the BIG fear

1. 84

   gmwilliamsposted 10 years ago

   
   What makes some people fear and abhor wealth, success, and greatness, preferring to be poor, living a life of want, and constantly struggle from day to day, living quite ordinary and nondescript lives?

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   1. 84

      tsmogposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Wild guess . . . responsibility and confidence. Wealth is an interesting word. It is very relative. I understand your meaning. Personally I really did not place having a lot of money on my things to accomplish list. I just sought being comfortable. That may have been an unwise decision only because I never sought to really understand the knowledge of wealth and its power of least until much later in life.
      
      I think that has had a big effect with ambition. The result is I have become more a jack of all trades and expert of none. So, introspectively the lack of desire for wealth even wealth of knowledge and experience in a specific field or etc is just like not amassing gold and etc. Their is a larger demand for specifics than there are for generalities with means of wealth.

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         Castlepalomaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Most people are better at getting what they don't want than what they really want. In result most spent most of the waking lives not liking their work and struggle, suffer and fear controls much of them. Few have the courage and work ethic to go after what they want. We also have a war of the Classes going on like the second wave of the dirty 30s. My destination is more move by my desire, attitude, focus and and talent ( talent being least important) than what I'm told what to think.

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         1. 84

            gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            A RESOUNDING AMEN, my brother!   People FEAR and LOATHE money and they believe that life is a struggle.  Well, they have created THEIR OWN hell while secretly and subconsciously that fear and loathing is wishing for a better life w/o that much struggle.  So many people subscribe to the sacrifice, struggling, and scarcity mentality and consciousness.  They believe that life should be ONE LONG PURGATORY before they go to their "GREAT REWARD."   Wanting and creating wealth in addition to doing what one loves is a BEAUTIFUL thing, MORE people should TRY it, they would be MUCH HAPPIER!   A poor person struggling day to day to day ISN'T happy at all!

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            1. 60

               janesixposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Again, do you realize there is a huge gap between being oppulently wealthy, and scrabbling in the dirt poor?
               
               Life isn't either-or.
               
               Are YOU rich? Are you happy?
               
               Have you been seriously poor?
               
               From what I can recall about you, you grew up in an average home, am I correct?
               
               How much do you really know what it's like to live in either extreme?

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      2. 84

         tsmogposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Adding to with an observers point of view I think possibly optimism fades to realism. Or, optimism transcends or transitions with a realist point of view. Maybe that is the process of natural selection within a society(s).
         
         Sooner or later life's responsibilities may enter into the formula pursing wealth presuming advantages for obtaining are equal at the start. Responsibilities may  be other dreams too, such as having a family, owning a home, and being in a defined relationship.
         
         A realist view for understanding may be: The person desires to be a famous, rich, and successful actor / movie celebrity. What are the facts.
         
         *** There are 37,100 High Schools in the U.S.
         *** Presume each has a club that performs comprised of 20 people = 742,000 enter the job market at graduation or seek to better the skills by going to college acting schools or trade schools or move to Hollywood or New York (Remember there are those type of numbers for all those before them and then those that will follow)
         
         *** Screen Actors Guild membership 2013 = 160,000
         *** Bureau of Labor Statistics 2013 = 63,230 employed actors at mean wage of $42/hr
         *** Bureau of Labor Statistics 2013 = 34,750 Movie Actors at mean wage of $49/hr
         *** Bureau of Labor Statistics 2013 = 31,450 of Movie Actors live in Calif.
         *** The top 100 Richest Actors 100th Actor (Forbes 2013) = Jon Favreau at 60M accumulated wealth. The #1 is Merv Griffin over 1 Billion
         
         What are the odds? If becoming an actor and having a decent wage at $42/hr or @$85,000/yr the odds are 1:21 for those who choose acting as a career if there is only one graduating class. If one presumes 10 years of experience the odds are 1:213 who enter that job market with other graduating classes reaching that level of success of working and receiving a median wage.
         
         That wealth of an above average actor is much greater than a factory worker, store clerk, office worker, and etc . . . the average person with a median income of $51K for 2013 for a family of four.
         
         Compare and contrast success and wealth with one tier with another tier. The average person see wealth higher than theirs with the average of another level. However, they themselves at that 51K are far above the poverty level of a family of 4 = $23,550. And, that spouse has a desire to be a movie star and is an actor in the local town or city annual play production. What are those odds that spouse becomes a rich, famous, and successful movie celebrity / actor? I simply dun'no . . . the same as the lottery?

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   2. 83

      psycheskinnerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      What makes people who are extremely wealthy and successful also want to be loved by strangers who don't even know them? I don't expect that and neither should they.

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   3. 77

      Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      - laziness.

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2. 84

   grand old ladyposted 10 years ago

   I can't imagine anybody fearing wealth, success or greatness. If it were handed to them in a bowl, I don't think they would run away from it in terror.
   
   Abhoring wealth is something that is more understandable. If you grew up in a wealthy family where the father defined himself by his money and used his money as a compensation in the absence of his having to be a parent, then you would perhaps consider wealth as a bribe and equate it with neglect of something far more valuable and priceless.
   
   In such light, you may yearn for a quieter, more low key life because you want to have the peaceful, happy family instead. That would be true gold. You don't have to be rich to get that, you can just be reasonably secure and comfortable.
   
   I have seen rich children who spend their father's money on drugs, clubbing and life on the fast lane. They feel entitled, and are irresponsible because everything comes to them so easily. Especially in the Philippines, with money you can get away with murder.
   
   So if people abhor and fear money, success, etc., it may be the wrong reaction. Instead, ideally children in such homes should determine what really matters in life and make that their focus, instead.
   
   Money is also a magnet for opportunists who also want your money and are gone when your money is. So I don't think much about money myself. I want Billybuc's life, or EricDieker's.

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3. 73

   lorlie6posted 10 years ago

   I'm not certain 'fear' is the right word.  Wealth connotes some elevated social status, in general, but if this isn't what you mean by 'fear', why do the downtrodden buy lottery tix on a regular basis?  I know that's a generalization, or perhaps biased, but many folks do strive for more financial stability.  Including me!

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4. 67

   awareposted 10 years ago

   The more money a person needs to survive . The poorer they become.The less free they are. The day one can live without a dime. Is the day a person becomes rich.Wealth is having skill sets .success is the amount of family and friends in your account, and the number of people ones helped in any way.And as far as for greatness? Decent human beings don't want that.Only needy people want to be great. i think.

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   1. 84

      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The MORE money the better.  Family and friends AIN'T going to put food on the table, a roof over one's head, nor help you when you are in economic dire straits for whatever reason.  MONEY does that and with money comes POWER!   People WITH money are MORE RESPECTED and TREATED BETTER than those WITHOUT money.  Give me MONEY any day!  Greatness is a GOOD thing; when one achieves and earns GREATNESS, he/she is REMEMBERED and he/she feels that he/she has made a SIGNIFICANT contribution and his/her life WASN'T wasted!

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      1. 75

         Castlepalomaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Nothing wrong in making money or even some fame.
         It's just when people over focus on money to the point of unbalance of the equal importance of their spiritual, intellect, relationship and physical other four parts. The unbalance anyone one these things can lead to more suffering than happiness.

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         1. 84

            gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            +1,000,000,000,000,000 in agreement!

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      2. 60

         janesixposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         .
         
         
         " Family and friends AIN'T going to put food on the table, a roof over one's head, nor help you when you are in economic dire straits for whatever reason."
         
         My family does. How do you think I'm able to live right this moment? My FAMILY. My BoyFRIEND. If it weren't for these people, I would be living in a box in an alley somewhere. They provide my food, shelter, and financial (and emotional) support.

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5. 60

   janesixposted 10 years ago

   "What makes some people fear and abhor wealth"
   
   I don't fear wealth, but I do abhor people taking more than their fair share.
   
   ", success"
   
   What is your definition of success?
   
   ", and greatness"
   
   I would love to do something "great", maybe like Gandhi.
   
   ", preferring to be poor"
   
   I would prefer to live simply than oppulently. Financial security is something to strive for.
   
   ", living a life of want"
   
   Name one person who prefers that.
   
   ", and constantly struggle from day to day"
   
   Not being wealthy doesn't mean a daily struggle. Do you realize there's a middle ground?
   
   ", living quite ordinary and nondescript lives?"
   
   Do you realize there are many rich people who live nondescript, ordinary lives?
   
   I prefer to be ordinary, and even boring. To do something great for humanity would be a bonus, but not necessary for me to live a happy life.

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6. 60

   janesixposted 10 years ago

   "Greatness is a GOOD thing; when one achieves and earns GREATNESS, he/she is REMEMBERED and he/she feels that he/she has made a SIGNIFICANT contribution and his/her life WASN'T wasted!"
   
   How do you know how other people feel? That's pretty presumptuous.
   
   You seem to think that greatness is something that fills someone with PRIDE. I doubt it does anything of the sort. I suspect people who do truly great things have a feeling of pity and sadness for society, which is probably what prompted them to great deeds in the first place.
   
   Again, this has nothing to do with money. I consider someone like the Dalai Lama or Gandhi great. Your ideal is probably something totally different from mine.

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      Castlepalomaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Dalai Lama or Gandhi a few of my favorite hero's. Perhaps less is more for you.
      
      For me abundance works for me, or whatever works. We each know ourselves better than anyone in the world, except the one's who are over obedience to other leaders.

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      1. 60

         janesixposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         There's nothing wrong with abundance, if it isn't overdoing it, or taking from someone else.

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            Castlepalomaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            That's right, greed would be about the worst thing towards all creatures on earth, yet would not wish anyone an afterlife of Hell.

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7. 83

   psycheskinnerposted 10 years ago

   I simply don't believe "the more money the better".  I have as much money as I need, and I have turned down the chance to earn more money to stay in a job that does more good in the world.  Once you have enough money, you don't necessarily need any more.

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      Castlepalomaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Good for you, found your balance.

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8. 67

   awareposted 10 years ago

   lazy!? lazy!? paying for your food is lazy. not building your own home by hand is lazy. expecting money to do everything for u is lazy!  dependency on currency is lazy! people get disenfranchised with particapateing in society .a coin is a ficticious prompter to get us to do things we could still do without said bait. our potential as a species is being smothered by a dollar bill. or I should say the lack there of.

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