Can Having A Lot of Money Be Bad?

@worldwise1 (14885)
United States
April 6, 2008 6:22pm CST
I know this probably sounds like a dumb question to some of you, but one thing that really bugs me is the imbalance of power and money in our economic system. I suppose what really made this question rear its ugly head again was when I heard the news several days ago about a popular Hip-Hop singer who had just signed a deal for $150 million over the next 10 years. I had to ask myself, "Who needs that kind of money?" An even better question is whether a fair amount of this money would be used for the betterment of their fellowman. No, there's nothing wrong with being wealthy in itself, but I feel strongly that if someone is so blessed to have access to such wealth they should do all the good they are able to with it. I know that many wealthy people give generously to charitable causes but I think that more of them could do so much more. What is your opinion? How do you feel about the balance of wealth and power in our society?
5 people like this
17 responses
@Shaun72 (15959)
• Palatka, Florida
6 Apr 08
It's alright to be rich. But it can also be bad if you are spending it on yourself. I think some of iy should be used to help out others who need help. Or for homeless people and also childern who are without parents.
2 people like this
• India
7 Apr 08
I agree with Shaun.If u are rich then donate some real cash to needy .Decide on yourself to whom to give your precious money.its all u need to do .Remember one thing ,donate only that much which u can spare ..lol..
1 person likes this
@Shaun72 (15959)
• Palatka, Florida
7 Apr 08
I agree. I do donate to the ms society since I have ms every now and then. I wish I had the money to donate to a lot of other places like St Lukes or a hospital for childern.
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Apr 08
To be rich take time and if you are spending on ourselves, think big and help the need ful people in life. have fun in life.
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Apr 08
Can having a lot of money be bad? Yes. Money can and does corrupt. Money will not fill your emptiness. If you are rich, most of your friends are only around for money/fame that comes with being your friend. You will know a friend is a true friend if they are still around even when you are dirt poor. The balance of wealth and power is horribly off. Too few have too much power over too many. Example, what if Microsoft decided to stop all production and updates to all of their software? As it sits, most of the computing world would vanish or stall. Yes some would use Linux, some Mac... but many will just give up on computers or keep what they have till they can't use it anymore. Another example, look at the United States government. They spend more money than people would want to know. Millions? Billions? Hundreds of Billions? Hard to say but I know a lot is spent. Just on enacting and enforcing Cannabis related laws... the DEA spends hundreds of billions of dollars each year. There are so many people without jobs, without homes, without food. There are starving kids, starving babies right here in America. Yet we send money and food out to other nations. We spend so much on useless crap to drive our economy. If everyone in America donated $20 a week to feeding the hungry, I'm pretty sure very few people will ever be hungry. If I had lots of money, I would give the majority away towards charitable projects such as feeding those who can't afford to feed themselves. Building homes for those who can't afford to have their own. Helping people get back on their feet after major problems. There is so much that can be done. As it sits now, I am poor in money. However, I am rich in love, rich in family and rich in happiness.
@ltmoon (1008)
• United States
7 Apr 08
For many it is, especially when they experience sudden wealth such as in the entertainment and sports fields. Best rule of thumb - be moderate in all things!
1 person likes this
@melovean (160)
• India
7 Apr 08
yup....i agree to you....people who are blessed with a huge wealth...should help the other people to come up....so that they can also help others....coz...its a chain system...if someone helps u in ur worst condition....thn....people who suffers tht condition will in return help the others...who face the same situation...i know its easy to say...there are lots of people in the world blessed with wealth...but they do goods to themself....also they do donate but too less in comparision to wat they can....if they want to change the wrld...thn have the ability but they dont want to...thts y we can men is a selfish animal on earth... regrds, melovean
• China
7 Apr 08
[em]raspthe rich become rich in our society, and "the poor must pay for all." i know that many wealthly people give generously to charitable causes but i think that more of them could do so much more. sometimes, the rich have more reponsibility of the imbalance,not just do that depenging on wish^-^
1 person likes this
7 Apr 08
hi worldwise , I m akshay bajaj here..I believe maney and power go hand in hand.Power follows money and money follows power , it is universal and on the other hand i completely agree with you and i too feel the imbalance of money and power in our society. The rich are gettin richer day by day and the poor are getting poorer day by day . i feel anything in this universe in excess has it illeffects , For example too much of money is also not good and even i wonder like you do , what is one gonna do with so much money????????? which can be used or even a part of it used in the welfare or upliftyment of our society will help drastically... well who wants to this about all this very few people like you and me and may be few more do give a second thought , otherwise the world is busy making money:) have a nice day and keep up the good work... Sometimes a Thought can help move somebody and a thoght is the begining ..always..
1 person likes this
• Pakistan
7 Apr 08
yes i think peace and calm is more important than the money and moist of the time we have lot of money but we cant have peace and calm. so it is improtant to have peace reather thatn money. and i also know this probably sounds like a dumb question.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
7 Apr 08
I totally agree with you and what makes me laugh when People like that are in Debt How can they be in Debt? The other big Question is where is this money coming from as the our Countries are always saying there is no money I don't understand it at all
@maxsee212 (799)
• United States
7 Apr 08
i think that having a lot of money is very good. i am very good with money. i like money because it can buy me things that i want and need. money is good when you share it to other people. money is good when you make someone happy. if i had a lot of money, i would share some of it to the less fortunate people. not only i am getting tax break from doing that, i am also making people's dreams come true.
• United States
8 Apr 08
Having money shouldn't be the Only reason you do good for others. Like everything else that is done well, it has to come from the heart.No rich person should be forced to give his/her money to a cause they don't care about. That is what taxes is for.But if a rich person gives out of the goodness they have in their heart, that is great. Let's face it, if you are forced to give your money to something or someone you don't care about, that is theft.Period.And just because you have no money shouldn't stop you from giving your time to a cause you care about.But no one rich or poor should be forced to give or volunteer to a cause they don't care about. Let's face it there are good and bad people and money won't change a bad person into a good one.So whoever you are without money , you are with money.So if you are passionate about causes and you finally get the money, of course you would donate it. But if you never had a cause you were interested in, you may not give money to a cause right away. But if along the way you find a cause maybe you would donate to it.I don't think money is the root of all evil but money can amplify a person's personality.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
7 Apr 08
Amen to that. I do not understand how some people can get all of the money in the world and another person who does another line of work gets paid pennies in weages and can barely afford to feed their family. Those rich people should help "more" less fortunate people. I would if I had that kind of money. Rich people want to be richer. Most do not help any kind of causes other than their own. Some help though.
1 person likes this
@jason_co (407)
• Philippines
7 Apr 08
It depends on how you use it. But many people say that money is the root of all evil. maybe its not totally true. Money can't buy you happiness but it can but things that can make you happy.
@s2a2n2 (1732)
• India
7 Apr 08
sometimes yes and we tend to feel to go up further up meet the best and this happens again and again and make us more wanted and resulting no time to have fun... sometimes there are lot of security issues too associated with it...
1 person likes this
@twoods90 (185)
• United States
7 Apr 08
i think having alot of money could turn out to be bad in the long run..people will get greedy and want more, think their better then everyone else but i stil wouldnt mind being rich
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
7 Apr 08
I think that if you do not use it wisely, it can be. My daughter received a settlement as soon as she turned 18. We tried to have it changed, but they said it was done in juvenile court, so they could not. As soon as she was 18, she went through it all in less than 6 months. She has nothing to show for it. She had lots of friends at the time, not the kind you would hope for. I think it tempts you into things you might otherwise not do.
@ellie26 (4139)
• Malaysia
7 Apr 08
Having lots of money can be bad and also good. The saying goes "Money is power!", "Money is the root of all evil". Some people are blessed with talent and with it they will earned a lot of money. Some don't have talent but they worked hard and managed to become rich. It is good to have those super rich people do some charities, donation. They have the power to do so but will they want to do that?
@gemini_rose (16264)
7 Apr 08
I think the amounts of money that some of the so called stars get today is absolutely ridiculous, I mean some of them are not really that talented. I have seen and heard some fantastic singers who scrape a living working in pubs and bars and to me they are worth more money than they get but they are never likely to be offered that sort of money. I think the balance of wealth and power in our society is very one sided, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.