We work for money, cry for money, cheat for money, trade for money and some even die for money. The monetary reward of every paid task always makes us feel like it is worth it in exchange for our time, effort, and skill. But what exactly is money to us? In simple terms, it allows us to buy goods and services that require other people’s time, effort, and skill. So if that all makes sense, then how can some earnest and hardworking people with important skills feel poor at times? Well, I do not think I can address this with one post but I would like to share my perspective on how money is a joke and how it makes us all a fool when we take it too seriously. For those of us who are still struggling to find enough money to survive, this post might not be suitable for you at this point but if you are interested you can choose to read on.

Money gained quickly in large quantities is not earned

Before any misunderstanding is made, the definition of earned means to get money when you create value out of your labor. It is true that most of our so call paid labor is no longer directly creating value but to some extent, the amount of money earn through those forms of labor is still reasonable. That is not to mean that all kinds of income are justified because some forms of income are just too ridiculously high. So much so that it makes other forms of paid labor a joke. Well if everyone is paid similarly, not trying to promote any form of socialism here but if we were to be paid similarly, then there is little to compare when it comes to types of paid labor. My point is if any form of labor overly rewards the laborer in monetary terms then it will indirectly render other lower-paid jobs unimportant or dispensable that should not be the case.

Money earned by workers is insufficient to consume the same services they provide

Haven we all felt it before in one way or another? Growing up, I am often puzzled because I see people in the service industry working at posh hotels only earning salaries that can support a basic lifestyle in the country. That itself makes little sense to me because I would expect that employees in such establishments to be able to afford to patronize similar establishments during their break. Evidently, that is not the case and no one seems to be able to provide me with a decent explanation. The common reply would be that these people are working for a living so where they work is irrelevant to their actual lives. I find that deeply troubling as it shows how unfairness in society is not only justified but accepted as a way of life.

Money is harder to earn when you are younger (period)

Again, the keyword to note is “earned”, that is, earned by working a paid labor. Many times, employees and laborers are paid according to their seniority or age. This is completely irrelevant to the worker’s capability. Although older workers might have more work experience, those experience does not always equate to higher productivity. Even so, it is completely acceptable for an older employee to be paid much more than a younger and capable colleague doing almost the same role. Sounds like I am sour grapeing but I think the majority of us would agree to this to some extent as well. As such, I do not think that we should take our wages seriously as the system itself is rigged and unfair, to begin with, and all of us will somehow benefit from it if we stay long enough in it.

Closing Thoughts

There is no better way to close this topic than to say that we should try our best to look at money in a different way from now on. True enough, having more money is never the less beneficial to all middle class and below but it does not always mean that it is worth our time and effort. Sometimes, one must carefully consider the consequence of such an exchange and boldly say no to that ridiculous deal.