Hi Tom,

Thanks for the link. It is a good passage and gives a bit of perspective as to what money is and is not.

The least happy folks I know are the ones who think money is a tool to purchase the affection of their friends, family or spouse.

This leads to an debasing of the value of human relationships over money. Instead of shared values bringing them together - it is bribery in the form of jewelry, gifts, dinners, toys and what-have-you.

The de Beers mine made a de facto law that says 10% of a man's income was the amount to be spent for a diamond. A bit of genius advertising - but much more in that it is unique in modern times - attempting to give a specific value to affection or love. It is not unlike the dowry of a woman which equated her value to potential suitors in the old days.
A very risky proposition - but one that played upon men's guilt and feelings of inferiority. By establishing a standard value - the man was made to feel immediately inferior or to somehow discount his love for his bride-to-be.

I have always been somewhat put off by women who parade their rings as some sort of status statement - and find that all too many of these women are just starting to make their wishlists...

While many men may be able to purchase affection - like all purchases - it is temporary. The diamond ring will need to be augmented by many further demonstrations of love, cars, houses, furniture, furs, more jewelry, the sporting events or ringside seats and yes...the toys all have short life-span.

Many a dad or mom who thinks he/she can obtain a child's favor through gifts soon finds the child will expect these gifts and like many a spouse - learns that each gift must soon be followed by another - and better gift.

Now this is not to support stinginess or the holding of pursestrings with an iron hand, but merely to point out the folly of using money as a replacement for building or holding enduring relationships.

The limousine liberal can make a public statement condemning big business while at the same time working feverishly to insure the studio picks up their tab for imported water and another changing trailer with an attendant on call 24/7.

Hypocrisy? Of course. But driven by another need or rather insecurity.

If indeed money is used to purchase fame, love and relationships - and the expenditures for sustaining these become larger and larger - soon even the folks with 8 or 9 figures in their accounts find it is NOT enough.

Buying and spending become the primary sustenance of their world - and they fear it will all come crashing down as soon as the till runs dry - or even low.

The savvy businessman can manipulate these fears and the corporations too know what drives most big-ticket purchases.

Yes, money is not the root of all evil. It is a tool. Like all tools it has improper and proper usages. Sadly many find this out way late in the game - after they have already spent their lives building their world on temporary bonds.

Yes I know...I'm starting to ramble on....

SDAI-Tech1