about dividing money and assets equally? Or is the greedy sibling simply a bad, selfish seed without a conscience that feels entitled to steal from and manipulate other siblings? Some family members seem to have an insatiable hunger for greed that can’t be satisfied. They repeatedly grab whatever is for the taking without any guilt and do not have any intention of sharing with other siblings.

Greedy siblings must rationalize their greedy behavior to justify their selfish actions. Rationalization, by definition, “works by creating excuses for mistakes or negative outcomes, reducing emotional turmoil, but potentially eroding trust and genuine communication over time.”

One thing is for sure: family greed is unhealthy on all levels for any family. The permanent family fracturing and sadness that results from siblings being unable to do the right thing and divide money and assets equally amongst all siblings is a loss for all, but mostly it is the death of longtime family bonds and love.

Mary-Beth Muckian, BSN RN

Marblehead