money and independence

The association between money and liberty has been studied in a variety of disciplines. The experiments are being conducted under the assumption that having to make money makes someone selfish. Furthermore, there is a widespread belief in society that pleasure should take precedence over the pursuit of wealth.

The irony is that a need for wealth does not imply greed. Wanting capital, on the other hand, contributes to freedom. About everything in the universe has a monetary cost. In fact, a desire for money does not result in a moral dispute. It provides someone with equality in life. The rationale behind having money is that it gives you freedom to do what you want to do in life. As Balthazar Getty says,

Life started getting good when I started making money.

Having stated that, individuals have to make a deliberate effort to identify the most effective ways of making money. In connection to this, working smart gives someone the advantage not to strain a lot when earning an income (Jim 12). Furthermore, one must be careful to ensure that the money that one has is sustainable even in the future. For example, if one does not have debt, and he can control his spending behavior, then his wealth is sustainable and not under threat.

Capitalism and the Money

The capitalist society requires that private individuals own the means of production. It gives the individuals the right to own and dispose property as they deem fit. The government does not place restrictions on the right to earn and the right to dispose property. In other words, the individuals have the full rights to choose the work they want to do, and the work the enterprise that they want to undertake. In addition to that, business processes are not controlled from a centralized system (Fremery 45). On the contrary, business is controlled by the market forces. Even in cases where there is government intervention, the main aim is to protect the consumer and the intervention is minimal in nature.

In a capitalistic society, the profit motive is legitimized, allowed, and encouraged. Due to this, there is fierce competition. The competition mirrors the Darwinian concept of the survival for the fittest. The businesses which are able to establish a competitive advantage, establish a good reputation, and offer optimal services, are handsomely rewarded. Unfortunately, the businesses which are not able to do the same are wiped out through bankruptcy, employee turnover, or poor losses.

There are several implications of living in a capitalistic society such as the US. To start with, an individual has the freedom and choice to make a decision to accumulate money. This is because even if you got a lot of money, the government is not going to restrict you on accumulating more (unless you are involved in an illegal activity of course). In addition to that, the individual has the choice to start a career or even change careers. The fact that one is allowed to make as much profit as possible is sufficient motivation for the same, and this, eventually, leads to independence.

Perhaps, the most important thing about the capitalist system is its room for social mobility. There are no natural obstacles to raising up the economic ladder. The American stories is awash with stories of companies that started small in the society and later penetrated the national and international market. In other words, any individual can be what he or she desires to be. Ralph Waldo Emerson says,

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the

greatest accomplishment.

The American Dream and Money

The American dream starts from the assurance that it is attainable, others have made it, and there is no reason whatsoever on why someone else would not do the same. The US has been regarded as the land of opportunities. Closely connected to this is the concept of independence and the fact that the American society is an egalitarian society (Younkins 87). The main tenant of the American Dream emanates from the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal and are endowed with certain unalienable rights.

The American dream has evolved over the course of time. For example, the concept of home ownership is embedded in the society. The ethos of the American dream is rooted in the principle of making achievement through hard work. James Truslow Adams notes that the dream is not vulnerable to the many obstacles that affected the civilizations of the old (45).

The American Dream has a relationship with capitalism in that it thrives on the concept of freedom and the right to do what one wants. In addition to that, there is an assumption that there is a level playing field in the American economy. What this means is that rewards come on merit and are fair in nature.

Lastly, the American dream is not confined to the material well-being. It goes beyond that to include political reforms, ability to attain an education, religious transformation, and fulfillment in life in general. Whatever the form that it takes, one thing that features prominently is the independence that comes with getting money. This is because all these benefits are interrelated in one way or another and mutually serve each other.

The impact of the American Dream to the ability to make money is that it gives the Americans the psychological impetus since they know that they are living in a land of opportunities (Cullen 7). For example, early America witnessed the pilgrims who left England and settled in Plymouth (the present day Massachusetts), in order to exercise their religious freedom in the way that they perceived it. There have been people who were very poor and now they are very wealthy. It becomes a matter of choice to know where one has decided to do with his life.

The reason why most people take the long years of school up to college level is to be financially stable. With money, one is able to do the desired things which in turn leads to happiness. The average American spends 22 years in different types of schools- this entails to 35 % of one’s life. The Millennia are being convinced that it is better to have careers which will make them happy that to take careers which will make them rich but they are not happy. Unfortunately, people who accept such arguments can end up being trapped in their careers to an extent that they cannot afford basic things. In this light, the millennia ought to re-think this belief so that they can make informed decisions that will help them achieve independence. .

The American Idols and Money

The America idol is driven by the need to discover the untapped talent in the American society. In fact, the show has been declared the most impactful in the history of the US. The show is characterized by personal engagement. Consequently, many people view it and make their votes.

What has been unique with the show has been the handsome rewards that the winning contestants have received. These include: a record with an established label, a management contract with 19 management, and other contracts as well. It has been observed that the winner in the American idol would earn $ 1 million during the first year only. The runners up had a lot to gain too.

The US has been vulnerable to various challenges in the recent past. For example, the rise of terrorism directly and indirectly the lives of many Americans. Similarly, the antagonism between the West and Islam (whether real or perceived) has come with a burden to the country more so on increased cases of terrorism. The American idol revived the optimism and pride of being America. Many young people had their talent discovered in an incredible way to an extent that their life reached a financial breakthrough within a short time. The show reminded the Americans that anyone who has the will can make it. People who never thought that they would achieve independence were finally independent.

The Benefits of Having Money

Having money automatically means that one is going to take care of his or her own bills. There is nothing as inconveniencing and de-humanizing as constant borrowing money or having to wait for someone to get something. The turbulent economic times of the modern day require that one becomes more innovative on meeting the needs despite the standard of living being high. Most importantly, having cash at hand means that one can is able to take care of emergencies.

Having money also translates to being able to help the other people. For example, if one has a family, one needs a spacious house to stay and enough money for medical bills. In addition to that, there are people who support their extended family back home. For example, many American immigrants save and periodically send money to their relatives in their native countries. The fact that such countries have a lower cost of living gives them an advantage on the value of the money that they manage to save.

Being financially stable means that one can contribute to social causes. A notable example in giving is Ted Turner. In 1990, he established the Red Turner Foundation in order to address the challenging things of the population and the environment. In 1991, he founded the Captain Planet Foundation. Ted Turner credits the spirit of giving to his father. His father, though not rich, was philanthropic in little ways. Ted Turner says thus:

I don’t measure success in numbers, but I consider my contributions of more than 1.3 billion dollars to various causes over the years to be one of my proudest accomplishments and the best investment I’ve ever made. Those dollars have improved lives, saved species, fought disease, educated children, inspired change, challenged ideas and opened minds; and at the time of my death, virtually all of my wealth will have gone to charity.

Making Money and Morality

One of the assumptions that are made by the society is that the pursuit of money has an inherent weakness-contribution to moral decay. According to Younkins, the fact that capitalism gives individuals free will means that the said individuals can pursue moral ideas and have a moral pursuit (2). It should be noted that an economic system cannot make men good or bad. But the opportunities it provides allows men to either be good or bad. Consequently, individuals should not blame the system for their thoughts and deeds.

It could be argued that morality indeed makes morality possible and not the other way round. For example, making sufficient money means that one is not going to steal, or at least there is no temptation of stealing. Some democracies in the world have made a deliberate step to offer the political leaders sufficient compensation. The assumption is that if they are paid well, they are going to ensure fair and sufficient distribution of resources to their constituents.

When one succeeds financially, one assumes the responsibility of respecting the natural rights of individuals. By entering to contracts, one takes it upon himself to honor those contracts. One totally avoids frauds or making threats to the others. In addition to that, one makes deliberate attempts to be honest and fair to others. For example, there is a general principle in procurement that a tender is awarded to the highest bidder. At the same time, the relationship between the employer and the employee is professional and fair. Employment is based on merit and not favoritism.

Managers make moral decisions even if it hurts their businesses. For example, businesses may not necessarily support government policies such as subsidies even if the business would benefit from the same (Younkins 4). The point here is encouraging free and fair competition for anyone who enters the race.

Billy Graham says, “There is nothing wrong with men possessing riches. The wrong comes when riches possess men.” That stated, having money is not the source of immorality. On the contrary, it is the individual ways of the people and the choices that they make that determine if they are moral or immoral.

How to Make Money

The path to making money is not easy. The fact is that it sometimes takes a lot of time and efforts in order to get it. However, that does not mean in any way that it is not achievable. It is a very possible and practical goal. Despite that one should be careful not to make the wrong choices. Rational decision making helps individuals to choose initiatives that can give them optimal returns at minimal risks.

It should be noted that the market is saturated with people who promise others that they can help them make good money. Ironically, some of the individuals who promise others that they will help them make a lot of money do not have it themselves. One is supposed to exercise discretion when going into such engagements. Seeking the act of such people is an act of futility and should be avoided at all cost.

To some extent, the individual is to blame for not making money (Fremery 1). The ability to be rich is brought about by various obstacles such as being exploited. Again, if you can get capital, then you may decide not to work for someone, thereby limiting the opportunities of exploitation. Thus, an individual should not lay the blame of not making money to the others.

Conclusion

The value of money in the society cannot be under-estimated. Therefore, it is important to revise the perception that the pursuit of money is a negative trait. Everything is about making the right decisions and exercising self-control. Most important, it is prudent that one makes the right steps in order to get money in a viable and sustainable way.

Works Cited

Cullen, Jim. ”The American dream: A short history of an idea that shaped a nation”. Oxford

University Press, 2003.

Fremery R. ”Money and Freedom: An Application of Natural Laws to the Problem of Money : the

Disastrous Economic and Political Consequences of Our Unsound Monetary System: a

Suggested Remedy”. Rutledge, 1955.

Younkins, Edward. Capitalism and Commerce. Conceptual Foundations of Free Enterprise.

Lexington Nooks, 2002.

Adams, James Truslow. The epic in America, 1938.