Weekly Thought Archives > Money
Money
The truth about money has been known for a long time. Aristotle called it "barren’ not because it didn’t bring benefits, but because the emotions it brought were among the lowest --- not to be compared with the nobler emotions of love, patriotism and religion. The man whose greatest emotion is reserved for money knows nothing of the higher emotional life. Money can bring fun, even happiness, but not joy. It has no potential for elevating the intellectual and spiritual potential. The love of gold almost blocks the love for all else that is higher and nobler. How pale the struggle for wealth becomes when compared to the struggle for freedom, the searching for truth, the war for principles, or the fulfillment of the nobler passions for which men of wealth have glad died or accepted poverty.
Money is one of life’s greatest necessities. To disparage money is to show your ignorance of life. Money is as important to life as blood is to the body; and it bears the same relationship. It is a necessary means, but never an end. Make blood to live, not live to make blood. Likewise, make money to live but never live to make money. Money is option. With it you have a multitude of choices; without it you are limited. However, money doesn’t intrinsically bring the responsibility necessary to choose good options.
