Quote:
Originally Posted by Dating Specialist  At the same time, I also feel that in the case of the rich man, if he has been taught since young the values of money, and what it represents, like what
Dani so aptly put it across that money is only useful as a representation of value, then he won't be any different than the poor man! Because he would have also learnt to appreciate money the way the poor man does, but from a different perspective, as he realised the power money brings that can benefit so many people's lives. |
Ah, you bring up a fantastic point here. Once again, I'll take a different point of view, just to mix things up a bit.
While it is true that the rich man can learn when he is very young to appreciate the value of money, the gap between
learning and
knowing is a great one.
For example, the rich man who has never been poor can give away his money to help others and (consequently) feel good about himself.
Now imagine the poor man who has earned his way to the top. Every time he sees someone hungry, it will bring up memories of the past along with the painful emotions that go with them. And, as he decides to help, he will remember a time when he, too, was in such dire need of even the smallest act of kindness. Every time he uses his money to feed someone who otherwise would not be able to eat, at that instant, it is as if someone were feeding
him when
he was not able to eat. Imagine how extraordinary it must feel every time he uses his money for such positive purposes, knowing how
he felt when he could eat because of someone else's unconditional empathy.
So while the rich man who was never poor may
learn how good it is to put his money to good purposes, he will never
know how much good he actually serves. Thus, while this man can give with great kindness, it is much harder for him to
empathise with the very people he helps.