What are your perceptions of material wealth/money? What is "wealth"? Do we see too much excess today? If your financial status a reflection of how successful you are? What is success to you? Are we always wanting more? Do we "want" too much? Is being content or fulfilled enough? When is enough, enough?
While some people say money can not make people happy, I think a life without money can be really hard. I do not think money and material possessions can bring love and happiness to a person when they stand alone and when they are the only things one may have in their life. If a very wealthy person lives alone in their huge house surrounded by nothing they truly love, then I think it is safe for them to say money cannot buy love. On the other hand, when a person has people in their life that they care about and a little bit of money that they can use to buy a few material objects that they really want, then it is OK. As long as the individual cares about more than just money, there is nothing wrong with having a little bit of it. The common term of wealth is how much money a person makes, where they live, what they drive, and what sort of “nice” material objects can they afford. It was true in the twenties and it is true today, people care about the tangible goods they have. The more of these tangible goods we possess, the more we continue to want. How many people today only own one of something? Not many. It is not good enough to just own the one bottle of perfume, people have to own 10-12. Some want more than just the house they live in, like a beach or mountain house. Many Americans today own more cars than they have drivers. Having a little bit of everything continues to not satisfy us. Not only does it help one’s social status to maintain nice stuff, but it helps even more if they have multiples of the same nice stuff. As a result, stuff can show success. Our country works on the basis that hard work results in money and money results in success. Since the beginning of our country, if one has an idea worth pursuing, then others will like it and be willing to pay money for it. Even with school, when a student does well in a particular area they can have the chance to win a scholarship, or money to go to college. Even though money makes up a big part of success, I think there are others parts that go along with it. Like how people feel after a significant action takes place or how the action can turn the world into a better place. Success can be money, or it could be what positive impact it may have on the world’s future. Success can be an addictive thing, and people mostly want more. This happens not just with success, but with everything. When someone has a good feeling that they like, they want to have more of it. As a species I think we tend to only think about the future and not love what we have right now, which is why we always want more. Wanting more and more can lead to wanting too much. Because humans do not stop to think about all the good they have already, they keep wanting until it is too much. Much difficulty comes with controlling ourselves to stop and only think of what we need. This hardness leads to too much want. All this stuff can get in the way of knowing when we are content or fulfilled. I think humans stop and think too much about the future that they forget to see all the greatness we have now. All of the material goods get in the way of us seeing we are full and happy right now. I think being content and fulfilled is enough, but only if the person has enough knowledge to see they really are content and fulfilled. The limit for each person is different, and the real challenge comes from finding and stopping at the limit. As a person starts to show signs of obsession and rejects the relationships in their life, then they have had enough. Hopefully, they or someone else can help them stop and realize the truly important aspects of life.
ReplyDeleteNicole, I agree with what what you said. I think that constantly wanting too much of anything can lead a person to a depressing state. People who have a desire for more and more things are never quite greatful for what they already have. If one does not have gratitude and appreciation for what they have then they can never be completely happy.
DeleteI believe that material wealth is not the most important thing in life. Material wealth is usually very empty and not at all satisfying. People who focus too much on material wealth are often unhappy and always want more. The desire for having too much money is also harmful to a person. People who focus on material wealth and money tend not to focus on more important, longer lasting things such as family, friends, and the beauty of the world around them. There is always more money and more material items to be gained in life, so one who is focused solely on these things can become consumed by them. Materials and money can help create a happier situation but only to a certain extent. A child can find happiness when playing with their toys and a parent being able to buy a vacation ticket to spend time with their family can bring happiness, as well. These things are good material and money items. If someone’s priority is earning excessive amounts of money and material wealth, though, it becomes destructive. Wealth can be defined in two different ways: monetary/material wealth or intangible/emotional wealth. Monetary/material wealth is self explanatory but, intangible/emotional wealth is things like happiness, love, family, friends, spirituality, etc. As far as monetary/material wealth goes there is probably too much focus on that in our world today. On the other hand, there is not enough focus on the intangible kind of wealth. People should focus more on things that bring them lasting joy, things that don’t cause stress or stem from greed. I do not believe true success is based on financial status. Living in extreme poverty isn’t the ideal situation either, but as long as one understands what things are truly important, no matter his financial status, he is rich. I think to some extent people are always wanting more and that is part of life. Many times people want too many things that are not important. Even wanting too many good things can be bad. As long as people don't let their wants and desires consume them, wanting different things is not all bad. That is one way goals are accomplished, seeing what you want to achieve and then completing that goal. Being content to the best of one’s abilities is likely to bring more happiness in most situations. Still, in life there needs to be a balance in everything a person does. Balance is probably the best way to describe when enough is enough and when too little is too little. Living a balanced life takes away some of the questioning in what things people should or shouldn’t do to live a happy and successful life.
ReplyDeleteAudra, I agree with all that you said. I really like how you pointed out that wanting things is not bad, it is wanting too much that starts causing the problem. I fully agree with this statement. Balance is one of the most important things in life, but unfortunately it is also one of the hardest things to find. I think you have the right idea about money and how it can control people’s life.
DeleteI think material wealth surrounds us in our daily lives. We are constantly reminded of what we don't have, and how much better other people are than us because they have everything we desire. I do not believe that material wealth is one of the most important things in live, even though I know many people who do. Money is definitely important to a certain extent, but it should not be someone's entire focus in life. Money should only be used to give us things that we need, not necessarily excess things that we want. Today, many people use someone's income or how much money they earn to determine their amount of success in life. If you aren't making thousands upon thousands of dollars, then you are not a success. I do not believe that is the entire truth. Having money can yes be a factor in success, but I do not think someone has reached entire success until they are happy and are doing something they love, not necessarily something that gives them a lot of money. Other elements of success include being surrounded by positive people in your life and simply loving the life that you live. I do agree with the fact that in today's society people are constantly wanting more. A reflection of this is how much new and better technology we have today, and every time a new iPhone comes out I know plenty of kids who will get rid of their perfectly good current iPhone just in order to have the newest version. Also, it's not just about wanting more, but it's also about wanting things you can't have. Everyone wants something that other people have that they know they may never be able to obtain themselves. I think there certainly does come a point when enough is enough. That point seems to be different for every person, because every person wants different things in life. Once you reach the goals you have set in place for yourself ever since you were little is when you can be content with yourself. After you have done that, why would you ever wish for anything more. We need to stop and ask ourselves if something is what we truly want, or if we just want it because we don't have it and other people do. There has to be a certain balance in life, and you must be able to tell yourself when enough is enough. Once you have achieved your dreams and been able to tell other people you are happy, you have finally reached your own success and there should be no need for anything else in your life.
ReplyDeleteMoney and wealth are two very interesting concepts. Wealth is often measured by money, and wealth often decides social class or ranking. I think that as humans, we place too much importance on money. We don’t need money to survive, thats a fact. There are stories of people who live off the earth and let nature be their home and their resources. However, I do think that money has its place. The structure of our society is built upon the foundation of each member of a community or society to have a specific job or service to sell, and so we are all reliant on each other. In this way, money is very helpful because it is something we can trade for other people’s services and we can focus on mastering one skill or trade. However, there comes a point when money is more of a nuisance than a help. When people use it poorly and buy whatever they want whenever they want, the message is pretty clear that they are not contributing and giving back to the community. Ideally, a society should run where most men have similar wealth. There shouldn’t be a need for government, and our society suffers when the government tries to come in and redistribute wealth. People usually work hard for their money, and they should support their neighbors but this shouldn’t be monitored by the government. Moving from politics, wealth is a skewed term in our day. Wealth really is when people make a huge scene about their money. I have neighbors that have lots of money, but people wouldn't consider them wealthy because they don’t live the wealthy type of lifestyle. Overall, wealth is less a number of dollars in the bank and is more a way of life. A lot of people have too much wealth. They live in such careless ways, while other people are starving. Success should not be measured by money. If the goal is money, then sure, rich people are “successful”, but success can be measured in many different ways. By nature, man always wants more money because most things of this world can be bought with money. We as men are under the illusion that money can buy happiness, satisfaction, and those sorts of things. Ultimately, money can not make any difference in our spirituality and in the long run means essentially nothing. Money is over-emphasized, stressed over, and used to create an image instead of used as it was first intended, to be a means of trade. Our society is starving for money when we really need spirituality. Money is not the cure, its the problem.
ReplyDeleteMaterial wealth is just a distraction from our unfulfilled lives. I am definitely a hypocrite when it comes to this virtue, but I sincerely believe that true happiness is purely intrinsic. Of course someone living with dirty water and little food would not be as happy as someone who has excess of everything, but if everyone has enough to get by, then more of what they have doesn’t make them any happier. By conquering inner fears and being vulnerable, people are ultimately making themselves happier. Material wealth is a form of temporary happiness that can’t give you long term content. While much of our happiness comes from inside, it seems to me that by benefitting others in some way, their happiness or gratitude is somehow transferred to the provider. Being content and feeling successful is all about making personal goals, and then achieving them. It is also about risking yourself and feelings for something you are passionate about, putting yourself out there and making something happen. But feeling fulfilled isn't enough. As humans I don’t think we can sit idly by and watch those who are undeserving, face hardship. We are naturally inclined to help. To be truly happy we must first obtain inner happiness, and then transfer it to those around us.
ReplyDeleteCan people like friends and family make us happy? Or are we only ever "truly happy" when we obtain inner happiness and transfer it to others?
DeleteWealth is relative. There are extremely poor people who live long and fulfilling lives and there are also rich people who live the same kind of lives. Some people have too much and are still wanting more. They have a surplus but that is the way it will always have to be. As long as there is a competition for resources then there will be someone with an excess. A person’s financial status is a measure of success. It is not the only one but it is the one that is the easiest to measure. It is a good quantitative result of how successful you are. In the modern world money is the international currency. If you have enough you will never need much else. But in reality no one will ever have enough. The logic that some is good more is better is too deeply ingrained in humans that humanity will never stop wanting more. Humans adapt and overcome and think of new ways to get more. That is how we have survived and advanced so far. The same way that they forget they are wearing shoes they forget that they are content. Humans grow used to the present quickly and immediately desire more. There is always an upward flow. No matter where a person is they will keep trying to improve themselves. Money is not the only way that they do this. Although it is not easy to measure there are other qualitative measures of success like relationships and skills. People are always improving these things or their financial standing. Greed is not limited to money. Everyone wants improvement whether it be social status or an improved skill. Humans will never stop wanting more and that is not a bad thing. It is how we survive.
ReplyDeleteI believe that wealth comes from within. As cliche as that may sound, I truly believe that. Yes, there is a point of “wealth” and income that needs to be achieved just to have the necessities of life and be comfortable. Something that particularly bothers me is when people my age say that they want to “make a lot of money”. It is good to have aspirations but we have too much pressure to be successful in the financial realm. From a young age we are told that we should do well in school so that we can get into a good college and in return get a “good” job that will make us rich. I become pretty fired up because money will not make you happy. Let me differentiate that this does not mean that I think that money is worthless because in our culture and society it is necessary. Wealth can also be defined in ways that exclude money from ts definition. We can all find some sort of wealth and meaning in whatever facet that mean to us. I think wealth within oneself can really mean just being happy with yourself. For me that may mean meditation or yoga, for others religion or charity. Part of our nation's problem with wanting money is that we are fed the idea since we are little. We are shown that money buys things, things we want. Feeding this desire is developed over time. This is not to say that people who have money are empty but wanting only leads to more wanting. We can all take pleasure in the occasional shopping or new item but the difference is being motivated by wealth because of the want to buy more things. I think being successful is relative. I want to do something where I wake up every morning wanting to go to work rather than only being happy on pay-days. We all may want a little too much - some more than others- but we can all be more cognizant of our wanting. Wealth may be the main focus of some but until we can focus on within the material goods will do nothing but sit in our empty box houses collecting dust as we search for the next thing that will make us happy. Enough is when you can walk alone without need to prove yourself with money.
ReplyDeleteHannah, I agree with what you said about how wealth comes from within. Also, I too understand that money and material goods are a necessary part of society and cannot simply be eradicated, and I especially like when you,"we will do nothing but sit in our empty box houses collection dust." I think what you said is significant because it represents the unsatisfying and insubstantial shell of happiness that material wealth provides.
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My perception of material wealth is some what mixed because I’m not gonna lie it feels good to have extra money to be able to spend on whatever you want. At the same time I understand that too much wealth can make one be pretentious and stuck up but I think that also largely depends on the person. So I guess when it comes to wealth it can come down to moderation and the person with all the green. There are really two main categories for wealth; wealth of knowledge and material or money wealth. I think both are somewhat respectful but don't often mix together. I do believe that today we see too much excess in the world. Consumerism is at an all time high it seems and people are more attached to their personal devices than ever. However I’m not really sure if it’s a problem or not. Our generation is now so used to all the technology intertwined with their day to day lives that I think it’s somewhat a thought in the background. I don’t believe your financial status is a real reflection of how successful you are to a degree. Some people do in fact earn their money so I would say they have had to have career success in order to obtain their money. However there are also people who simply inherit their money, which means they did not work their lives to get it they were just born to it so therefore they have not had much career success. However that doesn’t mean they still can;t be successful in their lives. I definitely don't think you need money in order to prove your success, maybe to people around you but not to yourself. I think if someone sets personal goals in life whatever they may be, and then they work for them and complete them, then that is success. Success to me is being a good person. Someone who people respect and look up to, being a good friend, being a good member of your family and having loved ones around you who love you unconditionally is proof of that success to me. Being a happy and loving person seems pretty successful to me. I do think we are always wanting more, there is always a next step and next page to get through. No weather the thing we want is love or attention of simple material good we never seem to be completely satisfied. I do think we want to much because thinking of how much people say “I want” in just a day alone it’s quite a bit. I think this also goes back to the idea of never truly being one hundred percent satisfied. I do think being content or fulfilled is enough because I think those two things are very hard things to achieve in life. It seems today pessimism is taking over and peoples eyes are only seeing the negative. As for when is enough enough i’d say enough is enough when it affects one's happiness and well being or ones loved ones.
My first thought when wealth comes to mind is the idea of greed, selfishness, and excess of material good. Although this is not the case for everyone that comes into or earns wealth, it is my general perception. I feel that when someone has so much money they just get to a point where they cannot physically or mentally be thankful for what they have. They become too focused on all of the things they can get and all the things they already have that they forget to stop and be thankful that they even have a home. When someone has that much money, it sadly comes with the power of greed and selfishness. Although this is not the idea of all of the wealthy, the more money that one attains, the higher a risk they run for not reflecting and being thankful for what they do have. This only creates a want for more and a selfish heart. Sadly, when people get in this mindset they think that they are better than everyone else because they are more successful. They are “obviously” better than everyone else but I think this is false. I think that ones own success can only be gauged through them. No one is better than the other, just some people have different ideas of what is more or less successful. Unfortunately, the wealthy tend to become set on the fact that they have more money, hence they are better. I think that this is the reason why people with more money tend to be the people who can never get enough, they can never be satisfied. Since they have no gauge of how fortunate they are to have so much wealth, they tend to always be seeking the next new thing and not just stopping to smell the roses that they already have. Although this seems to be a big trend within the rich, it is still a trend everywhere. I find myself always wanting more, always wanted to do more and it creates this feeling of dissatisfaction. I don’t think that anyone can ever be truly content with what they have and where they are at, no matter who they are. Even though I have all that I need, there will always be this hint of things that I want in the back of my head driving me to attain them but always coming short because there is something new. Do I think that something is enough? Yes, I think that I have all that I need to Christ Jesus and have pure eternal joy and satisfaction because of that. Sadly, I am still human and I realize that I still have my flaws and that is that I will always be at least tempted to want more, just like everyone else in this world.
ReplyDeleteAlthough true wealth in life should be measured by the experiences you have and the relationships you share in life, wealth in the modern world is instead measured by material gain. Today money is seen as the true measure of someone life. However it is easy to see that this kind of material wealth is not what determines whether someone is happy in life or not. On average, impoverished people in India have reported to be happier than Americans. This seems to be the effect of the excessive amount of value that we place into material goods here. Things like cellphones, TVs, houses, cars and clothing are seen as the pinnacle of wealth and considered to be the sources of happiness. What people find is that these things lose value quickly and are made irrelevant once the newest model comes out months later and so are made unhappy to have an inferior product. Such material wealth is also connected to how people see success today. It is true that if one views success as something purely financial in nature that such material wealth would show financial success. However, many people today live beyond their means and have the newest and best crap the is offered and live in enormous houses but are so far into debt that they won’t be able to retire until they’re ninety. Therefore not everyone who has the newest and best things can automatically be seen a successful. Financial success can also be viewed as the ability to provide a comfortable, healthy life for yourself and your family. On the other hand, success doesn’t have to be viewed as being financial at all. Instead, one can measure success on the experiences and relationships that one gathers throughout life. In today’s world people want for too much and it is very hard to be satisfied. But I have found, no matter how corny it sounds, that love, friendship, hard work and fun are the only things required to live a full and happy life.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is a common conception that “money can’t buy happiness” and materialism is typically frowned upon by others, money does possess great importance to me. I view money as opportunity; wealth is important in this world. With it, one can furnish the lifestyle they want. For example, I would like to travel in my life, but this is unachievable without the money to pay for such expensive ventures. Riches also provide comfort and preservation of sanity. To have to worry and stress over paying bills and other expenses involved in societal life is agonizing and unpleasant. To have a lot of money would deplete the trauma of this issue; a poor person would have more trouble paying for things while a rich person would have little concern with this problem as it would be less of a struggle to come up with the money. In this way, wealth can be attributed with peace of mind. I feel like money is an inescapable element of civilization in the modern world, so it is important for members of society to come to terms with it and accept their feelings about it. Therefore, it would be better to feel positively towards wealth rather than criticize it and waste negative energy on standing against it. Many people are opposed to the portrayal of success in society and are not in favor of the superficial attitudes of citizens who indulge in excess materialism. However, I believe that these concepts are completely subjective and hold different meanings to each individual. I don’t feel justified in judging others based on their desires and ideas of success nor their capacity of materialism. Both of these aspects hold different importances in different individuals’ lives and I am not one to impose my own morals and instruct them on how they should live. For me, I usually connect “success” with fulfillment and with my satisfaction in my life. Part of this involves contentment with my future career, as that would be large piece of my lifestyle. With this, my measurement of success is based on my accomplishments in my future job; if I am able to pursue what I wish, than I have fulfilled myself and will believe myself to be successful. My monetary earnings does not necessarily define my success, but I think it does have some weight in my overall sense of achievement. Success also relates to my sense of fulfillment in the rest of my life. Other parts of my life may depend on money, though, such as travelling. To meet this goal would complete me, but I would require wealth to attain it, as I explained before. In this way, money is a deciding factor in my successfulness. Yet, perhaps I never will feel content or successful as many individuals seem to always desire more. After reaching what one wants, one may soon become discontented and wish to strive for more. In some sense, it is good to always want more because we are encouraging ourselves to grow outside of what we once were. I think the desire for material objects comes from this ambitious nature. Enough will never be enough in any aspects of our lives, whether this is addressing our attainment of goals or our possession of materials due to a natural aggression for advancement.
ReplyDeleteMany people put wealth as the center of their lives. Everything they do somewhat revolves around money. I think that money is a good thing to have because it has the potential to create new opportunities that allow us to go places and share experiences with other people. However, I don’t believe that we should begin to rely on money as the only way to do these things. Sometimes, the best experiences are from when you walk to a park with your friends and hang out or even taking your dog on walks to new places. Wealth is actually defined as an abundance of valuable possessions or money. This is what we need to start straying away from. Possessions such as a car or bike for transportation should be kept. However, when we start to get into fancier items or “valuable” possessions, this is when money begins to take over our lives. People begin to look for excess items that can fill their wants. As for the question about if financial status is a reflection of how successful you are, I actually think that this is true. If you are making more money than most people, then I would say you live a successful life. You are able to use your abilities to provide for a demand given by the mass population to gain money. I do believe though that sometimes we want to much. Minor wants are good. They drive us to do something so that we can afford what we want. However, major wants are bad. They take time away from our lives because we work more than we can. Once we have enough money to afford this want, we already have so much work that its too hard to enjoy what we just bought. Eventually, humans need to learn to just be content with what they have. I feel that through this, we could live with more freedom and less obligation towards a job.
ReplyDeleteHumans are attracted to money so naturally they are going to feel better when they possess more of it. Have you ever heard someone say, “Gosh darn it, I really hate driving my Bugatti everywhere and taking luxurious evening swims on the beach where my mansion is located!” Neither have I. I know it may sound like I’m coming off as superficial but I’m trying to be as honest as possible. Some people believe that money shouldn’t be a source of happiness and instead, to find happiness, we should seek relationships, religion or other non-money related interactions. I agree that these activities can help us achieve happiness, but I would argue that having money also contributes to our overall joy. Money can make life easier, allow you to see the world, attend great concerts and even help you impress a very pretty girl. Although there are some sad and depressed wealthy individuals such as the characters in The Great Gatsby, their attitudes are not related to the amount of money they have. Instead, their sorrowful mindsets are created by the fact that humans are never satisfied. We are always wanting more and our society as well as human nature force this mindset into all of us which is why we see too much excess today. Americans are a perfect example of living in excess. Our buildings are bigger, our cars are faster, and even our models are prettier than those from the rest of the world. We like our reputation as the home of the biggest, the best, the fanciest, and the most famous. Our culture tends to measure someone's success through their financial status and we are never fully content with ourselves. On the other hand, I believe that although someone may be successful this doesn't necessarily suggest that they are wealthy. Vincent Van Gogh, who was a very poor man at the time, is now regarded as one of the most influential artists of his century. Financial status is an ignorant way to measure success.
ReplyDeleteI believe that having material wealth and money can be important sometimes. In some cases how much money you have can dictate how much you enjoy doing something or using something. However many people get caught up in wanting more than what they have. Today wealth is definitely an important and prominent aspect of society. It is seen everywhere on a daily basis. People take it very seriously. Sometimes upon getting into relationships it seems to be a question of how much someone makes in order for people to see them with respect. Some of the most popular people in culture are always the ones who have a lot of money at their disposal and because of this they are seen as higher than everyone else. Wealth in society today is seen as something of royalty or as close as you can come to that ranking. People are always searching for ways in which they can become richer and gain more money in hopes of making their own lives worth living. I think today your financial status is a reflection of how successful you are no matter what people do or say. Everyone always looks at the wealthy with an aire of admiration because those kind of people must have better education and must be very knowledgable on the subject of attaining more money. So people look up to them as the answers to their problems in life. It’s discouraging to some who have less because they are looked down upon and not respected the way they should be. I personally believe that your success in life is measured by how you spend it. If you are doing what you love and are truly happy then that is what matters and not how much money or the items that you have in your possession. Success to me is fulfilling your life goals and reaching your level of happiness. It’s taking a step back to appreciate what you have in life and to notice the little things that could mean more than any material items. Having strong relationships and spending time with the people you love should overrule the want and need for more money and things that don’t have meaning at all. I believe it is human nature to always want more, or to want what we can’t have. We want to get the best out of life and it is believed that having enough wealth will provide that for anyone. We are never truly content with what we have unless we stop and reevaluate how our lives are being spent. Personally, I don’t look that much to wealth and financial issues. Of course being stable is an important goal I have but I will not let that become the only thing I strive for. Many people will suffer in working areas and jobs for the money alone. Whether they are miserable with their job or not they continue to work at it because of the belief that with more money they can be happier and it’s worth it in the end. There really isn’t an answer to when enough is enough. It varies from person to person. If you are able to appreciate what you have and realize that money isn't anything than you have found the answer to this question. Everyone always wants the best but they have trouble figuring out what truly is the best.
ReplyDeleteMaterial wealth and money are not a necessary part of life. Although it may make life easier and less stressful, it also creates a capitalistic society and brings out the worst in people. It evokes a trait in people that causes them to look down upon or judge others. Wealth and money also create a false sense of happiness within a person, and cause them to put up a facade of satisfaction. Wealthy people may believe that their money brings them happiness, but money does not bring true happiness. Money and wealth create unnecessary social classes in society. Wikipedia defines “wealth” to mean “an abundance of valuable possessions or money”. Wealth determines a person’s class, which in a way dictates their life. According to Fitzgerald, for the most part, wealthy people do not socialize with the lower class. I believe we do see an excess of wealth in society today. It allows us to live the lifestyles we currently have, and it is the reason for our capitalistic society and need for material goods. Financial status in no way reflects how successful a person is. Success isn’t measured in money, but rather in happiness, satisfaction, a sense of belonging, etc. Society is too caught up in the “value” of money that most people don’t realize how detrimental it is, and that it is not success. To me, success is finding satisfaction in what you do, and reaching the goals you set for yourself. No one but yourself can judge how successful you are. As a society, we do alway want more, and “want” too much. When people are given something, it causes a reaction of wanting more. What we are given, and what we have is never enough anymore. There is always something bigger, better, and newer that we could have, or that one of our friends has. We are never satisfied with material goods or money anymore. People are content with their possessions only for a short while before they want more, or feel unfulfilled again. To fix this issue, society needs to learn to be satisfied with what they have, and find happiness within themselves.
ReplyDeleteEver since the beginning of mankind humans have been wanting more. It began with more food and more land, but it has grown to more electronics, cars, houses, clothes, and other unnecessary materialistic possessions. People can buy and consume as much as they please, but no object will ever fill that desire to want more and more. As Americans in particular, we “want” too much. We see the new and latest gadgets and accessories as fun and entertaining, but the joy we receive from these objects is temporary. Soon enough, the material’s initial appeal wears off and leaves us wanting another new possession. This vicious cycle can go on forever, but it can also be stopped. When someone accepts what they have now and asks themselves, “do I really need that?”, they begin to be more appreciative of what they have: their possessions, friends, and family. To me, wealth is not the ability to spend large sums of money on anything, but it is more like well-earned money being saved or put to good use. In today’s society, financial status reflects how successful someone is, but I disagree with that. How is it fair that someone who was born into a rich family and hasn’t worked a day in their life is ranked alongside someone who is a hardworking, self-made individual? Success should not be based on which household you come from, it should be based on how hard you work and the amount of effort you put into the job.
ReplyDeleteI have a very opinionated and personal view on money. I only see it as a monster created by mankind that holds back society. Money was first created to create fair trade for those who wanted what they couldn't have, yet it soon turned into something that shaped the human race. Money has become a central focus in the eye of many people in the world because to them it represents opportunity and freedom. To me that's what I think money is all about. Our society is already too molded and accustomed to a monetary system, so I have learned to accept it. However I think it is what is done with the money that counts. Money represents the freedom to do whatever a person may desire. I do dislike the fact that we have to work for our freedom to do as we please. We as humans have created this burden as a by product of our effort to create a fair and orderly society, but this is all another issue. I see "wealth" as a person who has more opportunity and freedom than those who have less money. Although many wealthy people spend their money on material desires, I believed it can be properly used to supply happiness instead of want. Today and excess of money can be seen all around us in society.We as a society constantly bombard ourselves with material desire and want all based out of monetary freedom. There are many things in our life that we can do with out. If we think back to the origin of man, how many i Phones did they need to survive? Humans can be rewired to rely on nothing but water food and shelter, yet as a society we have evolved all these things into wants and desires. Although publicly the amount of money a person may have could reflect their success in life, I disagree. Success is measured in how happy you are in your life and how enjoyable it is for you. This can all be done while living a simple and wealth free life. If a survey was to be taken of all the people in the whole world, the poorest people are often the happiest people. Why is it like this? When money is not a factor, desire and want are also not a factor so the poorer people are able to experience life free of monetary duties. Ever since money has entered the lives of humans, the list of wants and desires has continued to grow. With a society that is centered around money, wants and desires can never be fulfilled due to the fact that when we achieve our desire, people will always desire more. As a society we desire and want too much. Life would be incredibly easier, simpler, and more enjoyable if there was a want free world. Many people will spend their entire lives chasing their desires and wants and will eventually die doing this. For the human race, there is no end. The cycle of want and desire doesn't stop and continues on until the end of one's existence. This topic outlines man modernistic virtues and shows that humans tend to be unsatisfied with life. There is constant want and desire which proves that there is a majority of people who are not content with their current lives. The way I see it, if I'm happy, I'm content with my life. And looking at the big picture my only wants and desires are to be happy in life. I think it is this mentality that will bring success to a person along with happiness to create an overall better future.
ReplyDeleteWealth can be both tangible and intangible. In the common denotation of the world, one’s mind imagines stacks of money, fancy belonging, and extravagant houses. Material goods require large amounts of money to buy such things. This abundance of money and riches is considered wealth. One can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste this wealth; however, this wealth is insubstantial. So many individuals spend their lives in desperate pursuit of this wealth, yet find themselves unsatisfied. This is because true wealth is something that is felt, but cannot be held. This wealth is an intangible wealth, one that doesn’t deal with monetary currency, but the currency of one’s actions and virtues exchanged between people. True wealth is an emotional reward, and a fulfilling happiness that stems from human relationships. Relationships between families and friends fill the gaps that material wealth leaves agape. People’s search for more and more material wealth is fueled by the misconception that happiness comes from how much “stuff” a person has. Emotional satisfaction is the product of a wealth of spirit that arises from kind and virtuous interactions with others that later develop into connections. When individuals reject this aspect of their lives, they become a black hole, consuming more and more insubstantial wealth, yet forever remaining unfulfilled; therefore, there is never enough material wealth in the world to fill that void. Society today is so entranced in the consumer life, chasing after the image and acquisition of wealth, that it has lost touch of the values that lead to true wealth. Fortunately these two forms of wealth are not mutually exclusive; it is possible to indulge the whims of material wealth, buying this and that, and still foster a content and wholesome wealth of character. Furthermore, to embrace this intangible wealth, one must distinguish that the magnetic force that draws so many people towards the tangible, materialistic wealth is simply an empty want, which is irrelevant if one has all the true wealth they need.
ReplyDeleteWealth is measured in different ways. The big ones include money and happiness. The way people decide which one wealth means to them often comes through their lifestyle and fundamentals. For example, most people in The Great Gatsby measure wealth by how much money and material possessions the hold. However, I can see how Gatsby can partially view it as happiness a well. Although Gatsby does have all this money, he isn’t satisfied because he still doesn’t have the one thing that he wants to make him happy, Daisy. That is why Gatsby has bought a house next to her and thrown these elaborate parties. He hopes that one day she might come and then they would live happily ever after, thus completing Gatsby’s wealth. With this in mind, a lot of stereotypes get thrown around regarding wealth, and this may be why Fitzgerald chooses to include a character such as Gatsby, to show that no matter the wealth someone has, they should still have a humanistic side of them to counter their luxurious life. To me, success is measured by if you’re able to fulfill your dreams and are content with where you are at yet still seeking to get better at the same time. That’s not to say that when you are successful you should become power hungry, but rather there is always a field/area in which you can improve more than where you’re at now. If you are forcing anything to become better, then it is too much, but if there is clearly an extra mile still to walk, then you should go for it.
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ReplyDeletePersonally I see wealth as huge part of the modern American’s life, whether it is the cars we drive, houses we live in, or the clothes we wear. We passively make judgements about people based on their wealth and the material items they own. Money has become one of the only things we live for, because a life with no money means no food, no clothes, and no where to live. It is necessary to have a job that produces a solid income so you don’t end up on the streets. Money doesn’t mean happiness, but lack of money does make life a lot harder; you always have to worry about where your next meal might come from. I think wealth can be defined as the assets, and material goods we own, as well as the income someone makes from their job. I do not believe that we have too much excess wealth today, because everyone is always saving up for something, and once they get it, the cycle starts over again.Naturally we are too greedy to be content with what we have, and we always are looking and working to get more. I do not think that financial status can be a reflection of success for everyone, because sometimes very successful people get too greedy and lose their money, but it doesn’t mean that they weren’t successful at one point in their life. Success to me is simply being able to achieve the goals that you set, if you have enough passion, will, and heart than you can surely be successful even if your income doesn’t show it. It is simply not possible for humans to be content, because we always have someone to look up to that has more than we do. Overall, money is interesting because without it we can't live, but with it we live lives full of greed and discontent.
I think material wealth or money is a very controversial topic with a wide array of opinions coming from a wide array of people surrounding it. I have been brought up in a fairly wealthy family and went to school for nine years with other kids who are defiantly wealthy, but I have also seen and known those less fortunate, if that is the right word. I think money is overrated. It is good, no doubt, but it isn’t as spectacular as so many people are so convinced it is. This is one thing F. Scott Fitzgerald does so well in The Great Gatsby, he shows the ugly side of having money I have seen around me. So I think, having seen the wealthy families who are so unhappy, that money does not define our success, at least not success as I define it. Success to me is having everything you need to be happy, truly happy. In my mind you need to be surrounded by people and things that make you happy to be happy. More than that though, the people around you need to love you and you need to love what you are doing. Some people think they need more stuff to be happy but I don’t think that is the case. I think that when people say they need a phone to be happy they are simply trying to fill a void that cannot be filled by material things. The only thing that can fill the void is happiness, or love. The hard part about this is getting past the need for more stuff. In my credos I said I am selfish because: “I have gone through evolution with one thing on my mind: survival, and to survive I simply need. I just need this and need that and need more” This is true for everyone, it is hard for everyone because it has been so embedded in human nature to need. And it is hard to get past it but life is far more simple and easier with out this evolutionary neediness. So, with this being said, in our nature as human beings I don’t think enough will ever be enough, but with out the engrained needs, all one really needs, as far as material items, are the necessities. Though, when people do live with out the material necessities it is easy for me to see that this is where the idea that money can buy happiness comes from. To these people, and far to many others who do have the necessities, being wealthy is the ultimate goal in life but I cannot agree with that. The ultimate goal in life should be happiness and love. The wealth of a person should be judged by the love one receives and gives and the experiences the person has with their loved ones.
ReplyDeleteIn an age where we live in a material world, it is human nature to never be completely satisfied with one’s assets. It seems to be that the American Dream comes down to where we work, how much we make, what house we live in, what car we drive, to even what we wear. Whether one would like to believe it or not, the nation that our founding fathers created has altered the priority of the fundamental morals that it was built up on. Life seems to come down to two main paths: selfishness vs. selflessness. Heres what I mean, it is common to believe that if we focus on meeting the material desires that we have been raised to achieve, we will eventually be able satisfy the needs of ourselves and our families. Doing acts of service for others seems to be a facet that we accomplish after we have met our own tasks, or are striving to complete hours on a volunteer log. The world of working on ourselves and working for others seems to be two different realm, which one of the fundamental reasons why many are unable to find an eternal euphoria. Material wealth and status are one of the ills of society that plague the human mind to thinking that by achieving a specific status, one will find a sense of complacency. By no means can we live without material wealth, but living solely for it will only provide a temporary sense of satisfaction. The longest time duration that an object will provide is either a day, month, or up to a year, but will not exceed past that time. It is important to have the mindset that living for ourselves and also for mankind work in unison. If we think about living for the betterment of mankind we live under the idea of a two fold moral purpose, we can develop ourselves throughout the process of aiding humanity. It is not our position to judge another by their material wealth, because that does not reflect their spiritual standing. All of humanity is at different stages of material and moral progression, however if man has the mentality of practicing selflessness while achieving his own goals, they will interconnect to create a sense of desire for excellence. Thus, we might never stand at a point where we are satisfied, but yearning to quench our thirst will be a practice in progression that requires patience.
ReplyDeleteI tend to see wealth in the ways that Nick sees the East Egg in The Great Gatsby.Having too much wealth, or material possessions, can cause a change in the personality of a person or a hollowness. Although I do not think I could live without money, I still think that it is better than someone that has come into their money. There are two parts to becoming successful in my mind. The first part, is to work hard for your money and not to cheat yourself. I find that no matter how much money one person has, that as long as they have completely earned it yourself you deserve it. Even though you may have money from this, it still does not accurately show one's success. To be successful, you need to be able to create trusting, loving, and caring relationships with anyone. This does not mean to only be able to do this with a few people, but with people you may dislike or look down on because of their "lesser living style." So, no matter how much money you have as long as you care about family and friends, more than money I would consider you successful. When you get a lot of money, you tend to spend it on things that you want, but aren't necessary. When you create a facade of happiness by buying items that make you happy only for a while, that is when you have gone too far. The reason you need to buy these things is because you don't feel complete by your lifestyle and relationships with the real world. Although you may want to continue buying things for no reason, you need to find a place where you can be content without having to buy things. The is no specific limit that I have put on when enough is enough. I can tell when there is too much when I can take a step back and ask myself the question, "Is this all mine? Do I need these to make me happy?" I find that these questions make me think about why I'm not content with the world. I think that the main thing necessary to be happy and successful is your bond with others.
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