“She’s chasing the money”
“He’s completely money-driven”
“They’re only in it for the cash”
As a society, we’re great at judging people for wanting to make money.
We talk about it in terms of displaying a lack of values. We insult them, directly or implicitly. These people are superficial. Shallow. Greedy.
We think of money-driven people as spending it all on fancy clothes, fast cars and big mansions. This is the most visible kind of rich person, so that’s what we associate with making money – a kind of vulgarity that’s created by their cash.
It can feel like a clash of values when we recognise our own desire to make more money.
When I take a long hard look at myself, I squirm when I realise that I work day-in, day-out to make more cash. It’s not the only reason I do what I do, but it’s the biggest driver – and it’s certainly the biggest driver on days where I don’t want to do it. Does that make me a money-grabber, too?
I guess it does – but it doesn’t mean I’m materialistic. In fact, I buy less stuff now than I have in years… probably since I was a kid. Not all people who want to make money are doing it for the shiny things in life.
Not being obsessed about money is a privilege that only the richest can afford.
Being focused on money means that you’re doing what you can to be able to stay alive in the society we’ve created. A society in which, if you run out of money, you’re fucked.
In cases like these, it’s driven by our desire for safety and security.
Being materialistic isn’t a reflection of how much money you want to earn. It’s a reflection of why you want to earn it.
So if you’re working hard to make money, don’t beat yourself up about it. Just be conscious of why you’re doing it.
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Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash