There is no place in Capitalism for the lust of greed. Working for one's self-interest yes, but not lusting after greediness. The Bible warns of these two deadly sins to the individual and society.
For the banks, lusting after their greed, actually harms themselves in the long-term.
For the consumer, lusting after their greed, again actually harms them in the short-term.
Constructive self-interest has been replaced with first jealousy, then lust, and now blatant greed.
You’ve just articulated Rand’s Contradiction.
“Constructive self-interest has been replaced with first jealousy, then lust, and now blatant greed.”
Let me be a bit nit-pickey. It isn’t jealousy that is the problem, it is envy. Jealousy is motivating and envy is destructive. If you are jealous of your neighbor’s “stuff” you will me motivated to pull yourself up to his level. If you envy your neighbor’s “stuff” you will advocate the destruction of his stuff to push him down to your level.