Is working like Pahom a bad thing?

It is always tragic whenever a man is never satisfied with what he has. Pahom only works so that he can attain land that is better than that which he owns. As a consequence, his greed drives Pahom to destruction.
Leo Tolstoy's "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" is a parable about the dangers of cupidity. Initially, Pahom thinks that if he were to possess land of his own rather than having to rent it, all his troubles would be solved.

"If it were my own land," thought Pahom, "I should be independent, and there would not be all this unpleasantness."

But, when he does acquire land of his own, Pahom is still discontent because he is increasingly driven by greed. When he is told about the Bashkirs, Pahom's cupidity drives him to obtain their land, land that they agree to give him to repay him for his generous gifts. The Bashkirs tell Pahom that they do not know how to measure the land. Instead, they inform Pahom that their land is sold by the day. They tell Pahom, "As much as you can go round on your feet in a day is yours, and the price is one thousand rubles a day." Pahom is surprised by this offer. "But in a day you can get round a large tract of land," he remarks. With a laugh, the chief says that there is one condition attached to acquiring the land: Pahom must return to the place from which he starts.
As the Bashkirs probably have expected, the greedy Pahom walks too far, and he cannot make it to his starting point. He could end his agony if he were willing to lose his thousand rubles, but his greed prevents him. He also fears the ridicule of the Bashkirs if he does not complete his walk. Finally, the only land that Pahom needs is the six foot plot in which he is buried.