Money

Questions to ask yourself about $Money$:
Blog Entry 1: Questions to ask yourself about $Money$:

This week we will examine this thing called “money.” And ask questions about its function, status, and the context in which it exists.

a) Aside from the definitions of money you may have heard of or already know, I’d like you to ask this question of yourself, and others: “What is money?” Write your thoughts down in your own words about what the function of money, what you think it is. Consider what does money mean to you? Or – what is your relationship to money?
Money is something that determines the quality of one’s life – the more you have, the better you can enjoy life; the less you have, the more you will worry about survival, sometimes even being looked down upon.Money lets one purchase and own an item because it is the equivalent to what the item is worth.Money, to me, is the cause of much corruption in the world. It is something that people created and can easily be made again – simply notes and coins, but in order to gain money, one has to work for it; work for money; these bloody pieces of paper.

Millionaires seem to have it easy, but it is because they know the ropes and can make money ‘grow’ more money. Commoners like us have to start from the bottom, everyday working from morning to evening to earn a minimal sum to save and take care of ourselves, sometimes fantasizing about being rich, and occasionally badmouthing those rich people who look down upon others because they aren’t as rich as they are.

b) Consider: Money makes the world go round ... (true/false/why?)
No, it shouldn’t be like that. It should be people that make the world go round, but it now seems that money really does make the world go round. If you don’t have money but you need to buy something, the seller can’t just give it to you without having something in return. Even if he does give it to you, it will be out of pity. If you dress nicely as though wealthy, and visit shopping centres, the workers see you as if you are a source of money, persuading you to buy this and that; coming to your assistance, whereas if you dress plainly or poor-looking, those workers won’t even bother to be of much service to you, because they know that you’re never going to spend a cent.

When you’re outside, people look at your attire, judging solely on outlook for first impression. Their treatment towards you will depend on what a person they think you are, fair or not fair, you can’t do much about it. Second, they see how you bring about yourself, whether you can communicate well or not, whether you have studied or are a drop-out, but the most influencing one is still the first impression.

c) Consider: Money is the root of all evil … (true/false/why?)
It is quite true actually. Bank robbery, daylight robbery, we’ve heard that before. They’re related to money. Well, a lot of evil revolves around money. Who doesn’t want money? Who doesn’t need money? If you aren’t satisfied with the amount you have, you have to go out and get some, be it earning it honestly, or earning by illegal means, or even stealing. If one feels like they will take too long to earn the amount that they want, they will rely on means that seem possible of fast money making. Some buy books related to investments, make fast money, start a business, etc. in hopes to earn money quickly. Others take chances in gambling and stock markets. Sometimes these make them lose even more money. Especially for gambling, you gamble for hopes of making money, but in the end you lose more. The one that gain the money you lose is the gambling house itself. Seems evil, but it’s just that there’s a motive for all money making.

d) What else?: Money is …
a necessity. For each and every one of us to live, money is needed.

e) What else?: Money is …
a privilege if you have more than enough of it. Why are there branded items and big houses? It’s because there’s always many who can afford them, but still, someone will always be earning someone else’s money. It’s like a whole cycle – we exchange, I save the cash in the bank, bank keeps the notes, withdraw notes from bank and repeats again.

Why do children from wealthy families behave all high and mighty? It’s because their families can afford what the norm cannot. They are able to get a big allowance as compared to other children; they can spend on things they want and be free of worry money-wise. It’s all up to parents to teach their children from young not to take such privilege for granted, for money is meant to be earned for what effort you provide.

Money doesn’t grow from trees. It’s because children don’t usually start working so young, so they see their parents as money trees – just taking and using up. They should learn in time that from young, they should start saving money for their future.

f) Do you care about money? Why/not? What would happen if you didn’t have money at all? What would happen if you got a million dollars?
Yes, because with it, I can buy the things I need and want, in order to have a better and more satisfying lifestyle. If I didn’t have any money, I wouldn’t be considered a capable person. I will have to rely solely on my parents for money, depending on them for everything and anything. I would be a person living for the sake of living, with no future and nothing else. I may not even go to school!

If I got a million dollars, sure, things will seem much easier for me. I wouldn’t have to worry about painstakingly having to earn money, while scrimping and saving, for my future. I can just get a job and gradually earn money to add to the million dollars. It will take me a much shorter amount of time to afford and buy my own house and enjoy the peace and comfort of it.

g) List down all your ideas and assumptions about Money, and examine them. How did you come to these conclusions? When did you start to think of money that way? Who influenced you to think that way? Was/is that always true?
Corruption, Abuse, Happiness and pain, hard work, worry.

Through my eighteen years of living, this is what I and the people around me have experienced.

I started thinking this way probably just a year ago. After sharing a part of his life, this is what I began to learn and understand from a close friend, about the world of the working life. If you’re young and gullible, people will take advantage of you. Especially because you’re working; you need the job for money, you have to endure such issues. I believe it has always been true. If you’re lucky, you may not need to encounter such problems, but one has to realise that this is very likely to occur, and is a never-ending problem around the world. All for the sake of making money, isn’t it?

h) What can money do (for you)? And what does money enable you to do? And what does money stop you from doing?
Money can let me have a stable life. Money can make me happy and can also make me cry. It can even make me go crazy. It can enable me to buy things that I need and want. Money stops me from spending excessively so that I can save it up.

i) How much are you worth? Try to imagine, and come up with a $ value/figure, and then explain why you are worth this amount. What emotions do you feel as you contemplate this question? What is the significance of this reaction?
$100. There are thousands of millions of people in the world; I’m just only one person. Why should I and everyone else be worth any more than that? It’s quite overcrowded already. Animals that are going to be extinct should each be worth at least a hundred times more than me.

I’m just an ordinary person, with no great abilities as compared to those in the earlier centuries. After all, the world now is so very advanced. It’s less likely that a revolutionary genius will appear every now and then. The worth of average people will keep decreasing as each year go by. Perhaps in the new century, when things start to change again, the worth will start out high, and then decrease slowly.

A person’s worth may very well also be equal to the money you own, but that’s just being too materialistic.I felt confused at first – what do I use to judge my own worth? Basing on ability, occupation, money or personality etc.? I then feel slightly worthless. If I weren’t born in this world, the world would continue moving forward. Similarly, if one life is lost, it wouldn’t affect the world at all. I’m human. I feel emotions, positive and negative. It’s life.

j) Imagine a scenario where you were hired by a client to do a design job. How much would you charge for it? What if you doubled the amount? What if you halved the amount? What are your reactions to each price range? Would you do it for free? Why?
Well, first of all, I do not know the average rates at all. I’m just a student. I would charge probably $800? Too high or too low, I’m not quite sure. If the amount was doubled, I would be worrying about the quality of work that I’m going to produce; I’ll be stressing myself out. If the amount was halved, I would be willing to work for the amount, but I would feel unsatisfied because it does not seem to be equivalent to the effort that I will be providing.

$800. I will be satisfied, but afraid that my work isn’t good enough.

$1600. I will be very happy, but will also put stress on myself. Also, am afraid that work isn’t good enough.

$400. I will be okay with the amount. I might not work at my fullest, but at least will show the client some good effort. My work should be quite fine, hopefully the client accepts it.I may do it for free if it’s my first time, and need some guidance. I’ll feel sad that my effort will not be reciprocated with money though. :’(

k) What is the significance of these reactions? How does your professional fee relate to your own self-image/self-worth?
They are the thoughts and feelings of a person who knows that money is very important in life. Yes, as I’ve said, I am only worth $100, but my effort and what I do is what matters in the professional life so it’s no surprise that the difference is so wide.

l) Relate your personal brand to your self-worth/professional price-value. Are you charging a fee worth your while, or you are working at a deficit? What can you do about it?
Okay, I believe that $800 is worth my while. I just have to provide the equivalent service to the company paying me.

m) Now it's time to sum up your thoughts on money. Read the 3 online-articles on Money, and then Blog your thoughts about the role of money in your life, and the way you relate to it. Cheers
I can’t help it. Money is so important now despite it being a measly piece of paper. Now that the world is like this, we can’t possibly do without it. Money is almost like water – a necessity, but never on par. What we spend on, we have to find ways to get some back, if not you’re practically done for. I envy the past, where people live in harmony without much government to bother their lives with things like taxes; no big worries about jobs and money. However, nothing can be done to change the present life that we have now, because change is hard to make, accept, and adapt to.

Money is a big factor in everyone’s life. We are born, we go to school, and then we start work. Everything I’m doing now is for my future. My future = earning money, more money= more happiness, less money= less happiness= more worry.

Money contributes to most of my problems in life. I hate it and love it at the same time. Money can make and break a person. It’s up to oneself on how to walk the journey of life, after all death is what lies for us in the end.