Money is important in most people’s lives. Although some people think it is more important than others.
What do you feel are the right uses of money?
What other factors are important for a good life?
Money has an important impact on most people’s lives, whether by being plentiful or in short supply. While it cannot buy happiness, it can provide much that is of value.
In my view the right use of money is to improve people’s lives, starting with one’s own family. First, it helps to provide the means for people to develop themselves – by supporting children’s growth, education and interests, through enabling adults to study and train or re-train and to develop skill to high level. A third way that money contributes is to provide pleasure, so that family members can pursue hobbies and enjoy holidays. Money is also necessary for many cultural interests: attending concerts and theatre, for example, or buying a musical instrument. A further use of money is to provide security against emergencies and in retirement. Last and not least, one of the right uses of money is to give to others, perhaps in the form of charity, so they can enjoy the same things that we can.
All the elements of life mentioned above are important, but ultimately people find satisfaction – a good life, that is in relation to other humans. We need to be part of a community, to give and receive, to have relationships with others in family, community and work environment. We need to be useful and to help others. The contributions we can make (or receive) in these endeavours may or may not be financial.
In other words, money is not the only, or even the most important, factor in developing a good life, but it can certainly make an important contribution.
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