Money,Money,Money Must Be Funny, in a Rich Man's World

I've been thinking a lot about money lately. Not so much the, "I REALLY WANT MONEY RIGHT NOW SO I CAN GO BUY A CAR AND AN iPAD AND DESIGNER CLOTHES OMG!!!" but more about why we're so dependent on it. The reason for this is that this whole semester I've put all my money towards my school supplies, I'm in a Family Finance class, and I've listened to a few different people boast about their or their loved one's riches.

This is what I've realized:
I don't want to be rich.
I really don't.
This is why:

Houses
When my family went to New York for Thanksgiving, I realized why I love upstate so much-- the houses. They appear small but are comfortable inside, they are built with quality craftsmanship, and they have history to them. They are unlike many of the large, ridiculously over-sized houses in the States, especially in Utah. Did you know Utah has the largest average home size in the nation? Why? We may have larger family sizes, but that's no excuse to built a 10 bedroom, 3 bath complete with a 3 car garage. Not to mention a lot of those types of houses around here are cookie cutter homes, which I despise.

My biggest beef with ridiculously large homes is the energy waste and the ability to collect more junk. Large homes use more energy, which means more energy waste. Our world foolishly runs on fossil fuels, so wasting more electricity, heat, and gas just makes the world a little bit more complicated. I always joke about having a room for clocks and lamps when I own a home, but really, when you have more space, you want more stuff to put in it. Americans already own too much junk (I know I definitely do), and it's sickening to think that garages and sheds are full of old toys, books, trinkets, etc. and we continue to obtain more and more useless junk.

Cars
One day I want to own a car that doesn't make creaking sounds when I brake and that doesn't have a large dent in the hood. But I don't want an insane car that cost more than I make in 5 years, and I certainly don't want an expensive sound system (because we all know that sound systems in cars are a waste, unless you're Dave and have sub woofers to blast Coldplay. That's acceptable). I always thought of nice cars as something you buy after you've paid off everything you want and as a sort of "retirement present" to yourself. Okay, maybe you don't have to wait until you're senile to buy a Viper, but nice cars are quite unnecessary. I honestly would have a reliable car that lasts me a long time than a flashy, expensive one. However, this reasoning might stem from my fear of all things car-related, so you might think differently.

Technology
Before I explain, I have to say that I appreciate new technology. I like having fancy gadgets to play around with. I like the idea of one day owning all the photography equipment I need to shoot what I want, includinga few camera bodies, expensive lenses, lighting equipment and accessories. That stuff can be expensive, especially lenses which can run upwards of $20,000 each. Anyways, I like the non-dinosauric computers and the tablets. I like the smart phones and fancy t.v.'s. But the thing I've realized is that, with the exception of photo equipment, I don't really need any of it. I will need a new computer eventually, but do I really need the top-of-the-line computer that can cook two meals a day for me? Do I need that intense iPhone when I hardly text or call anyways? Do I need an $8,000 camera body at this moment in time? The answer is no. Definitely not.

Sometimes I think that having expensive technology will make me happier or that it will make me a better photographer. Certainly having nicer lenses creates a crisp photo and reduces noise (speckles), but my skills should never depend on a piece of glass. How often have you longed after a piece of technology and thought that you'd be happy with life after you got it? We get what we want so badly, then in a few months' time it's not interesting anymore. After a long enough time, we complain that what we have isn't good enough and start the wanting all over again.

Everything else
I'm sure that we would all like the freedom to buy what we wanted when we want it. Sometimes I just really want a pair of new shoes. It's nice to get something you want, but why? Will those new shoes increase my quality of life? Unless all my shoes have giant holes in the soles or the heels have broken off, those new shoes won't do much for me.

The biggest realization I've come to these last few months is that too often we turn wants into needs. My Family Finance class has addressed this issue many times, and it's kind of pathetic how we try to reason our way into buying things. It's wasteful, often covetous, and doesn't make us happier. Ask anyone who's lived in a third-world country and they'll tell you people are happier there. The humble understand that happiness is much more than worldly riches.


I'm sure all of you know this-- money can't make us happy. But it isn't bad. I know several people who are incredibly wealthy but help out people in their wards, communities, and charities. Many rich people donate to charities, but the ones who are genuine about helping others are the happiest about it. In Family Finance we talked about studies that have shown that the more a person gives, the higher their income becomes. But the higher their income becomes, the more they give. It doesn't seem to make sense, but it works. God blesses us with the ability to help ourselves and help others, and that's what we should do.
I mention this because I've listened to a girl in one of my classes and a few other people talk about riches for a while now. It's always a new iPhone, lens, designer handbag, designer shoes ("They're cheap! Only $150 a pair. I bought three different colors."), expensive promises, or just plain showing off. At first I wondered if I was jealous of their fortunes, but then I realized that I don't like rich people if they don't do any good with it. Sure, it's nice to buy your family expensive gifts, but they don't need them. Donate the money to charity or help someone in your ward with groceries. There's always a need for service.

I'm definitely not saying that money is inherently evil or that we should just use it as toilet paper, but it shouldn't be a motivator for our lives. It shouldn't control our decisions, especially life-changing ones (marriage, anybody?). We should be able to use our money to free ourselves from any debt or serious problems. Sure, I would like enough money to pay off my student loans, pay for housing and food, and buy school/art supplies. But as of right now, I am very happy with what I have. I don't want any more, and more importantly, I don't need any more. I love the feeling of not wanting anything; it's great.

If this seemed lengthy, I'm sorry, I've spent a whole semester thinking about it. Or maybe it's because I'm an artist and I'll just be poor forever.