If you want to be rich, you must be lazy and incompetent. Why?

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   Ratatoeskposted 12 years ago

   How do you understand and interpret this statement?

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      NotPCposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Perhaps this statement means, that If you are not lazy and incompetent, then you are already rich. In this context, rich may not refer to wealth. Being an active participant in your own life creates purpose or "richness."
      
      Additionally, we can understand that someone who is already rich cannot have a desire to be rich.
      
      Therefore, you can only "want" to be rich if you are lazy and incompetent.

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   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   I interpret it as false.

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      Ratatoeskposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Why?

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         wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Maybe because it is?  While there will always be rich playboys (and girls) the rich are, in general, neither incompetent nor lazy.

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            Ratatoeskposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Of course, the rich are neither lazy nor incompetent. The statement is provocative, controversial. I admit it.
            It is meant to reflect on what might be meant.

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               Uninvited Writerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Some are lazy and incompetent. And it depends how you want to get rich, some buy lottery tickets and dream to be rich, some work hard. The same as some poor people are lazy and incompetent; but not all of them as some would like you to believe.

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                  Ratatoeskposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  I thank you for your interesting point of view

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               wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Gotcha.  In that case I would interpret the statement to indicate that the speaker is lazy and incompetent for drawing such conclusions and generalizations without studying the matter themselves.

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                  Ratatoeskposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  And what if the speaker speaks in riddles to encourage us to think? And what if the statement is not meant literally? Similar to the provocative book entitled "If you want to be rich, don´t go to school"

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                     wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     If words are used for something other than communication then all bets are off.  At the same time, when communication isn't the intended result, then the comment has no real meaning and the question of interpretation becomes moot.

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                        Ratatoeskposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        I agree

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   Healthy Pursuitsposted 12 years ago

   I think the idea that rich people are lazy and incompetent probably sometimes applies to the generations following the person who made the money. That is, if the person who made the money doesn't make sure that they become self-sufficient, too. That old saying of "shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations" comes from someone becoming rich, usually through hard work, dumb luck or unscrupulous business practices, then not making sure their children can make a living, too.

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      Ratatoeskposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      thank you for your point of view, Karla :-)

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   Healthy Pursuitsposted 12 years ago

   Ooops. I misread that. I read it as "if you're rich". I was wondering why anyone would think that.
   
   I also don't know why anyone would think "if you want to be rich" would be connected with being lazy and incompetent. To me, that sounds like someone who's motivated. I want to be rich. I don't know many people who don't think that being rich would be easier than having no financial problems. (Of course, that excludes becoming suddenly very rich when you don't know how to manage money.) Most of my reasoning is that it would help not only me, but chosen other people and causes that I believe in. I don't consider myself lazy or incompetent. I do consider myself a positive thinker. And a hard worker.

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