The Concept of Wealth!(and why its wrong)

I am a very wealthy man... Do I have billions of dollars? No. Do I own large buildings? No. Do I drive fancy, fast cars? No. Then how sir am I wealthy? I'll tell you how! I have a family, love, happiness, and the ability to think for myself... In my mind thats wealth and anything more than that is good fortune. And when it comes down to it, I wouldnt have it any other way. Think about it everyone...


Isnt love nice?...

Interesting. Plus you can eat your family when you're hungry, and deskin them and make covers when you're cold.

reply to post by 547000


I do not appreciate your grotesque attempt at humor sir. This thread is intended for mature responses, not the absurd thoughts radiating from a 12 year-olds mind.

Yeah, I think the normal definition of wealth is all right. Unless you can eat your family when you're starving.

I have ZERO CHILDREN!!! Now THAT IS WEALTH!!!

Wealth, freedom, no worrying, and 8 hours of sleep!!

Wealth!!

reply to post by Sumdumguy


i think that the word wealth can be explored a little bit. what does it really mean?

- is it having enough money to have nice things. is it being able to do all of the things that you want to do and enjoy life because you are financially in a place where you can?

- or is it thinking that you are superior to others because you drive a more expensive car, live in a bigger house, wear designer labels, etc... and you think that this is who you are. and that you would be nothing without these things. you do not even have to have money to be in this category. i know many people who are in crazy debt who think this way.

there is a big difference between the two. the first one in my mind has nothing to do with "wealth" and has everything to do with creating a life that you love and doing the things that you love to do. the second one has absolutely nothing to do with money. and everything to do with thinking that money makes one person better, or more important, or more valuable or more worth, etc.. than another.

neither of these have anything to do with real happiness, which only comes from within.

reply to post by Sumdumguy


In a way you might be right on target. I have or have access to the definitions you used to describe "wealth", yet none of the latter, really. The friends I've made outside my family-related social circle think I'm crazy for turning my back on it all, yet it's the first time in my adult life I've felt any real freedom. I still have a lot of confusion on the subject of family, love, happiness etc, though to some degree I can think for myself (though I probably over-think and end up back where I started). When I was a kid I dreamed of living in a shack somewhere near mountains and streams and trees with the love of my life, just being one with nature with little communication with the outside world. It probably sounds silly but we wanted to live in a John Denver song. Then we grew up and he died tragically at a young age and the dream died with him. Nearly 20 years later I'm finding my way back to that ideal. There's not enough money in the world to buy me peace of mind...

Originally posted by Sumdumguy
reply to post by 547000

 

I do not appreciate your grotesque attempt at humor sir. This thread is intended for mature responses, not the absurd thoughts radiating from a 12 year-olds mind.

Actually, I think 547000 kind of has a point (though I'm not sure if he meant to or was just trying to be a troll).

It's only the great material wealth of modern civilization that allows you to kick back and think about the finer things.

When life is a struggle to survive, you don't need a cozy philosophical "realization" to see what your family means to you. Your wife and children might be farm help, and losing them would be devastating in more ways than one. When you're closer to the earth, love and loyalty come naturally without having to think about them.

Sumdumguy,

I totally agree with you! Money and possessions mean nothing. It's the love and happiness you get from your family that truly makes a person wealthy.

[edit on 9-8-2010 by virraszto]

Originally posted by Sumdumguy
reply to post by 547000

 

I do not appreciate your grotesque attempt at humor sir. This thread is intended for mature responses, not the absurd thoughts radiating from a 12 year-olds mind.

I found it hilarious. You need to be desensitized a bit more, IMO.

Wealth is the abundance of valuable resources or material possessions or the control of such assets

Wealth

You family could be considered "valuable resources" if worst came to worst. Grotesque or not, his claim is legitimate. Wealth is the accumulation on capital, not emotions. I think you've got a very nice outlook on life, yet I think you're word choice is poor. I think you confused 'wealth' with 'happiness'. The two don't normally meet.

'To have something of value.'

I'm pretty sure that everything has value.
And I'm pretty sure that, regardless of who we are, or our economic state, we all have lots of 'stuff'. (Be it, physical, emotional, spiritual, knowledge ect).

So to the original poster, you are somewhat on the right track, but you are still not all the way there.



What defines value? I think its along the same lines of the 'best' argument. Its all about who we are. If I value something, and I have it, that makes me wealthy.


For example, you seem to be one of them love mongering people. I myself, value physical and mental solitude and isolation. To someone else, that might be considered loneliness. You might be shaking your head at your computer right now thinking 'this guys insane'. Am I?
Or am I just not you? I think the latter.


So Although you are thinking, you have not arrived at a conclusion that is correct enough for you to preach at everyone else. Maybe you've arrived at a conclusion that is true to yourself..

That's a great start.

My point is you can't eat your family or use them for shelter, so they can't be wealth. Wealth IS material in nature.

You can be happy that you have a family and might consider them very important. But they can't be used materially.

I was trying to crack a joke as well as make a point.

Originally posted by Sumdumguy
I am a very wealthy man... Do I have billions of dollars? No. Do I own large buildings? No. Do I drive fancy, fast cars? No. Then how sir am I wealthy? I'll tell you how! I have a family, love, happiness, and the ability to think for myself... In my mind thats wealth and anything more than that is good fortune. And when it comes down to it, I wouldnt have it any other way. Think about it everyone...


Isnt love nice?...

I agree completely. This is why we are here.

dictionary.reference.com...

–noun
1.
a great quantity or store of money, valuable possessions, property, or other riches: the wealth of a city.
2.
an abundance or profusion of anything; plentiful amount: a wealth of imagery.


Wealth isn't always material in nature.

I don't think the OP meant he or his family didn't need food or shelter. I'm pretty sure he meant he didn't need anything over and above the basic necessities.

Originally posted by 547000
My point is you can't eat your family or use them for shelter, so they can't be wealth. Wealth IS material in nature.

You can be happy that you have a family and might consider them very important. But they can't be used materially.

I was trying to crack a joke as well as make a point.

I understood that and I do appreciate that you could be humorous and still give an honest reply adding to the discussion. (I chuckled at how offended the OP was at such a blunt and honest response.)

I think the original poster is just too poetic in his definition of wealth. And I like that you pointed that difference out in his argument.

We're talking about two different 'wealth(s)' here. A concept, and a definition.

One can have a wealth of anything...

A wealth of knowledge,
A wealth of love,
A wealth of experience...

But, if you use the word with any economic connotations then wealth has to be defined as "a great quantity or store of money, valuable possessions, property, or other riches and has nothing to do with love or appreciation of family.

Oh and just an aside - If you want to really test the wealth of your familial love, lose your real wealth and then see who sticks around!

reply to post by virraszto


im glad someone understands what I mean. yes food and water are needed but other than bare essentials the only thing i look at as wealth is love family and happiness.

as for you Blubbery I was not offended by his attempt at humor, I was offended at how he laid it out and what it was about humor or no humor it wasnt the right way to go about it.

and again for Blubbery. I love my family and thats about it I have never been a people person, infact I dont like most people which is why my dream is to live far away from anything in the mountains with protection and happiness =]

547000 wealth does not have to be material it can be emotional. and also family can be material in a way such as helping with gardening, farming, and other forms of work but even without doing those things they are a type of wealth. And next time think about and choose your words a little better when it comes to joking about things like that.

Both nice but if I had to choose one over the other...It is an easy choice.

Originally posted by Sumdumguy
I am a very wealthy man... Do I have billions of dollars? No. Do I own large buildings? No. Do I drive fancy, fast cars? No. Then how sir am I wealthy? I'll tell you how! I have a family, love, happiness, and the ability to think for myself... In my mind thats wealth and anything more than that is good fortune. And when it comes down to it, I wouldnt have it any other way. Think about it everyone...


Isnt love nice?...

The first day of college Economics 101 class, the instructor told me all I wanted to know about the thory of economics. The first law of economics states that "human greed is insatiable."

If you can internalize and fight that natural tendency, you can be in the position of this wise man above.

Originally posted by 547000
Interesting. Plus you can eat your family when you're hungry, and deskin them and make covers when you're cold.