What’s the point of education? How many of us heard our parents say “A good education is the way to secure a good job.”

And a good job is … one that pays well which in turn enables one to give one’s family a comfortable life, the children a good education and oneself a secure retirement.

So where does one draw the line? When does an honest living that “pays well” become one that “pays too much”? Does it ever?

I live in a country with massive poverty and strong socialist leanings, where rich people are considered the cause of societies maladies and oppressing the poor. Similar sentiments seems to be on the increase in the US and Europe.

But here are a few interesting thoughts;

A crook is a menace to society whether wealthy or poor. A high-flying investment banker out for a fast buck, a drug dealer in a run-down neighbourhood or a corrupt government official, all are a menace to society, contribute no value and enrich only themselves.

Good people are good for society. Most people, rich or poor are not criminals but hard working, law abiding citizens. My guess is that well over 95% of wealthy people achieved their wealth by providing honest value to their fellow human beings. In other words, for every twenty people considered wealthy, only one might have acquired their wealthy dishonestly. Can anyone honestly say that isn’t true?

Offer anyone the opportunity to acquire wealth honestly and 99% would accept the opportunity with open arms. Hmmm, makes me wonder!

Wealthy people are good for society. For every wealthy person working, a number of other jobs are possible; the labourer needs the manager more than the manager needs the labourer … a simple case of supply and demand.

Wealthy people invest in assets that appreciate so the value they contribute to society tends to endure. They also spend more than poor or middle class people which in turn contributes to more jobs in shops, restaurants resorts and the likes.

And wealthy people also give more to good causes than their less well-off neighbours.

How many jobs are dependent on each wealthy family?

We need to distinguish, not between rich and poor, but between those who contribute to the prosperity of the whole and those who impoverish society. Do that and we may address the real plagues.

Here is the guaranteed recipe for poverty: begrudge rich people their hard-earned rewards!

And finally, my favourite quotes from The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D Wattles;

The object of all life is development; and everything that lives has an inalienable right to all the development it is capable of attaining.

Man's right to life means his right to have the free and unrestricted use of all the things which may be necessary to his fullest mental, spiritual, and physical unfoldment; or, in other words, his right to be rich.

Mistakes come from acting hastily, or from acting in fear or doubt, or in forgetfulness of the Right Motive, which is more life to all, and less to none.

In order to receive his own when it shall come to him, man must be active; and this activity can only consist in more than filling his present place. He must keep in mind the Purpose to get rich through the realization of his mental image. And he must do, every day, all that can be done that day, taking care to do each act in a successful manner. He must give to every man a use value in excess of the cash value he receives, so that each transaction makes for more life; and he must so hold the Advancing Thought that the impression of increase will be communicated to all with whom he comes in contact.

Now tell me that’s not inspiring!

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