It seems that whenever people start discussing money, there’s some tension in the room. But why? Talking about money with your spouse shouldn’t turn into an argument. Talking about the desire for more money shouldn’t be criticized or labeled as selfish or greedy.
Money by itself is not evil; it’s what you do with it that makes it either good or bad. Lots of good things can and have been done with money. Think of all the non-profit organizations like Make-A-Wish or Feeding America that have used billions of dollars to make a positive impact on the world. Yes, money has been used for greed and corruption, but money itself is not greedy or corrupt. It's only that way if the people wielding it are greedy or corrupt.
In order to understand the concept of money better, let’s go back to its roots. Where does the idea of money come from and why does it play such a large role in our society?
The invention of money was inevitable.
My favorite explanation for the creation of money (and private property) is from philosopher John Locke, many of whose ideas were used to help draft the US Constitution. Locke said, “He that gathered a Hundred Bushels of Acorns or Apples, had thereby a Property in them; they were his Goods as soon as he gathered. He was only to look that he used them before they spoiled; else he took more than his share, and robb’d others. And indeed it was a foolish thing, as well as dishonest, to hoard up more than he could make use of. And if he also bartered away Plums that would have rotted in a Week, for Nuts that would last good for his eating a whole Year, he did no injury; he wasted not the common Stock; destroyed no part of the portion of Goods that belonged to others, so long as nothing perished uselessly in his hands.”
Locke goes on to explain how inefficient it was for people to be exchanging perishable goods such as acorns and apples, so money, a non-perishable item, was created. Whether it’s gold coins or green paper, money preserves wealth and you don’t have to worry about it rotting or molding. Plus it makes it easier to determine the worth of things--how many acorns are equal to one apple? It's arbitrary.
As you can see, money is nothing but a mere tool for exchanging goods and preserving wealth. These things, of course, lead to FREEDOM.
The way I look at money is simple: the more money you have, the more freedom you have. When you have money, you can donate, travel, invest, save, or buy food, clothes, and goods however you please. When your money is limited, your freedom is limited.
So the question then becomes not how much money you want, but how much freedom you want.
If you had zero dollars, you wouldn’t be able to buy any of the basic human necessities such as food, water, clothes, and shelter. Instead, you’d have to go out and hunt or gather your own food, filter your own water, sew your own clothes, and build your own shelter. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, but you now have less freedom and time for other things.
When we think about money in these terms, it’s a lot less intimidating. Don’t let money scare you. Talk about it. Strive for more of it.
There is no shame in wanting more freedom.
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