Money. money, money,
must be funny
in the rich man’s world
always sunny
in the rich man’s world.
Abba had these thoughts to express through their hit song Money, money, money way back in 1976. However, in a world today full of growing competition and hectic lifestyles, I couldn’t agree more to this line of thought put forth by them. Decreasing levels of patience, increasing extravagance in living and a lot of disposable income: all of them spell trouble. A recent conversation with one of my friends from undergrads is the trigger for this post.
I find it really queer that a piece of paper in your pocket should hold so much value in one’s life, just because it buys quite a lot of things but Not everything. Sure, you could buy all the fancy materialistic stuff with all that money but have you ever wondered the cost that you have actually paid to get your hands on that next item. The actual cost is not always apparent to the eyes but is usually implicit in nature. Probe a little further and you realize that in the pursuit of money, you have lost out an even more valuable,no, priceless commodity: time.
For money,
people kill, people lie,
people cheat, people scam,
people pursue degrees they hardly need
people give up relations,
people become wanderers,
people forget the human side to their nature,
money,
all for money.
The basic problem behind all this lies in our complacency. We are just too complacent regarding our dreams, our desires, our passions and our lives. People think that if only they could pursue their passion, their true calling, life would be so much better. If only the government was functioning properly, if only everything would be running smoothly and all went well. We tend to forget that every now and then, things do go bad in life and they require rectification. We dream, speak, debate and fantasize about all such facets of our lives, about the only thing we don’t do is act upon it. When Monday strikes, all our fantasies vanish into thin air and we return to the grind of the pursuit of earning money and generating wealth. The lure of money blinds us all and we just keep chasing it endlessly .We casually shrug and say ‘I can’t do that, I need to earn money‘. Sure, you have to but not in the ways everyone is doing it. There are millions of ways of earning money and yet all that we do is talk and keep on talking about it. Keep in mind a simple truth, that you will not carry all that money packed in suitcases along with you once you die. All that money will just get left behind.
You have that special talent, that ability inside you, which needs to be brought out. Everybody in this world has their own purpose, their own roles to play in the larger picture of life. Imagine, back in the 1940’s or the period before that as well, if the people of that generation would not have taken action, India would not have gained independence and 15th August as well as 26th January would have been just some dates on the calendar. Those were the people who believed in action and that time was of more essence than money. If they would have just talked and discussed about independence, would they have obtained it?
In our modern age, the situation demands that we look at things from a different and creative perspective. If the money is creating the problem, then remove it altogether. Abolish the monetary system as we know it. Replace money with Time as the currency. This concept and idea was explored by director Andrew Niccol in his film IN TIME. The film just goes to show us that time is truly more valuable than any form of asset we could think of. Aware of the fact that hundreds before me have said the same things over and over again, I would still like to emphasize Steve Jobs here.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other people’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
Consider the following situation:
You are lying on your deathbed and just few minutes away from your death. An angel appears in front of you in shimmering white light. The Angel tells you that it will grant you a choice of life but there are two options to choose from:
- Ten million dollars equivalent of wealth will be given to you but you will continue to live in old age full of diseases and all other ailments which old age brings with it. You will live to a maximum of 100 years in this state.
- In this case, two things will happen. Firstly, your life will be re-winded back 30 years and you can live those years again. Secondly, ten additional years would be added to your present age at deathbed.
And so, I now conclude this post with two words:
Which? & Why?
well written Jay..really today people are just running after money..nobody has time for anyone..everyone is just leading a life with the sole purpose in life-earning money..in this process relationships are being threatened, health is being ignored, and a person leads a life full of luxuries minus mental happiness..I hate such life..
Thank you very much Ranita 🙂
Yes, our lives are being increasingly governed by money and wealth. We need to slow down, maybe stop, to have a good look at our lives.
Keep visiting 🙂
Its true that people are becoming materialistic… We don't have or rather GIVE time to our dreams, aspirations, health or the people we love…
Having said that, I must insist that money is important although its not everything… Consider the life full of love with no money… We have to wait till eternity to fulfill even our smallest dream…
One thing I fail to understand that why the kind of gyan like "Money is not everything" is given by people who are rich??? Remember Maslow??
I would say that the balance is important… Work to earn money, exercise for your good health, give time to your family and friends, enjoy the holidays, live life to the fullest… Maintain what we call "Work-Life balance"
BTW nicely written… Looking towards some more blogs in the future… keep blogging.. 🙂
It's not complacency, but ignorance in the way you describe it. It seems to only apply to those who already have a lot of money, and who have no higher ambition beyond earning money. But the reality is that a vast majority earn barely enough to sustain themselves, and following their dreams is unfortunately not a recourse.
However, the idea still holds for the younger generation who don't have added responsibilities. They can choose to struggle for bringing out the best in them which can also earn money. As the saying goes, find something you truly love and you will never work another day in your life.
Thank you for the feedback Deepanshu 😀
What you have stated is true but then again your statement itself reveals an underlying affinity for money. That is the basic problem with money, you can never have enough of it. The desires keep mounting up and there is no end to it.
Keep dropping by Deepanshu 🙂 🙂
Well, it is part complacency and part ignorance, as both of them usually go hand-in-hand. There are plenty of poor people who who make the cut even with all the adversities around them. It basically boils down to moral fiber and ideals to which an individual aligns himself/herself.
Thank you for your insight and feedback 🙂
Do keep visiting 😀
ahhh…anodr gud blog, bt i do agree wd d gentlman abv dat its true u knw a lyf full of love bt not a penny in ur pocket wher wud u go, al d luv n morals fly out of d window whn hit by d hammer of reality..i mean imagn u havin a nyc lyfstyl n suddnly its al gone cuz u chose 2 belv in "money is not an imp factor"..ok lets take u urslf fr exampl..dont u want to earn,have a nyc lyf…gv a nyc lyf 2 ur family..
its easy 2 say wht uv said..bt whn lyf gets practical u knw money is imp…ofcourse tym is of d essence"always" no questioning dat..also money is not evrythng bt it sure is sumthng..n evry1 on ds planet is working jst so dat dy cn get dat small piece of paper..it really doesnt matter nymre on wethr u agree 2 it or not no1 wants 2 b left behind nymre 🙂
neverthless….its al claaappssss fr ds 1 … to gud..luvd it 🙂
Well, i think you misinterpreted the post a bit. Of course I don't mean to say without a penny in the pocket but even that small something about money which you speak of is powerful enough to blind you and take you off track from your goals.
If one is aligned with one's goals & ambitions, the chances of such a person going empty handed are very less. That is, 'if' the person is aligned, not just on paper but also in character. That's the problem I spoke of, people just think and go under the false impression that they are truly working towards a goal. History is full of examples where people with phenomenal success did not even have proper formal education, so that puts a question mark on our degrees as well.
Here's a thought for you – "Can money get you time or is it that times gets you the money???"
Thank you very much Aprajita for your feedback and encouraging words. Do keep visiting. 🙂 🙂 🙂
It became more easier to understand with this answer… must say very well drafted…:)
Thank you very much Nirali 🙂