There were a couple of comments on my last post (mostly on the facebook page) that picked up on an interesting tension in my last piece.
In that piece I was saying be careful of hating the rich and successful (or being seduced into judgement by a judgement-obsessed media) if you hope to be rich and successful one day yourself. You’re setting one massive road-block up for yourself.
There’s a bit more to it than that, but check out the post if you’re interested.
But what I wasn’t trying to do is become an apologist or a cheer-leader for the rich and mega-rich. I could see that that didn’t sit comfortably with a lot of people.
As Zak Art summed it up:
I don't hate the rich…I hate the corrupt…Just so happens (funnily enough) that most of them ARE rich….
Fair enough.
I think I’ve earnt my stripes when it comes to sinking the boot into the mega rich and the elites – the banks, the politicians, the fund managers – they’ve all copped a serve over the years.
But I can understand why a statement like “don’t hate Paris Hilton” just doesn’t feel right in the gut.
I think a lot of people got what I was talking about with not over-developing your judgement muscles. But still the world doesn’t feel right.
A factory collapse in Bangladesh kills hundreds of workers earning $38 a month. The Sultan of Brunei spends that much on a tissue, but it’s probably not for tears.
It’s difficult, if not impossible to accept. It tests the faith of the spiritual, the fortitude of the moral.
The world is just a f#&ked up place.
But how do we find our way in the mess of it all? And how do we resolve this tension within ourselves?
How do we live the life that our soul calls us to, without losing our moral compass, our compassion and sensitivity to suffering?
How do we call into our lives the wealth we need to live the lives we dream of, without going over to the dark-side?
This is a common conception that we have to deal with. Just because a lot of rich people appear selfish, we think that you need to be selfish to be rich.
But we know in our hearts that this is the devil’s bargain. If we sacrifice who we are as people, just for a bit of cashola, everything is lost.
The Emperor laughs and Yoda shakes his head in disappointment.
We don’t want to live like that. And we don’t have to.
This is quite a big and complex thingy, and I probably can’t unpack it all in one post. But for me, I think it’s always important to bring it back to the kind of person you want to be.
And I think one of the most beautiful expressions of humanness is generosity.
Hang on to that one. If someone tells you that you need to let go of your generosity in order to be wealthy, get out of their cab and walk away.
From what I’ve seen of the world, there is nothing – NOTHING – that means that you can’t be both wealthy AND generous.
And I think this is what we find so distasteful about the “stinking rich”. Why what I’m saying might not feel quite right in the gut.
We are disappointed in those that have taken the devil’s bargain. They sacrificed their generosity – and the higher expressions of humanness – at the alter of fat profits and personal riches.
They went over to the dark side.
And they sold us out. They cut themselves off from community and humanity, in order to elevate themselves above it – above us.
And rather than help out their fellow people, they built systems that controled and oppressed us – drove the wedge of inequality deeper and deeper.
Bastards.
Resentment is a natural response.
But me, I just feel sorry for them. They’re locked in a world view where there’s never enough. Grab what you can, while you can. And everything that’s yours, someone can take it from you.
This is the ‘scarcity mentality’. And it’s a mental prison I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
But not everyone who’s wealthy made the devil’s bargain, and not all of them (ok, us), are locked in the scarcity cage.
And your journey to wealth and financial freedom doesn’t have to end there either.
This is the power of a fully expanded ‘abundance mentality’ (I’ve written about this before so I won’t go into it again. I’m sure you’re probably across it by now.)
That abundance mentality is probably the most powerful tool you can develop, but it is also a beautiful state space in and of itself. When you believe that there is unlimited abundance in the world, you are free and easy with what you own, eager to help others, eager to share the good times and the glory with as many people as you can.
You’re a beautiful person to be around.
And so if you come to me and say I want to be rich so I can buy a Merc and lord it over my neighbours and rub their face in it, then I’ll say forget it. You’re locked in a scarcity mentality (where you’re success comes at the exclusion of others’ success), and there’s nothing that can help you.
And I just don’t want to.
So when I say, “don’t hate the rich”, I’m not saying quietly roll-over and accept the selfish and soul-less misery of the world. I’m saying just don’t hate… anything. It’s no fun. Why do it to yourself?
And on your road to wealth, be very clear about the kind of person you want to be.
Don’t follow the archetype of the selfish rich.
Follow the path of those who command abundance with generosity, expansiveness, and even love.
This is the road that is open to you. Trust me. It’s a beautiful thing.
Colin Glover says
Thank you Jon – someday your going print a collection of your clear and to the point summaries of the human condition. I look forward to receiving notification of its availability.
Greg M. says
I remember a line from a movie where they defined wealth as “The money your money makes while you are doing something else.” (I think the ATO calls this ‘passive income’), but the movie never went on to tell how you *measure* wealth, so I came up with this: “The true measure of wealth is what you can afford to give away.” and it’s had me in a wealthy mindset ever since. 🙂
Sunny says
Thanks Jon
This is one of your best read so far.
Look forward to many more.
The universal law of Karma says it all.
As you sow so shall you reap.
The science and sprituality are saying the same thing.
Sow help , happiness , abundance it would come back to you many fold.
Andrew Charlton says
There are so many examples of the mega-rich doing wonderful things with their mega-wealth. Gates and Buffett are two such examples. They give away billions. I find it a little sad that some of your readers need to focus on the negative.
Meg Howe says
Nice one Jon. I used to have a “problem” reconciling being “rich” with my identity as a spiritual, non-materialistic person concerned with inequality and human rights. They just didn’t go together until I learnt to see wealth as simply energy, and the natural reward of those who help the most people solve their most pressing problems. In that light generosity is just part of the same mindset.
Kathy noonan says
Thank you john. Just what I needed to hear.
Kathy noonan
Lorwai TAN says
Scarcity mentality=There’s only one pie, slice it as thinly as possible.
Abundance mentality=let’s make as many pies as we can!
Peter Carter says
This is simply the best article you have ever written! Congradulations.All the best, Peter.
richard osborne says
remember your choices, hence outcomes. determine the measure of the man.Money/wealth equals more options/opportunities/outcomes.choose carefully
Ken says
I personally think Paris Hilton is a very normal person and feel happy for her to be her father’s daughter. She is also a very attractive girl. Just thought I’d mention that the house prices of new homes in Cairns, Qld., by at least one builder, have just jumped $45,000.00, over night.
T.K says
Hi John, thank you for a great article. In summary, we can not give what we do not have (either LOVE or MONEY), and you can not have them or keep them if you do not attract to them
Stephen says
Yes Jon, you are right on so many accounts.. A desire to better yourself and your life, while still not losing sight of the importance of generosity to those less fortunate is a very good thing. After all, its not MONEY that is the root of all evil, but the LOVE OF MONEY. But that is where things get precarious. In setting goals, having a strong focus, sacrificing many things (possibly family time, health, relaxation etc) in the pursuit of money or success, will it become ones downfall along the way? Ben Franklin once said “Success ruined many a man”. Interesting that he didnt say “all men” though. Our ATTITUDE and our MOTIVATION are the keys to this balancing act. Otherwise our pursuit of success or financial gain can just be a huge structure built on a very fragile foundation.
Naomi Stockman says
Interesting reading… I too am of the opinion that the “abundance mentality” unlocks wealth… but I’ve also realised something else… You can’t say don’t… don’t hate, don’t envy, don’t be greedy… You can’t decline a negative, because negatives don’t actually exist.
There are only positives, and absence of positives…
Examples:
Starvation, is the absence of food.
Poverty, is the absence of money.
Drought, is the absence of water.
And on an emotional level this is the same:
Hate, is the absence of love.
Despair, is the absence of hope.
Fear, is the absence of faith.
Psychologically, spiritually, physically, emotionally… Whatever – all the same laws apply. You can’t “don’t” a negative… you can only increase its inverse positive.
The truth of the matter is you attract what you focus on, and it is very difficult to attract positives when you are focusing on negatives.
So in simple terms… It would be far more conducive to say “LOVE THE RICH” … and explain why… than to say “Don’t hate the rich”