PROBLEM OF WEALTH
Not a Bed of Roses

MANY people believe money can solve all their problems, but as Richard Watts says, “More money, more problems.” A review has been published about the extremely rich people of

America which has been titled “Off with silver spoon.”

In America wealth has become a disease which is called “affluenza”. That is why the wealthy Americans want to find a way to getting rid of this disease. According to a recent study, 1 of 5 wealthy people are limiting their children’s legacies to assure that they do not get everything in life on a silver platter. The CNBC Millionaire Survey found that more than half of wealthy Americans plan to leave each of their children just about $1 million or slightly more.

Some of the wealthiest people have been named in this regard, Bill gates, Ted Turner, Jamie Lee Curtis and Catherine Zeta Jones. They have all taken steps to ensure that their children do not fall victim to affluence and the moral, emotional and practical problems associated with having to much money. Bill Gates’ former wife, Melinda says: “We don’t want our kids to lead a paranoid, pointless life.” And the kids’ loss is charity’s gain. For these super-rich parents have donated a total £12 billion in charity. (Life Positive monthly, New Delhi, April 2002, p. 86) Those who are deprived of wealth regard wealth as a great blessing. But when one finds the wealth, then their thinking is changed. Now they learn that just as not possessing wealth is a problem, similarly, possessing wealth is a greater problem.

A man who had newly acquired wealth was asked by one of his friends, “Since you have acquired wealth you have changed considerably.” The wealthy man said to his friend: “I’ve been stricken with the lightening of wealth; this is my problem.”

If man can experience this before acquiring wealth, he will never desire for the possession of wealth. He would think that the life of contentment is better than aspiring more and more wealth.