Money Matters

Sarah wrote an entry about how she’s always thinking about money and what not. She asked something along the lines of why does she need money to be happy? Money itself doesn’t cause happiness, but I believe that it influences your happy state.

Think about it. How rewarding is it to be able to purchase your first car, house, or a special gift for someone? On the other hand, if you were a rich person, you could just slap the money on the table and buy what you want with little satisfaction. Let’s face it, material things do outlive their newness after awhile. There’s only so long until you get used to the new car, or the new house. Look at Citizen Kane for example.

Kane was a rich businessman and he basically created an island for him and his wife. He designed his mansion with several features from European castles; he had a zoo, and the finest things he could buy. Was he happy? No. Was his wife happy? No. His wife wasn’t happy because she was cut off from her friends and family. He thought she was happy with everything he provided her, but she wasn’t. He wasn’t happy because he spent a life around money and not around innocent childhood pleasures.

Another example is A-Rod. There was an article done on his $252 million contract and how much of certain things he can buy. I believe he could buy about 50 something Suburbans. Think about how hard it is to buy a Suburban; that doesn’t include customizing the car or anything of the like. You can have all the money in the world, but unless you have love, “you are lacking major shit in your life”–Steve Harvey.

Love makes the world go world, not money. Material things do lose their newness over time, but love lasts forever. I mean, having $252 million doesn’t equate to making love for the first time, or going out on your first date; asking out the one you love; seeing a newborn born for the first time–whether or not the baby is your daughter, son, newphew, niece, grandchild, etc. I believe it’s better to be rich in love and poor in money, than being poor in love and rich in money.

Kane wasn’t happy because he didn’t have love in his life. He was very happy back at home when he was a child and he only knew about love and how to have fun. At the end of the movie, after his third wife leaves him, he stares at a crystal snow ball and says the word “Rosebud”, named after the sled he had back when he was a child.