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The Illusion of Money
By Meg | December 12, 2007
I just read an interesting guest post on Get Rich Slowly called Money and Security: Fear of the Future. It discusses some interesting points, like that modern money doesn’t actually exist; rather it represents other things.
In the literal sense of the word, money does represent other things, namely goods and services. If it didn’t, all that dirty paper in our pockets would be worthless. In a more philosophical sense, money can represent freedom, security, or happiness, among many other things. Conversely, the lack of money may represent restriction, insecurity, and unhappiness.
People pursue–or eschew–money for a variety of different reasons. Some seek a sense of control; others desire peace. Many believe money brings opportunity; some think it brings moral ruin. Whatever your beliefs about money, they are bound to contribute to your fears, goals, outlook, and financial habits.
If you equate money with success, then your motivation to save and invest might actually be rooted in your fear of failure. On the other hand if you equate money with greed or evil, you may not pursue high paying jobs, or you might compulsively give away whatever you earn. Either way you are acting in accordance with your values and beliefs about money. No one’s choices or beliefs are intrinsically right or wrong, but understanding them will enable you to balance your financial motivations with your well-being.
Plonkee Monkey admits in her article (the same one linked in the 1st paragraph) that money for her represents security. Her seemingly reasonable financial habits–avoiding debt and amassing savings–have developed because no matter how well she is doing financially, she constantly feels “on the edge of a slippery slope where the sign is pointing to rack, ruin and the end of my happy little world.” So while her actions demonstrate rationality, responsibility, and maturity, she has realized that her financial health is merely the positive byproduct of a less healthy reality: she’s living in fear. This kind of insight takes a lot of introspection and courage.
Your beliefs about what money represents can have distinctly positive or negative effects on your well-being and on your financial picture. And sometimes elevating one negatively affects the other. Examine your financial habits to see if you can uncover your beliefs about what money represents. Do you seek money because you are afraid of scarcity, rejection, or a lack of choices? Because you desire contentment, indulgence, or excitement?
Money may or may not give you what you seek, but either way your perception will probably be temporary. Money, after all, is really an illusion.
More from Meg at The World of Wealth
Topics: Miscellaneous, Personal Growth |
December 12th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
It’s true–it’s all an illusion. And yet it’s scary for those of us who’ve never not had it to imagine being without it. Whether that’s because we just moved out from under our parents’ wings (like me) or someone like plonkee who’s been quite responsible and fears what she hasn’t experienced (perhaps rightly, to a degree).
Tomorrow, I’m actually going to be posting about fear of spending money and how it led me to make a stupid decision. Fortunately I’ve rectified the decision with no or few ill effects.
December 12th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Interesting article. I think I’m in for the money because it brings me security and enjoyment. It’s amazing how much stress it can bring you if you don’t have it.
December 12th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Your Money or Your Life explores this. Do you feel secure walking around with $100,000 in a briefcase? Money isn’t security, although properly managed, it can provide some aspect of security.
December 13th, 2007 at 6:55 am
In my opinion money is most definitly not an illusion. It is very real and it represents (some of) your added value to society.
It is a very harsh, and at times unjust, metric but it’s one of the best we’ve got.
December 16th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
This is closely related to a discussion a friend of mine and I had not long ago. It goes to the “money can’t buy you happiness” adage. I think what is true is that money can’t buy you happiness if you look at money as the goal in and of itself, rather than looking at what money can do for you. Money is a tool, and like any tool it can be used productively and responsibly with good results, or it can be used irresponsibly with poor results. It is my experience that the big difference between people who are happy with their money and those who are not is not the actual amount, but rather how they perceive that money - a tool to be used to accomplish things that fulfill you, or a means in and of itself?
*steps off soapbox*
December 17th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
To me money means power. And power equals security, freedom, and influence. I’m not a power-monger. I just don’t want to live under anyone’s thumb. I want to be free from financial worry about the future, and I want to be in a position to help and influence my community, as well as my extended family. My goal is to perpetuate multi-generational wealth. I’m not looking to make anyone rich thru inheritance, rather I want to use my influence (and money) to give people, especially historcially disadvantaged people, a leg up in the competition called life: To make sure they have access to opportunities and contribute to making our society more of a meritocracy.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:26 am
Money is just a medium of exchange for the things that we want to procure in this earth. It is a symbol so that transactions can hasten and facilitate. The illusion of money is there because it can command services or goods that we want to have. Other authors would even say that money has the illusion of a servant that means that the more money you have the more it can serve you. The illusion of money is there since even in the Bible it recants that money answers everything. Seemingly, the illusion of money is there since it makes our life easier, it could meet our financial obligations without which our lives would be miserable, unbearable and full of discomforts. For all of the fears in having it, money has symbolizes the quantum over which all of our fantasies and needs could be met.