Money, Money, Money
Please think about the following questions and respond accordingly. Make sure to respond off one another. Please show depth of thought.
What are your perceptions of material wealth? Where do we see excess today? Do you believe money is the root of all evil? Is your financial status a direct reflection of how successful you are? Are we always wanting more? Is being content enough?
What are your perceptions of material wealth? Where do we see excess today? Do you believe money is the root of all evil? Is your financial status a direct reflection of how successful you are? Are we always wanting more? Is being content enough?
posted by Jessie C. at 8:16 AM
19 Comments:
For me, I really like to shop not just for clothes but other things like make up, jewelry and good smelling stuff. I am not good at all with saving money, once I have it in my hand it will be gone right away. It is really bad on my part because I "should" be saving money for the futrue. Also, how i want a mini cooper and I probably won't afford it but I won't be happy without it.
I see America today making it look like we need all this stuff when we really don't. When you are watching t.v. the commercials are about clothing stores, cars, and trips. They want us to spend money on material things more than anything. All the signs or commercials with the sales make people (like me) want to go in the store and shop because I am saving money. Also, with the internet, where you can do online shopping as well, how convenient is that to have, when you don't even have to leave the own comfort of your home and have to wait in lines just to get what you think you need. That is why I don't like to go shopping unless I am looking for something specific.
I do think that money is the root to all evil. Today it seems that if you don't have that much money then you are not in the in crowd. It does seem taht people do judge you because of how much money you have. With money it causes striff among others because we get in a mindset that we have to have money and we will do anything to get it. When we have the thirst for money, we don't care who we hurt or what laws we break to get as much money we think we have to have. I know someone who stole money from another company because his wife told him they had to have more money, the amount they had was not good einough. Ya so with money, people turn into animals to get it.
I think that in a way your financial status can be a reflection of your success. It might show that you need an additional or a completely new job that pays more because maybe you can't pay your bill. On the other hand it could show that you are living above your means and need to settle down a little more. But it does not completely show your financial success.
I think hear in America we are wanting more because we take for granted what we have. We have so much here or new things that come about that we think we need to have it. But in other countries that don't have anything seem very content with what they have and they seem to live happy lives. But for us we get mad because we didn't get the newest phone or article of clothing. I don't think we have suffered enough to realize what we have to actually be content with it and not want more. But I don't think I will ever get to that point because I want to fit in.
Material wealth and excess are all around us. Everywhere I go I see it and our economy is based off of people's want for more money or more goods. It truly is sad because often people are more worried about what they have then who they love or the beauty of the world. I even find myself falling into want for material goods mainly from what society expects. Everything today requires that material goods are needed but then the question of excess comes in to play. People always want to get something better or more than they need of the same thing. It is sad that this is promoted and that everyone wants so much more. Success is more of a quality of life and a happiness and not measured by someones financial status. Finally, the sad state that we are in is summed up very well by a man named Anwar El-Sadat when he said "Most people seek after what they do not possess and are thus enslaved by the very things they want to acquire."
I totally agree with andrews last quote. It basically states that people won't ever stop. There will always be something you can't have. Even if it's not an object. I don't think there is anything wrong with being wealthy, but when I see celebrities today on MTV cribs and their 5 different luxury cars, it really makes my blood boil. Is that 5th car really necessary? How many kids in africa could that feed? How many illnesses could have been cured? This is where I think money starts turning people evil, but it is avoidable. I think by today's cliche definition of the american dream, being succesful means being wealthy. Take for example Andrew Carnegie. He was filthy rich but he had a miserable life. Not only until he started giving and donating, did he become happier. Does him giving away money make him less succesful if he became happier and helped numerous people?
To be truly content, you have to do away with all materialism, and not be so self-centered.
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I think that man will never be satifide. We will always want more. We aren't even staified with are real noses and skin color. I think that in an unknown way what you have shows your success. Yeah you might have the big house nice car, but you are proud that you have it. When you go shopping or some thing are showing off what you have. But you don't think that you are parading these items around. To you it might just be a purse, but to some one else that is juding you on the spot they could be thinking that she is rich becuase it is a leather purse. Teenagers are walking billboards and therefore we are judge by our peers.
I think that you can never be content because you can always throw in the questions what if, maybe if. Maybe if I bought this, what if i did this, when you put those questions into the equation your mind thinks that the grass will always be greener on the other side.
Material wealth is pretty self-explanitory-you are wealthy if you possess alot of money and goods. Excess is all around us in the United States. Our economy is of course capitalist, and thus manufacturers and companies are shoving things down our throat so they can benefit. Money is not the root of all evil, but it most definitely is a catalyst. People in power, when money is on the line, are much more inclined to act in their and the economy's benefit than to the benefit of the people they represent. This is happening on a large scale in our government today. There is no corrolation between ones success and their financial situation. Success has to do mostly with how you personally percieve yourself, and in the end how happy you are with the way you led your life. We are always wanting more here in the states because of how much our economy and the government condone and encourage mass selling and buying. The question of 'is being content enough' is summed up perfectly by the quote andrew got said by the man Anwar El-Sadat,"Most people seek after what they do not possess and are thus enslaved by the very things they want to acquire."
Material wealth to me is not so much a want of material things, as it is a status. I think that society today bases their assumptions and opinions of other people on material luxery. People with wealth are looked upon with envy or respect more so than people without it. In turn, people purseu material wealth to gain this respect and, sadly, the envy that comes with it.
I think that it the pursuit of this material luxury we see excess. How far are people willing to go to achieve this material wealth? All we really have to do is look at today's celebrities and we have our answer. Like Billy said, was that fifth car really necessary? It seems that in today's society material wealth is becoming a competion as well as a necessity.
I personally do not believe that money is the root of all evil. However, I do think that the persuit of money can be depending on what you will do to get it.
I absolutly do not think that money is a reflection of success. I once read a quote that said, "In order to succeed, you must frst be willing to fail." I think that success is getting back up after you've fallen and trying again. Success is going after what you want or love and not taking no for an answer.
My mom says that money is definitly not the key to happiness, but it helps. I think this is very true not in the sense that you will be happier with money, but that life is less stressful and harsh with money. I think that the persuit this stress-free life causes us to keep wanting more.
I think being content is enough. If you are happy with what you have and wake up everyday with a smile on your face, what more do you need?
I don't think that your financial status determines your success. I think that if you are happy with what you are and where your life is going then you are a success. Personally I feel like my life is perfect right now. That may change as I get older but if i sayed the same throughout my whole life I would feel as if I was as successful as the richest man in the world. But what is success? I think that no matter what you end up doing is your success. All I want in ife is to be happy at all times no matter what happens. Money is not success. Money is the root to all evil. Most of you don't skateboard so you don't have to worry about this but I have never met a nice rich person besides the people my parents know or something. Everytime I go skating in Cherry Creek or a place like that the people that look at us or kick us out are the meanest people possible. When i look at them I can tell that they hate their lives and they are not happy with what they are doing. I can see right through them. They look at us like we are some sort of different species. Those people probably think that they are successful but really they are not living life that way they should be. It seems like people will do anything just to get their hands on money. That is not the way I look at success.
In today's society, I think material goods are over valued. Some people judge people base on their material wealth and how much of it we own. For example, everyone goes crazy about the new cell phone that just came out. Even though their old one works perfectly fine. It is kind of like if Mr Jones has it, I need to have more and better one. Our society is focused on materials goods too much.
I see excess today in the new cars that come out. In the new Lexus, the car can parallel park for you. Is that really necessary? I also see it in the money people spend on houses and recreation. Does a person really need a 30 bedroom house or a boat that can 20 people can live on. Why can't they donate their excess money to the needy?
I believe money is the root to evil. That is why executive bussiness people do insider trading. They are getting greedy and want to recieve more money. Some try to bribe others to give them money for a good cause but, the cause is really a fraud.
No, I agree with Krista's comment that money doesn't mean someone is happy but it sure does help. I believe if somone who wakes up every morning and they are happy with their job is successful. I would rather be happy and make less money than be sad and make more money. I think we are wanting more. We should want to acheive more to benefit society. We should try to push ourselves to our fulliest potential.
FOR ME I THINK THAT MONEY IS A BIG PART OF BEING HAPPY. BUT MAKING ALOT OF MONEY ISN'T ALWAYS THE ROOT TO HAPPINESS BECAUSE YOU CAN MAKE ALOT OF MONEY BUT AT THE END YOU REALISE THAT YOUR NOT EVEN HAPPY WITH HOW YOU'VE EARNED IT. MONEY IS A KEY OF EVIL IN MY PART BECAUSE MONEY CREATES GREED. EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD REVOLVES AROUND MONEY. YOU CAN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING WITH OUT MONEY. WE CAN'T SURVIVE WITH OUT IT. MANY PEOPLE THINK BEING RICH IS EVERYTHING AND IT COULD GET YOU EVERYTHING YOU WANT. MONEY CAN ALSO CREATE HATE THOUGH AND CREATE MANY HORRIBLE THINGS THAT CAUSE DEATH,DRUGS, AND VIOLENCE. I REALLY THINK EVEN IF I COULD HAVE WHATEVER MONEY I WANTED I WOULD REALLY BE HAPPY WITHOUT KNOWING THAT YOU LOVE YOUR LIFE AND LOVING WHATS IN YOU LIFE. LOVE IN MY PART IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPCETS OF LIFE LOVE IS A WONDERFUL FEELING THAT NOTHING ELSE CAN COMPARE TO IT. BUT IT CAN ALSO HURT ALOT. SO AT LAST I SAY JUST ENJOY WHAT YOU HAVE WHILE YOU HAVE IT, DONT GIVE UP AND SHOOT FOR WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY. YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE THAT IS RESPOSIBLE FOR YOUR SELF AND FOR WHAT YOU BELIVE.
To some extent I agree with what Billy and Andrew were saying about how the desires will never cease; however, I think that it will, and has stopped for some. I think it depends on your personality and lifestyle, whether you can be content with what you have or not. I think that there is, and always will be an excess of greed in the world, but again, not with all people. I don't think that money itself is the root of all evil. I'd say that is presses some evil, like all things do, but I think that rather than intending money, I think that greed covers it better. Greed is, in the end, what causes all evil. "The grass is always greener on the other side." I'm sure that now you are thinking that I contradicted myself, but I still argue that although this greed and evil will always exist, it doesn't stand for every individual.
I believe most people are always wanting more. More money, more material objects, even more friends, or whatever it may be. But it seems like everything in the U.S. is always being improved upon and out-dating everything before it. It is good in the sense that we are getting smarter and creating new/better things but it is also bad because it makes everyone want to just buy unnecessary stuff. When a new model of a computer comes out, everyone has to get it, same with a new car, ipod, etc. Society makes everyone think if they don't have all this stuff, then they are not going to be accepted. So this is always causeing us to want more. I personally am fine just having everything I have now, I don't need to go out and buy everything thats new in the stores.
For most people being content isnt enough. Like I just said, people are always wanting more. Being content just isn't enough anymore. For me, when I am happy with my life I don't need anything else.
In our society today, excess is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. With modern technology there are new gadgets and computers and phones every couple months, and people are constantly trying to keep up with the times so they buy the new items and discard their old ones. Food places order a huge amount of supplies in case they need it, which rarely happens, resulting in wasted food. For example, Einstiens throws away all the bagels they didn't sell at the end of the day. While that type of thing is happening, there are people all over the world that don’t have food to eat or a home to live in. The rich are surrounded by excess while the poor wish for simply enough.
I don’t think that money is the root of all evil, but I do think that it plays a very key role. People generally want to be successful, and some are willing to do whatever it takes to hold a satisfying lifestyle. Unfortunately money is often associated with success so it appears that people become “evil” in order to gain the money, when in reality I think they just wanted to be happy.
I do not think that financial situations should reflect the success of a person; I think that the person’s feelings on how they live should indicate their success. Different people have different ideas of what happiness is and because of that I think that the value of a person’s life should be determined by that person.
Many people believe that there is a direct correlation between what you have and how wealthy you are. But I do not believe this to be true because what you have only shows others how much you have made. But it doesn't show anyone if you are happy with your self because I believe that is what makes you truly wealthy. I also think that money can be seen as the root of all evil because most crimes are commited because that preson need money for what ever reason. I think that in order to be really successful at what you do you should always be wanting more not just money, but to better yourself and how you do things. But it is also ok to be content with where you are as long as you feel you have done everything you have wanted to do.
My perceptions on material wealth are that you can never have enough. We are all humans and want to have more & more stuff and this somewhat correlates to what Alex was saying. That is built into our blood, the want to strive for more. No we can never EVER be content and no if that was enough then you would not see anything around you today that we consider a necessity. I mean if we were content enough with the horse and buggy then we would of never invented the car. Hello! I like taking a plane to California, or anywhere else, and not smelling of horse crap. It’s far more efficient and I don’t have to pull over every hour to feed my transportation. Just remember in life: ADVERSITY INGINITES INNOVATION!!!! Just think about that!!! Every invention was created with what purpose?
Today in America all most each and every one of us can open our eyes and see excess, even the homeless. I believe that excess is anything other than water, food, shelter, and people to talk to. If you’re reading this blog you have two things that I would consider excess, the internet and a computer. In some ways excess can have a negative attribute to it but for the most part it drives today’s economy. Is that so bad, making us get off our butts and do something?
I know this next commit will disagree with other people but I do not believe that money causes the root of evil. It is our power and greed that causes this “evil”. Then again in my last blog I said it is all about perception and I still hold to that. Quite frankly we are a stupid species so we need systems like religion, governments, etc. and money just happens to be one of those systems to control us. Have you ever thought about money? The reason we don’t deal in rocks is because there not flexible, easily accessible, and we don’t know how many our in world. Hell, if you had a bunch of people with rocks in there pockets we would all think something is wrong with them, like they have a disease.
Material wealth is something that is nice, but it is not neccessary in order to be happy. I would much rather have family than any item that I could buy. Material wealth can also be harmful to relations with anyone because materials can be put infront of eachother. There is excess material wealth mostly in America. We have been blessed to have a county where we can obtain this sort of wealth. Many times in America you see families basing their priorities on material wealth, but you notice they are not as happy. This may not always be the case, but in general this is what life would be like. I do believe money is the root to all evil, it has the power to corrupt good people and make them take actions they may regret. Financial status is in no way a reflection of success, success is based on happines. Everyone naturally wants more, it human nature. Being content is fine, but it is also ok to be wanting more, thats what makes people better.
I have to agree with what Andrew said. People base what they have/want off of what someone wants. Which brings me to Krista's comment. She said that todays society material wealth is becoming a competition. I agree with that 100%. Take the t.v. show, Cribs, on MTV for example. It's just a bunch of famous rich people with many material goods. Its pretty much saying that if someone has a half-court basketball court in their house i have to get a full sized one in mine. It's ridiculous. Krista also had a good quote. And i think that success can only happen after you have failed many times before. This is because you adventually find out what works and what doesn't. And when you have became successful you have obviously found out the right technique to be successful. However, i do not think that money is the root of all evil. The root of evil is the person with the money. If you have a lot of money and you donate a lot of it then thats doing something good. You are probably doing this because you are a good person and you want to do something good for another. But if you are a jerk and you dont donate money and you are just snobby and think that you are the best all the time then you are just being evil. I also think that being content is enough. Because if you can wake up with what you have, who you have, and what you are going to do that day to have a good day, then what else more do you need?
I agree with what Karm was saying about how America makes it look like we need all this stuff when we really dont. You see advertisement everywere like on television comercials, adds on sighns and busses and even on the computer. These adds make you feel like your not good enough if you dont have certain clothing or electronic stuff. they want us to spend more money than we can afford on stuff we dont really need. And diffrent styles come in and out of stores so fast that you end up spending even more money. That is why i dont like to go shopping unless i really neeed somthing. I usually try to save my money for somthing more important like collage. The sad thing is is that some people value material things over people. They feel the need to keep on buying things ,but are never satisfied. People create excess because they will find somthing better than what they already have. And this cycle could keep on going because of new styles or better tecnology. In a way yes i do beleive money is evil and in another i dont think it is evil. It can be evil because it leds people to being greedy and wanting more and more. And also money could be a good thing because it gives people an opportunity to get a job and save money to create a life. I dont think your financial status is a reflection of how successful you are because you could be working in a job that you absolutly love and that makes you happy and the pay might not be that great. But being happy and content with your life is a success.
For me personally, wealth isn't that big of a deal. Sure it's nice to have money to do the things you want but it's not nesessary.
Today's culture is full of expenses and requires everyone to give in to the little superficial things that no one needs.
Money isn't really the source of all evil but it can lead people off the right track and destroy their taste for the finer things in life.
My financial status doesn't really play a role of what stresses me. It's more about drama and things going on in my life that bother me. Money is the least of my problems.
We as a society are always want more and we never realize it. We constantly want the newest gadget or want to go out and do things that are fun. I guess we sometimes think that the only way to enjoy ourselves is to pay for it.
For me, if I could be content it would be enough for me.
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