Do you care about being rich?

You can do plenty of good without money like volunteering at a community center, tutoring, washing a handicapped/elderly person's dishes and cleaning their house, etc...

Sometimes doing that stuff is more satisfying than just throwing money at stuff. It's what gets me about people holding up these athletes and entertainers when they donate to charity. Yeah, credit should go where it's due and some really do wish to impact the world around them but many either do it out of virtual obligation or to put up a front for good publicity.

Of course when you make hundreds of thousands/millions you'll have plenty to donate and while I still give them credit, it doesn't really show hoe good their character is.

But beyond that tangent, like I said, you can still make a major impact on people without spending a dime.

 

Says the lady who one time bought a cake for millions of dollars just because it was decorated with real diamonds.

 

True but my point still stands. Money is a not necessarily a bad thing and it can do lots of good but I've gotten to a point where I don't like the idea of dealing with certain headaches, like the countless people asking of you (even if you say no) and then in turn they get upset at you because you won't give what they know you have. Then there's the robbery/burglary aspect as well as knowing a spouse's intentions. Nothing like making/getting all of that money and losing most of it in divorce.

 

That's why you build good friendships because if people en masse love you and appreaciate you, they'll take care of you in a time of need.

And as I said, I'm not advocating being poor and even think it's smart to have a plan (such as lots of formal education, as much as I loathe it's "necessity)" to step up as needed should something change financially, such as having a child or taking a serious dent in your finances.

I'm also consciously aware that at some point the financial bubble will pop in the future and people (just as during the Great Depression) will lose all they've worked so hard for in an instant, leaving devastation, disbelief and anger. That has a great influence on how I feel.

 

This! It's my whole point. And if enough people around you care enough about you, they'll help you get those luxury things anyways as a token of appreciation.

I think you miss out on life by worshipping money and working so hard for it beyond a certain point.

Spoiler

"They made us hate ourselves and love they wealth,
That's why shorty's hollerin 'Where the ballers at?'"

-Kanye West (All Falls Down)

I miss the Kanye from his first two CD's.

 

Uhh, yes, too much money can be a curse, just ask some lottery winners, entertainers and pro athletes. Yeah, it can be argued they cursed themselves with stupidity/irresponsibility but there are some things that just come with the territory such as robbery potential and associates having hard feelings when they're told no by someone they helped or were cool with in the past ("Man you changed, you used to be cool)."

Stuff like that has, in the former's case, caused death or injury and in the latter's been the cause of the ending of many lifetime friendships/associations. This not to mention money can't buy happiness or respect, otherwise you'd NEVER hear about rich people committing suicide, feeling like they don't have enough or that their lives suck.

And I'm not saying being rich is necessarily a bad thing or that I wouldn't take 20 million dollars if it were just handed to me but it goes to show that being extremely rich has its share of problems, even if it's more desireable than being the opposite.

 

To the contrary, I'm not rich at all and will be relieved when I finally have some breathing space with my student loans and credit card debt paid off. But I used to desire to be filthy rich and live a high life like the rich and famous. And I had the ability and contacts to easily become a millionaire before screwing up some aspects of my life, setting me back for a few years. Had I not had those setbacks though, I was certainly going the MC Hammer route, so it was a blessing in disguise because I'll be far more responsible and generous (with some fortitude mind you) with that kind of money.

Until you realize the monetary system has a weak foundation and like during the Great Depression people will lose it all...again (those who don't study history...).