I don't think there is anything worse than money. You would think a seething hateful story about money would accompany a lead like that, but then you'd be wrong. There's no better time than now to write. Now when I'm still living at home luxuriating in zero expenses and the money I make becomes disposable (okay, please do not read or remember my blog titled "London part two," as it invalidates everything I've just written).
Money Begets GreedDo you remember when you were young and you earned money for the first time, the feeling you got when that coarse coloured paper smacked upon your palm? For me it was a neighbourhood paper route and I got paid in one lump sum of 20 fucking dollars! Then I thought about it and all these material things entered my mind: I can buy this (caramel candy) or that (hubba bubba chewing gum) or this (Crunchie chocolate bar) or that (sour jawbreakers). A surge of fiendish excitement shot through my 70 pound body as I wanted to make more money so I could buy more things. You know, I hadn't wanted a 5-liter jar full of sour jawbreaker, but then, after the cash, I thought I needed it. Besides I worked so hard delivering those papers that I deserved it.
Money Can't Buy You LoveLove can't be bought with money. It's that simple.
Money Don't Make You HappyI'm not fanatic enough to say that all money is evil. You need a minimum amount to warmly greet the threshold of need. You need to eat (but not fancy); you need to have shelter (but not a mansion); and sometimes you need to support others (but not your addictions).
People are resilient and adaptive. It's an important evolutionary quality, but it makes sustaining happiness near impossible. Simply, people get used to things quickly. You could have gotten a raise from 20 to 30k and that sudden jump would bring you an upward spike in commodities and options and likely some degree of happiness. Then, you'd just get used to it and be as sad and miserable as you always were. Studies have shown that after meeting a minimum income, all income brackets reported the same level of happiness and one study focusing on lottery winners reported that their happiness was temporary (and the same study followed people who lost their legs and how their misery was temporary too).
Money Invites DeceptionWhen you got money, the world is so friendly. Buddy boy 3rd half cousin calls you up to
just hang out. Sales people approach you instead of watch you. All the red carpets are steamed cleaned and rolled out . How could you separate those who love you and those who love your money? Or harder still, those who love you and your money?
I had a conversation with my friend Shoe about money, and I told him if I was ever rich I would slowly reveal how rich I was to my kid. Like every five years I would tell him* I got a raise into the next income bracket, so when he's a toddler I would raise him poor, then as he grew up I would slowly be more rich. This way he would never quite get used to how much money I had (always be thrilled with the new things we could suddenly afford) and he growing up poor he would understand the value of hardwork and appreciation of things besides money.
Man, all this writing is making me tired. I wish I had money right now so I could get a back massage and someone to make me ginger and onion dry lobster.
*It's just easier to write he. I'm not propheciesing a son or anything like that. =]
