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Wealth is
Why do people work ridiculously hard to earn money that has a fixed value set by the government? Should a person set the value of the wealth that another possesses? A young three year old boy will feel terribly offended if an older person tells him that the one-dollar bill he excitedly receives from his parents is “worthless.” Benjamin Franklin once said, “Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it.” The enjoyment of wealth is based on different perspectives and not on abundance relative to others. People who possess less property do not necessarily have the same level of dissatisfaction with those who possess more property. True wealth is a measure of how much an individual values and appreciates his/her own possessions and surroundings, whether they be tangible treasures, relationships, or nature.
Tangible treasures are considered wealth by the vast majority of the population. According to a former executive of Major League Baseball, “We live by the Golden Rule. Those who have the gold make the rules.” In this socially corrupted world, a huge percentage of rich people use their money in order to accumulate power in society. Hardly any rich people nowadays devote themselves in equal distribution of money because money and power are very important for them in order to control other aspects of society other than themselves. Moreover, food purchases, clothing, car leases, and mortgages or rents are the main components of consumer expenditures. In order to obtain these essentials, people have to earn a living, in which their salary does not necessarily reflect how much they have worked; instead, it reflects how much they will enjoy and appreciate the supplies and properties they spend their income on. As a result, people gradually learn how to independently manage their own finances and maximize the potential worth of their material possessions in order to provide certain necessities in life.
Prosperity in relationships is weighed by how much two or more individuals respect and trust each other unconditionally. Plautus, a Roman playwright, wrote, “Where there are friends there is wealth.” Friendship is a kind of relationship bonded by sincere and mutual appreciation for the companionship of each other. Having someone to confide to is something to be proud of and content for. In addition, marriage is also an important kind of relationship. Married couples are willing to spend more than $100 per hour for a marriage counselor in order to spare their relationships. The sacrifice of money for marriage shows how a relationship is weighed more than hundreds of dollars. This indicates contrasting points of view between those who appreciate tangible treasures and those who appreciate relationships, which suggests that wealth depends on what people welcome and enjoy. Therefore, the worth of a relationship depends on how much individuals passionately connect themselves with each other and on how much they cherish each other’s company.
Richness in nature relies on the people who consume its limited resources. Helen Keller wrote, “To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.” She identifies nature as having more purpose in one’s life than any synthetic extravagance on Earth. However, a materialistic person will admire physical assets, such as the Persian rug, more than nature because they can be easily converted into cash. Furthermore, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Nature hates calculators.” Nothing can estimate the cost and availability of nature. It has its own unimaginable currency that cannot be converted in any other human currency. For instance, diamonds and crude oil are getting more expensive as they run out underneath the African and Middle Eastern grounds. Some argue that drilling oil in Alaska in order to provide cheaper oil in the cities for the abundance of cars, an example of tangible possessions, is not worth it. Others, however, believe that human beings must take advantage on what nature is offering. Therefore, nature’s worth fluctuates and depends on who guards and saves it and on who abuses and destroys it.
Wealth is weighed by acknowledgement and gratitude for certain treasures such as money, relationships, and nature. Money is important for those who desire to live an adequate, if not powerful, life in society. In addition, a person’s gratefulness for a fruitful relationship with another individual depends on shared affection and admiration with each other. Likewise, nature is consumed differently by how a person takes advantage of it. Wealth depends on the person who possesses such riches, and not on those around him/her. It also cannot be measured by abundance because even the littlest things can serve the most importance. The only one who has the right to appraise the value of the wealth is the one who cares and recognizes it as his/her own. Thus, wealth is a subjective perception for everything we secure, love, and preserve.
