3 Main Reasons Why (Almost) Everyone Wants To Get Rich.
It is worth running only if you have fun.
As a Socratic, I ask myself a lot of questions. Sometimes I find answers, and other times I find more questions. A friend of mine who is a wise guy often challenges me, once told me: “the answer is inside yourself.. but it’s wrong!” I fixed him, and without saying a word, I went home to reflect. I thought he was right. That night I went to sleep very early as his reckless but honest statement sucked my energy. I don’t mean you have to doubt yourself but revising and updating your own convictions is essential for self-development. The following day I looked for a dictionary. I wanted to check the definition of “Rich” again to make sure I know the actual meaning.
Cambridge English Dictionary: “ Rich — having a lot of money or valuable possessions.”
As a side note: sometimes I am convinced of a notion. I revise this out of curiosity, then I realize that I have been wrong. It happens to the best, for sure. Therefore it is helpful for your own advantage to be open for updates.
Why this human condition?
We are the only beings on earth who strive to accumulate valuables or material goods infinitely — much more than we could actually make use of. I could name a few known people, but you already know who they are and what they do. Like kids when they grab a bunch of nuts or sweets and stuff their mouth as it was their very last chance. You get the picture. In the animal world, instead, at most, food is stored during the fruitful season to make it through the less resourceful winter. After that, when the abundance returns, the cycle starts again. As I mentioned, we human beings tend to accumulate in such a disproportionate manner. This is because we always look for this feeling of security. As long as I live here, and so you do, I bear in mind that nothing is secure.
What are the reasons that prompt us to behave this way?
1. Material wealth offers many opportunities in the relationship with other people.
A rich person can provide part of his/her belonging to get some goods or services (or favor) in return, which would bring him/her certain advantages. I could point out many examples: prestige, reputation, the owner’s importance towards who considers material wealth an essential element. Imagine I want to talk to Jennifer Lopez, Brad Pit, or Barack Obama, call their agent, and I will get an appointment in almost no time. I would invite any VIP to come to my party. They know I am wealthy; 90% of them will be happy to attend, no doubt.
It is a normalized fact that if you have a lot of money, by default, you seem to have the right to get into any field you like without being questioned. Expressing any comment about your competence doesn’t come to by to almost anyone. You get in, you talk, and everyone listens. No question asked. This won’t be the case if you are a normal-wage mortal.
2. Material wealth provides the freedom to be anywhere.
I might decide to be in the Canary Irelands tomorrow, in Paris three days later; boom, get the ticket and prepare the luggage, done. This is the freedom I can get if I could just make purchases without even thinking about money for a second. The masses regard this condition highly. Out of boredom, I might have an idea, ok. I need to make a few phone calls and start planning. Within the next few days, this could become a reality.
This is what I call “Freedom” in the real sense of the word. Not much thinking about money, just doing what I think could be a great idea. I want to record an album? Fine, I’ll get musicians to play for me. I can even hire a lyricist to write some lyrics. If I can’t sing that well.. no problem, Auto-Tune will sort this out.
3. Being rich saves time.
I want to buy that motorcycle; I don’t have to wait one year or more to get the money. I want to give an expensive present to my beloved one; I pick it up, and there we go. In this dimension, time condensates into a different atmosphere. Apart from going from East Coast to West Coast via teleportation, all the things I want to do shrink into a much smaller timeframe. Isn’t that fantastic?
In conclusion:
Tell me why you want to get rich, and I know who you are.
It is believed that this position has the potential to give “happiness.”
I’ve heard somewhere the quote: “it is better to cry in a Ferrari than in a small car.” It is thought that wealth is, in some ways, connected to happiness. Maybe there is a link, or is it all media propaganda? By observing commercial adverts, I can see that a person, once owning a specific object, appears to be smiling, in a good mood, and often even fit.
Not mentioning the asphyxiating amount of trendy music videos. Although a particular artist wants to convey a specific message, he often uses the glamorous, wealthy image to hook the audience. The danger of forgetting the meaning and remembering the “rest” (the shiny parts) is severe.
This form of publicity induces the masses to follow happiness, which is, somehow, connected to freedom.
Wealth = Freedom = Happiness.
This is the main reason why the masses tend to invest a significant amount of their time chasing happiness, which has material wealth as a basis. Being rich is actually the natural consequence of practicing your skills. If I am smart enough, I can get rich before I start trying. It happens automatically by following my passion. Chasing riches can be a double-edged sword that could make you end up wasting time being unhappy. Like people who work hard their whole life to, one day, retire as if it was a form of liberation (I did attend a retirement party, it made me think).
A further relevant aspect that I consider is if whether this “chase” gives us fulfillment in return. Often we regard this as a “hardship phase” that is worth going through before catching the rainbow. Should you decide to choose an “unpleasant” journey, you will be wasting valuable time of your life. The term “unpleasant” should not be misunderstood as “difficult.” Allow me to fall into a cliché: “at the end of the day, the journey will make the difference. I wish you a good one.”
