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brings us self-respect and the respect of others, dignity, and a measure of contentment. We rationally understand that money is useful as a tool to satisfy our material needs and wants and that it can buy us the time and freedom to do those things in life that we really want to do. |
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We try not to overly identify with our money and material stuff, knowing that our core sense of self must transcend everything with which we identify. If not, who will we be when everything is lost in a fire or when it is taken away from us? As we asked in an earlier chapter, who will we be when we lose a chunk of our investment capital? |
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We try to keep perspective by remembering all those who are lower on the materialistic food chain than we are. But there is no denying that everywhere we look, we are bombarded by every conceivable toy to help us through life and that we live in the most materialistic culture in the world. We are socialized from our earliest years to value money and all the great comforts, luxuries, cultural appreciation, good health care, and love and friendship that it can buy. |
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You think money can't buy love? Well, maybe in the sense that it can't force someone to open up his or her heart to you in that special way we call ''love." But it sure can pay your entrance fee into the social hierarchy that allows you to meet charming, beautiful, and cultured men and women who are looking to live a nice, comfortable lifestyle, and want, as they say, "the best of everything." You say you don't have enough money to get through the guarded gates? "Well, sorry Charlie, you may be a wonderful person deep inside but on the surface, you're not quite what I'm looking for." |
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Money can't buy you friends? Of course it canjust ask anyone who had money and the friends that went with it and then lost the money and noticed friends didn't quite show the same interest. It happens all the time. Disgraceful and undignified people buy their way into prestigious private country clubs, exclusive gated communities, and high-powered social and political groups all the time. "Membership has its privileges." And money buys membership. |
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So, all of this is to say that it's tough not to feel envy when we see what others have. We imagine life being more happy and care-free if only we had the wealth of the other. Wouldn't it be nice, we tell ourselves, to never have to worry about money? To never have to think about how the bills will be paid? To have the freedom to see something we want and not have to think twice about whether |
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