acquisition of wealth?

[peapod]

I saw this post at another board, it got some interesting replies. So lets hear it


Are you opposed to the acquisition of wealth?


I am trying to become a multimillionaire before I reach 40.

How does that make you feel? Does it change your opinion of me? What do you think about the acquisition of wealth?

Wealth is a form of freedom. Beyond simply being able to own and posses but being able to not have to commit, not have to live frugaly, not have to budget or restrain. I see nothing wrong morally of philosophicaly with making the attaiment of wealth a life long goal.

 

[Vanni Fucci]

Hey Pea, don't get me started...

I think the acquisition of wealth is fine if one has principles already in place to accomodate the increase of wealth, power, and publicity. These principles are founded on respect, kindness (different from charity) and ethical business practices...

Those that do not have these principles in place, and make their millions at the expense of many, are rat-bastards...

Nothing is more repugnant to me than those that would step on the necks of the little people in an effort to attain greatness...

I may have more to say about this...but I'll leave you with that for now...

 

[Munkustrap]

In Sage Francis' song Narcissist, he refers to Nike emblem;

I noticed that the swoosh symbol was nothing but a whip in
mid-swing...

A good line if you ask me.

 

[zenfisher]

I think there is nothing wrong with the accumulation of wealth. Provided, as Vanni said it is done fairly and not at the expense of hurting other people.

Another consideration is what you do with the wealth after you achieve it. Many of the wealthy in Seattle do some great things with their money. Many, show others how to invest money in companies that favour various worthwhile causes and communities.

 

[Vanni Fucci]

Good post Munkustrap...I think Nike is the perfect example of a company whose executive do not care who they hurts in their quest for "greatness"...

Agreed zen, and if one is to show compassion and respect while one earns their fortune, I would expect that those values would carry forward after the fortune is earned...

If not, then it has been all for nothing...because having more money than a person can spend in a lifetime does not make one great...it is acts of kindness toward strangers and friends and an overall interest in the well-being of society that will pave the road to greatness...

http://www.alternet.org/story/21544/

The role of government policy in determining who has wealth and who does not continues to expand. During the recent debate on the bankruptcy bill, federal lawmakers refused to close the "asset protection trust" loophole increasingly used by millionaires and billionaires to shelter mansions and other assets from creditors in bankruptcy. Those same lawmakers weakened protections that protect the family homes of ordinary people from creditors during bankruptcy.

Forbes is wrong; none of the billionaires did it alone. The chasm between rich and poor is not a divide between who has intelligence and drive and who does not. Rather it results from a society whose rules allow some to amass wealth greater than could be enjoyed in a thousand lifetimes, while they deny others enough money to scrape through just one lifetime.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: acquisition of wealth

There's nothing wrong with having money, but I'd guess by the post that the person who made the original will never know wealth no matter how rich he gets. He talks about freedom and not having to commit. His reasons for wanting money are inherently selfish and greedy. There is no true wealth in that.

 

[Ten Packs]

I (and my wife) haved more money in RRSP's than ever before - we own our own home, an RV, and have a "comfortable" life.... we'll be MORE "comfortable" when we get to the point we can get the Hell outta here, from November to March!

But, having been retired (early) for over 4 years now, whats most important to me now, is my TIME. I rarely have to do something I truly DONT want to do.... every day is mine to plan.

THAT is "wealth"!

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: acquisition of wealth

That is. It's a lot different than somebody planning to be a multi-millionaire before they are forty though. If I remember correctly you worked a middle class job most of your life...started at the bottom and made slow gains until you retired, Ten Packs.

I'll go way out on a limb and wager that your only attempts at becoming a multi-millionaire before you were forty had to do with buying a lottery ticket or two without deluding yourself into thinking you'd actually win.

This guy could well make it. I doubt he'll have anything but money and some random expensive crap to show for it at the end though.

 

[Ten Packs]

Re: RE: acquisition of wealth

That is. It's a lot different than somebody planning to be a multi-millionaire before they are forty though. If I remember correctly you worked a middle class job most of your life...started at the bottom and made slow gains until you retired, Ten Packs.

I'll go way out on a limb and wager that your only attempts at becoming a multi-millionaire before you were forty had to do with buying a lottery ticket or two without deluding yourself into thinking you'd actually win.

This guy could well make it. I doubt he'll have anything but money and some random expensive crap to show for it at the end though.

Well, if he succeeds, he will probably have two or three women that he can call his "previous wife" , as well. As a man whom I know has tried to kill himself in a multitude of different ways (most of which should have been Video-taped, and you'd be rich now), I also know that you and "Mrs Rev" have gotten along well enough - for LONG enough! that you should both take a bow.... or at least you do it for her, in Absentia.


"Lotsa Money" means DICK - A LACK OF MONEY is something ELSE!

Don't ever think that I havent been scared to death, about the end of the month.... you BET I have! I remember being down to my last 60 bucks, when I got a job as a Coca-Cola driver. Married, with a kid comin' - oh yeah, THAT was choice.
But once you set your sights on a REASONABLE GOAL, you will find that life gets a lot easier....


Or as a guy I used to know once said: "It ain't the bucks - its the ..... " oh, never mind.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: acquisition of wealth

I think the polite version is, "It ain't the money, it's the honey." ;-)

 

[peapod]

Well since I work with seniors, you have some idea of the things I have seen concerning wealth. Mostly its buzzards, not all, but most.
I would have to say that most of my family worship money, and they have the toys to prove it. I dunno...I think I was in the line up in a different gene pool
I find simplicity and trying to achieve it more fun than the annual fall fair in my home town. There are so many rewards from it. One is obvious, if your needs are simple, well you don't spend your money The less "commerical" things you want, the bigger your world becomes It always cracks me up when people say they can't do anything because they are broke. Now that is a oxymoron There is so many things you can do without money, yet you can actually see real fear in people's eyes at the thought of not being able to buy something. hahahhahahhaahahaha

24/7 people are trying to bombard you with what will make you happy, its mind boogling 8O The images of wealth that I see are vulgar, gluttony, gorging fetish. Everyone trying to scam somebody. People making outrageous sums of money for nothing.
No shackletons there

I do see money as the root of all evil, people change because of it, usually not for the good either, lots of marriages break up over it. Lots of people become criminials for it. People get judged by how much of it they have. Who made these rules up???

Simplicity is just another art form to me, down the rabbit hole, its just another fascinating world. Where you battle media, use your imagination, its physical, because you have to entertain yourself. Its the difference between riding a bicycle on a country road or driving on it, you see more on the bicycle. I find for myself that if I strive for simplicity I see alot more


Wealth seems very complicated to me, like the dude I would rather go bowling My only reasonable goal is that one day I will have my shack on the beach, and I won't have to ponder any banker paying me a visit. :twisted:

 

[edgerunner]

Once again, here is a life topic that should skirt judgemental and opinionated views of others and boil down to "FREE CHOICES". End of conversation.

 

[Munkustrap]

Wait! Before you end the conversation, let me recommend the book "God Bless You Mr. Rosewater". For those of you who've never heard of it/or read it, it's about a (multi-multi-millionaire) who suddenly gives up being a rich man (Elliot Rosewater), giving up his rich lifestyle, his home, his posessions, his wife to give money back to the poor of the American people. Basically the story revolves around too extreme opinions, an extremist socialism and an extremist capitalism opnion. The book adresses all the problems with each side as well as create a very interesting and entertaining story.

For all you money lovers/haters, I would definitly recommend this book. The author is Kurt Vonnegut, I'm sure many of you have heard of him, he's now that unknown. PLUS! It will get you reading! If you don't already... But seriously, pick up this book, it's a good one.

 

[Biggie]

Peapod, don't listen to all the previous posters.

Unfortunately, being against the acquisition of wealth is a typical "canadian" value. The people above simply do not want you to have more than them. Therefore, they spout some nonsense that you could acquire wealth, so long as you do not hurt the "little" people in the process. Guess what? Anytime, one person obtains wealth someone else is giving it up. You cannot accumulate wealth without acquiring it from someone else.

That being said, acquire your wealth. If your goal is to obtain wealth, go right ahead and go for it. I encourage you to achieve and shoot for your goals and I will just as ardently go after mine. Canadian culture is sad where all the people counsel each other to be happy with mediocrity. Forget them.

Pursue your goals. Be happy. Do what you want. And do not let the little people hold you down!

BIGGIE

 

[Vanni Fucci]

:laughing3: :knob:

 

[Biggie]

I set forth the plea that all forum members not descend into immoral personal attacks. Let us foster a community where all can express their opinions and be respected therefor.

Namaste,

BIGGIE

 

[mrmom2]

Pretty hard to respect your opinion Biggie when you tell us were all mediocre.I agree with Vanni .Opinions are like assholes everybodys got one!

 

[Ten Packs]

I fail to see why this subject has raised ire among several members.... can't it be discussed without getting personal?

My opinion is there is NOTHING wrong with keeping a sensible attitude to improving your financial situation - give you an example.... I have a 25 year old 3/4 ton truck (but in good shape), and a 13 year old 5th wheel (also in good shape), that we are going to set up on Shuswap Lake for the summer, because we can afford the $1300 bucks for the year. Not even an hours drive away, in the car. PERFECT!

WOULD I LIKE to have a near-new Chevy Duramax Diesel, with a new triple-slide unit - AND GO TO YUMA IN NOVEMBER???

F**kin' - A! I WOULD!



But it isnt gonna happen in the near-future, so I count myself lucky to have the things that I DO! Not very long ago, that I didnt.... what's the old Beatles song? "It's Getting Better All The Time?"

Do I sit and bemoan that I havent gotten those things yet? No....... because I haven't got those things yet! ME! Not someone ELSE - ME! If I wanted them that damn bad, I would go out and get another job, and make more friggin' money, and HAVE THEM.

But sorry, when I bounce the balls in my hand, and weigh them out - I'm just as happy (probably more) to have my days to myself, so that I am able to be in touch with folks like you (and in several other sites), talk and exchange views, crack a joke once in a while, and plan what I will make for dinner when my wife comes home.
OH! and devote a bit of my day to the Comedy Channels' slogan - "Time Well Wasted."


NOW ON THE OTHER HAND! Do I like to watch the growth in both my RRSP, and my wife's? Damn right I do! And I dont consider I am making it off the backs of some "poor" people - I have gone into an agreement with a company, that I will give them my money, to make use of and profit by it, as long as I get something back in return..... is there someone here that does not want to be paid for doing a job (which is simply investing your EFFORT OR CAPITAL, on someone else's behalf)?

Beware the Ogre known as "Hypocrisy".......


I came real close to dying twice in my life - once when I broadsided a deer on a motorcycle, once (two years ago) when I was throwing up congealed blood into my bathroom sink, and shitting black. Woulda been an interesting Air Ambulance flight to Vancouver, but I only remember a couple momentary instances of it....
I got a letter from the Health Branch a few weeks later, informing me (in case I didnt know, which I didnt) that I should be aware that I had received ten Units of Blood Products over the three days....
TEN!

I have learned a lot about Life, thinking that over of late.



MONEY is just MONEY, until you turn it into either EXPERIENCES or STUFF.... and then, STUFF is just STUFF. I'm quite happy feeding peanuts to squirrels.

You take it from there........

 

[Vanni Fucci]

Hey Tenpacks, I'd never begrudge anyone anything that they've gotten honestly...I think it's awesome that you have achieved a level of comfort that you are happy with... 8)

My earlier post was less of a personal attack, and more of an impersonal commentary on Big's rant about how it's ok for Peapod to screw the little guy to get what she wants...first of all, she never said that, and if we are to go back to her posts, she clearly stated that she does not value material possessions so much as living a simple life...the simpler the better for her, and I applaud that as well, because she's achieved her own level of comfort...secondly, I think it's absolutely reprehensible for one to advance their personal wealth at the expense of others...which is what Big was promoting...

So if moderator intervention is required to clean up my smilies, then that's fine, I'm a big boy and can take all sorts of criticism... :wink:

 

[Ten Packs]

Vanni - I dont begrudge anyone their stance on Social issues; disagree maybe, but not hold it against them.
You (as far as I can tell from reading your posts) are somewhat left of me, but not all that much.

I am more of a "radical Centrist" - look after YOURSELF, as best you can, expect little other than what you provide yourself..... make an genuine effort to do so, and then (and ONLY THEN!) Society should be there to lend a hand to those that tried, but werent able to, or are just no longer able to.
Lord help us all, if we turn out back on those in true need: "There but for the grace of God, go I" and all that stuff.

I'm up with that......