The Rich over The Poor.
Admit it—we treat rich people with more respect than poor people. We prioritise their demands, hear their voices, and allow them to essentially do whatever they want. Does that justify why some poor people want to act rich? By joining a community that makes you feel ‘rich,’ is that the end goal of our society? Just to be regarded as a rich person?
I can’t entirely agree with this notion, and I want to begin by defining the difference between rich and wealth. While the rich are only concerned about accumulating as much money as they can, wealth is a conglomerate of monetary and non-monetary acquisitions. Wealthy people own intangible and unfathomable assets to rich people; knowledge, wisdom, time, and a happy family, to name a few. Therefore, I want to push the idea that society should pursue the idea of real wealth instead of paying a fee to join a fake rich community. The proceeding sections will explore the behaviour of poor and wealthy people to guide you in choosing which side of the fence to be on.
Why do Poor People act Rich?
The general theme is that people want to be respected; to some extent, it is innate to us. While ‘fake it till you make it’ is understandable in several contexts, this case is an exception. Should one burden himself to pay for luxury items that he obviously couldn’t afford for others’ approval? Isn’t that going in the opposite direction of wealth? Why voluntarily enter the hamster wheel, trapped in a cycle of seeking approval from others regarding your self-worth? I would even argue that enrolling in a “rich” community means you seek popularity and esteem, not developing your potential towards real wealth.
Real wealth is freedom, but you are diving into a black hole, trapping you in a far worse condition than you already had.
Why do Wealthy People act Poor?
Is this also the case of ‘fake it till you make it?’ Obviously not. Knowledge and many other intrinsic elements of life are non-negotiables for wealthy people. Assuming they act on the same plane as poor people will be a barrier to achieving true wealth. So, why do they act poor?
There are boring reasons and fascinating reasons. The boring reason is to avoid unnecessary attention from tax authorities and distant relatives you never knew existed and suddenly want to become best friends. The fascinating reason, which is the gist of this essay, is regarding their perception of self-worth.
In a world where everyone is hungry for attention and respect, wealthy people often find sustenance in self-respect and self-worth. By sustenance, I mean a sustainable, lasting one. Their life narrative is focused on the impact and the differences they bring into the world, not vice versa. The wealthy are givers, seldom takers. They validate themselves based on their actions and self-evaluation, not something external. The wealthy live in their world, while the poor want to enter someone else’s instead of nurturing theirs.
Moreover, the wealthy value the idea of simplicity. The conquerors of empires, who have seen what’s on the other side, would sacrifice everything to be wrapped in the arms of loved ones. The continuous pursuit of wanting more, more, and more leads to a destination called nowhere. The wealthy strays away from being a cog in life but rather pursue the art of living.
Is it Easy to be Wealthy?
Acquiring wealth is a strenuous, continual process which could take years of developing one’s potential. Hence, it is the main reason why the poor prefer to take the quick dopamine cheat by stepping foot into a so-called ‘rich’ community. Something you gradually earn becomes almost impossible to vanish. Building a house brick by brick determines its safety more than using plaster sheets. Instant benefits may also mean instant disasters, so don’t bluntly accept any ideology you encounter (including this essay) for all wars begun by ideologies.
Photo by Martin Masson on Unsplash
Should society pursue wealth?
The answer lies within the purpose of seeking wealth. Since there is no widely accepted definition of wealth, one could even argue that having wealth does not entail humility. One could be arrogant and boastful about their wealth, believing they are superior to others who are less educated. As humans have a plethora of ideologies, such a scenario can be expected. However, such a stand is not appropriate reasoning for pursuing wealth for the betterment of society.
In an ideal world, every person cares for each other as much as they care for themselves. In reality, a gap between legality and morality prevents the ideal from being realized where no person is legally obliged to sustain others, let it be in monetary or non-monetary terms. That is a lengthy discussion on its own. Nevertheless, I urge you to carefully evaluate which direction to go: the humble or arrogant wealth. In other words, what kind of human would you respect? As the old Malay adage once mentioned, “tepuk dada tanya selera“.
I welcome constructive discussions.
May Allah be with us,
Hakeem.
