Is being irresponsible with money a moral failure?

[memphis]

Curious as to what people will think in light of recent financial events.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Define irresponsible.

[Earth]

I would say it's not a moral failure. Depending on the situation, it's just the external example of something more serious; such is the case with this banking fiasco. I see in it a seriously flawed mentality that unfortunately effected millions of people.

[memphis]

Define irresponsible.

Amassing large amounts of debt to buy stupid crap.

[7,052,770]

If you're wasting so much money that your family goes hungry, then yes.

[Tonberry]

I think it's too broad a statement to be definitively certain, so I voted no. I'm sure that everyone here has spent money frivolously--and hopefully learned from it. Irresponsibility, as with most categories of mistakes, is often a helpful learning experience, so those are some instances where frivolous spending would not be a moral failure. Also, I'm sure most of you would agree that rewarding yourself for accomplishments or cheering yourself up when you are feeling depressed by way of frivolous spending is acceptable when done in moderation.

Don't get me wrong. On the whole, I think this sort of behavior is usually careless and unfortunate, but that's not always the case.

[dead0man]

If you're wasting so much money that your family goes hungry, then yes.

this, and the answer is yes.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Speaking about the financial crisis. They fed their greed or have just been stupid or irresponsible with the money produced by those who make work the economical system, and they ruined this system, so, they abused of the other ones, so, yes, it's a moral failure.

Generally speaking. Hmm, I would say that yes too given that the money use to be the product of a work.

[ChrisJG777]

Not necessarily, but it certainly is rather stupid though.

[Storebought]

You have it backwards: Moral failure results in being irresponsible with money, among other things.

[ilikeverin]

Without a doubt; it's an example of immoderation.

[pbrower2a]

Profligacy is a sin; as intemperance it is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Waste ensures lost opportunities -- including the opportunity to better use what one gets. If the purpose of life is to amass rich memories and avoid the pain of poverty, then unwise spending can create poverty as well as deny one greater delights -- and ensure that one does little good for others. 

[Eraserhead]

The question is pretty vague. I think it depends on whether your irresponsibility will have a negative impact on people other than yourself.

[Torie]

Being a spendthrift or otherwise failing to make an effort to make ends meet,  is a character flaw in my book, but I am not sure it constitutes per se an immoral act. It might however if dependents are involved. When my grandfather refused to work for a living, forcing his 14 and 16 year old sons to commence working nights to put food on the table for the family and pay the rent, that certainly was immoral, so the context matters. On the other hand, if some basketball star blows a few million, I don't consider that immoral - just dumb.

[Beet]

This question is decided based on semantics. "irresponsible" and "moral failure"