Oprah Winfrey earns about 30 times what the average CEO earns ($8 Million per year), so does this make her 30 times more greedy than CEOs?

Not necessarily. It depends on how she makes her money.
Greediness depends not so much on how much money you have as on the level you will stoop to to obtain it.

Honestly, I'm not a great fan of Oprah, and seldom watch her television show. But, I certainly admire her. She's a lady who came from humble beginnings, and has established and managed her "brand" quite well.

She's a private company, Harpo Productions is the biggest holder of investment I think, and doesn't live high off the hog on stockholder investment in a public corporation as many CEO's do.

In my opinion, I think she deserves what she has. It's the American dream come true, I guess.

Edit:

Info on Harpo Productions

Harpo Productions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oprah runs her mouth and asks people questions. CEOs are responsible for running companies that employ thousands and earn money for investors.

I don't think either of them are "stooping" to earn their money. Like OC says, I can admire Oprah. I just think its funny that people love to hate on CEOs because they earn high wages, but no one ever worries about people like Oprah.

We live with CEOs every day in the business world, and I know stockholders don't have a problem with good ones.

But it seems of late, that there are more and more horror stories of golden parachutes given to non-performers on the way out, and I think that's where most of the ill feelings towards CEOs in general comes from.

People always seem to cheer for good entrepreneurial people like Oprah, and that's good thing.

Of course she's greedy. That's only because everyone is greedy. Its a part of human nature.

Those "golden parachutes" are basically just part of the package handed talented people in exchange for their services. I was just reading something on this subject the other day, I'll have to review it and provide a better response later.

I think the greed is equal, but the success is just higher.

Oprah started out greedy-this can hardly be denied. The greed seems to have left her however. Her career can be divided into three phases-
1. "Day-time spectacle". Her guests and mannerism where only slightly better than Springers
2. "Therapy-in-a-can-on-tv". Very similar to Dr.Phil but without the flamboyancy .
3. "Prize time". Her show became about helping various people and speaking with celebrities. It also serves to show 'ordinary' women that they can do extraordinary things.

Clearly she has managed to carve her own niche in this world. At this point though, she seems to be trying to entertain her audience while trying to get them to strive to better heights. A fairly noble action in anyones book, regardless of goals.

A possible interpretation of success is that it requires a certain amount of greed (The desire to met ones goals). However, this definition would qualify Mother Theresa as greedy in meeting her personal goals to help other people. A more popular interpretation of greedy would- the desire to met ones goals, despite the effects to other people. Which is a much better fit to the meaning here I think.
It seems that Oprah, having founded her empire on the public exploitation of other peoples lives, was greedy. Her current status, regardless of her personal profit is not.
-Though, I am aware of some people who qualify greed as having anything more than it takes to live. Since greed is intrinsically linked to ethics, this is highly relative and personalized subject

Just because phenomenal success happened to Oprah and not to you doesn't make her greedy.

However, her several houses around the world are a good enough reason to call her greedy.

I would have to say that greed to me is in contrast to benevolence, not the opposite of poverty. Oprah has showed considerable benevolence, so greedy does not seem an appropriate word. Being rich or successful does not make one greedy by definition. Greed is about attitude.

Well stated.

CEO's don't do good things for society?

Nah, me no think so. She seem nice. Very rich though, probably wastes a lot of money like rich people do. Buying dumb stuff like gold toothbrushes or something.

One would be silly to generalize and say CEO's as a whole are (or are not) greedy.

Clearly, it is an attitudinal thing, not part of the job description - so it is something that needs to be answered on a case by case basis.