I was asked " I wonder what it would like to be rich?"
I responded "I wonder what it would be like not to need money?"
2006-07-08 07:00:25 · 12 answers · asked by Rodercam of Old 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Excellent question. Your response to the initial question that triggered your main question here is even closer to understanding the exact meaning of "being rich".
I believe the concept "rich" is relevant, elastic and misleading. It is relevant because "how much rich is rich" is relevant. It is elastic because it has a broad spectrum of implications and assumptions when we utter it. And it is misleading because it places value onto objects that are valueless by definition. It leads the mind to think of luxury cars, palaces, abundance of everything, when those are not necessary for you to feel satisfied and not in need. Your response I mentioned at the beginning has given the answer: being rich is not to have to need money. You can have 100 billion dollars and cannot eat, or urinate well, and your money can buy you the hospitals and the doctors all together, but cannot buy you health. Do you think you will still feel that you are rich if that was the case? But if you don't need the money, it means you are in good health, mentally and physically, and enjoying your life fully. And that is when you can say I am rich.
Thank you for your response: "I wonder what it would be like not to need money?"
2006-07-08 07:21:51 · answer #1 · answered by arabianbard 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being rich is commonly referred to as having an excess of money relative to your daily needs.
"not needing money" is a different issue, you merely have no needs, therefore you need no money to accomplish those needs.
Being rich is also relative. A rich hermit may have money but lives in absolute poverty emotionally if he has no friends or family. Bottom line is, don't wish for something, you might get it, but at what cost. Money often brings unhappiness.
By the way, I don't KNOW any rich people that are happy. I know HAPPY people that are not rich, and I know RICH people that are NOT happy. MOST rich people would be immensely happier if they gave MOST of their money away, for they have NOT yet realized the secret to HAPPINESS achieved by riches,--- it is the winning and GETTING there and the successes that make the happiness, not the 'money' itself per se.
It has been said that if ALL of the money in the world was redistributed equally to all people, within 10 years, the SAME people would have it collected in their fat banks accounts again.
2006-07-08 14:06:28 · answer #2 · answered by fiddlesticks9 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Another question may be, what is your definition of rich. Some people consider being rich as having more money than necessary to provide food, shelter, clothing, and in some cases transportation. Whereas, other individuals consider being rich as having an abundance of individuals, family or otherwise, who have true caring feelings for them and maintain contact with them on a regular basis.
Needing money simply implies an inability to provide for food, shelter, clothing and transportation. Using the first definition, to be rich would also imply that you do not need money; however, to be able to provide for you basic needs implies that you do not need money but, using either definition, you are not necessarily rich.
2006-07-08 14:20:37 · answer #3 · answered by Jessica 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On the contrary, being rich is when you really need money. Being rich is the same as needing money. The more you have, the more you need.
Not needing money it will release you from your fears. However, many that need no money are not the same ones that you'll call "rich".
2006-07-08 14:09:42 · answer #4 · answered by slievano01 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, because being rich gives u a choice to not need money. But if you are not rich and you don't want money, then you limit your choices.
Big difference.
2006-07-09 04:12:37 · answer #5 · answered by Adam Taha 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely not. Rich people still need money .. that's what makes them rich.
Unless, I suppose, if you mean rich in life experiences, happiness, knowledge, love, etc. Then you don't need any money at all to be rich.
2006-07-08 14:08:52 · answer #6 · answered by rachcoli 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No being rich is that you don't have any financial worries because you have all the money you need to take care of them AND you have extra do other fun stuff like buying yatchs!
Not needing money is that you have just enough dough to live a good life but don't have as much to spend it on extra stuff. Basically what I wrote above without the yatchs part.
2006-07-08 14:03:18 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Richness doesn't have anything to do with money...it has more to do with those around you and how they feel toward you. This from a ******** idealist, lol!!!
Being rich implies that you've more than you could ever need and not needing money means that you've enough to survive/get by on.
2006-07-08 14:06:42 · answer #8 · answered by thebigm57 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have change that jingles in your pockets, if you have your HEALTH, you are "rich", this is reason to be happy. Everything else flows from Happiness. If you didn't need money you would be like a dog dependant on your owner.
2006-07-08 14:16:55 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rich people are selfish. Many people are starving and have no place to live or can't support their families, and rich people only care about their nice cars, big houses and brand name EVERYTHING.
2006-07-08 14:04:04 · answer #10 · answered by truelovexo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋