Defining Wealth
The basic paradigm of capitalism is one of material ownership and control, especially by private individuals. A peasant from Europe or Asia is lured into the sphere of material accumulation with the glitter of gold and sex-appeal. Once they have been captivated they can be worked to the bone in a futile attempt to make ends meet. In this way they create more material wealth for those who already possess a great deal of it.
What burden does material possession place on the shoulders of the possessor? Do the children of the affluent experience a better life than their middle class peers? If they lose a toy, a replacement can be had easily and quickly. There is no adjustment for doing without a comforting object. On the other hand an affluent child has the resources to travel to exotic lands and wind up in the stew pot of isolated cannibals. That is an experience that the middle class child would prefer to do without.
An affluent child can afford to get so drunk that he drives off of the road and takes a life without the penalties imposed on a middle class child. If a magistrate will not accept a material gift, she can be removed from the bench by more sinister methods. Public officials learn to treat the pampered brats in the fashion to which they have become accustomed.
This is not real wealth but merely material wealth. It is an illusion that ensnares all those who pursue it and who inherit it. Its burdens are harsh and ugly, dehumanizing all who are forced to bear them. Friendships for the materially wealthy are obsequious and threatening. It is no wonder that so many children of the affluent have been driven insane.
Material wealth can be given and it can be taken away. It has no permanence. It confers no higher qualities on the owner. Instead, it places restrictions on the paths for personal development. The responsibilities of managing material wealth detract from the pursuit of a fuller human experience.
There is greater wealth to be had in eschewing the trappings of ownership. When we walk to our destination we have a richer experience than we do riding there. When we travel by bicycle we feel more personal achievement than when we travel by motor power. When we read a book we get more out of the experience than watching the movie. When we have diverse relationships we experience a family far greater than that of a single household. That kind of wealth cannot be transferred.
What does wealth mean to you?
What burden does material possession place on the shoulders of the possessor? Do the children of the affluent experience a better life than their middle class peers? If they lose a toy, a replacement can be had easily and quickly. There is no adjustment for doing without a comforting object. On the other hand an affluent child has the resources to travel to exotic lands and wind up in the stew pot of isolated cannibals. That is an experience that the middle class child would prefer to do without.
An affluent child can afford to get so drunk that he drives off of the road and takes a life without the penalties imposed on a middle class child. If a magistrate will not accept a material gift, she can be removed from the bench by more sinister methods. Public officials learn to treat the pampered brats in the fashion to which they have become accustomed.
This is not real wealth but merely material wealth. It is an illusion that ensnares all those who pursue it and who inherit it. Its burdens are harsh and ugly, dehumanizing all who are forced to bear them. Friendships for the materially wealthy are obsequious and threatening. It is no wonder that so many children of the affluent have been driven insane.
Material wealth can be given and it can be taken away. It has no permanence. It confers no higher qualities on the owner. Instead, it places restrictions on the paths for personal development. The responsibilities of managing material wealth detract from the pursuit of a fuller human experience.
There is greater wealth to be had in eschewing the trappings of ownership. When we walk to our destination we have a richer experience than we do riding there. When we travel by bicycle we feel more personal achievement than when we travel by motor power. When we read a book we get more out of the experience than watching the movie. When we have diverse relationships we experience a family far greater than that of a single household. That kind of wealth cannot be transferred.
What does wealth mean to you?