In 1927 Sigmund Freud visited the USA on a lecture tour. He came back to Europe vowing never to return saying that America was full of "savages". He seemed preoccupied by the concept of "dollaria", or the intense drive just to make money. He argued that Americans, through religion, had sublimated their 'eros', or sex-drive, and it had manifested itself as "making profit at all costs". Money replaced a natural urge for procreation! He may have had a point.
I've often thought about great sums of money and its 'meaning'. If I were to inherit, earn, or win £1million, it would solve all of my problems. I'd have no debt. I could take early retirement and travel. I could buy a new car. I could afford all the latest gadgets that I so covet. In fact one million pounds would really make my life comfortable. What more could I want? If I had £10million, would I do the same things ten times over? No. But it would mean I had the choice to do all of the above ten times over! But it wouldn't change my life in any discernible way. If I had £100million - then we cease talking about "money". At this level, and some point leading up to it, "money" becomes irrelevant. We're now talking "wealth". Wealth has no connection to 'money'. It has more to do with what wealth brings as opposed to what money brings. We reach a figure where being able to "afford" things never enters the equation. We never need question the "affordability" of anything. What we do question, however, is how do we protect ourselves against those who would want some of our wealth. Wealth brings a sense of power. With £100million plus, I can walk into any restaurant, five star hotel, or even airport in the world - and no-one would ask me to pay! They would assume that "my people" would sort these trivial matters out. I would never have to deal with the messy stuff we call money.
Two things might disturb my peace: Other rich people and governments. Other rich people have - in their power - the resources to take away what's mine. Governments might decide that my wealth should be taken down a bit! So there may be some conflict regarding my power - er, I mean wealth! - between myself and other rich and powerful people! There may be some consolation in knowing that those other wealthy people may suffer the same paranoia. So, many of them tend to stick together. There's safety in numbers, so the saying goes! If enough of us agree, then at least there's one fear alleviated somewhat. But what about governments? In Cyprus, they took up to 60% of residents' savings! That could happen anywhere! So I live with the fear that governments could take away my "money", or more accurately; wealth/power. (Because its not about 'money' at this level, remember?)
Freud's comments referred to wealth creation - not the "almighty dollar". Wealth replaces children. It becomes something to worship, to nurture and to protect. There's a point when one ceases counting their coins, or gold bullion, security bonds, or whatever, and start to 'worry' about how to make it grow and mature! And just watching the number of noughts increase in the 'value' of wealth is not about counting the amounts. Its about watching something grow and age. Something changes in the mind of the wealthy.
A couple of years ago, on British TV, there was a panel show where rich and famous people were asked to guess the price of everyday items on a shopping list. How much is a pint of milk? Or half-a-dozen eggs? Or a loaf of bread? A pair of shoes from Primark? Or a fridge from Argos? None of them got anywhere near a right guess! Ask them what the exchange rate is on the airport bureaux de change for sterling to euro, no idea! None of these things occurred to them because they never deal in cash. Ask them how much they're really worth - mind you own business!! The information that's available in the public domain is fine. But the real net worth is a private matter. It's a bit like me giving out too much information about my kids!
So, when the "lefties" begin talking about poverty and inequality the wealthy don't fully understand. It would be impossible for them to imagine what it must be like to actually pay for something like winter fuel, at the cost of food for a day! Wealthy people, with no knowledge of the price of a week's groceries and the cost of fuel, would not understand that £100 per week is not nearly enough! Not if one has to pay rent and council tax and water bills and clothing for the kids and bus fares and any number of other annoying living expenses that costs MONEY.
So how about those wealthy folk who donate vast sums of money to charity? Surely they have a handle on the realities of life for the ordinary folk below? Well, not really. This is more in line with the peacock's display of having some kind of conscience, but not for 'ordinary' folk. Its about training their minds to feel as though they are a bit altruistic. What they tend to give away are poultry sums comparative to their actual net worth. Its about being seen to care. John Lennon - that great "working class hero" - left England because of the tax system. (Keynesian progressive tax system that meant he would have been in the 90% tax bracket on his earnings). He bemoaned the fact that he was "down to his last million" (in the 70s, so times that by at least eight!) and had to go somewhere where his money wouldn't be taxed so heavily. He went to America! His fortune soon grew again. He spent the rest of his life telling everyone how much he cared! Gary Barlow does much for charity. He performs at events for 'free' in the hope of raising money for the poor and needy. Most of his fortune is housed in "off-shore" accounts to avoid tax. Seemingly unaware that taxation is what helps the poor and needy in the first place! (Well in a properly managed economy, anyway!) Artistes of the pop and rock world sometimes astound me! 'Live Aid' concert managed to raise some $50million+ across both sides of the Atlantic, yet every one of those artistes could have donated that amount and not changed their lifestyles one iota! Bono - that great champion of poverty issues - has his fortune managed 'off-shore' and hasn't paid taxes for years.
Its easy to forget one's roots! The acquisition of wealth is more than "earning" money. It can gather its own momentum. When one can 'swan-around', paying for nothing and having all one's needs and wants met, the whole seductive process can become totally entrancing. They can then tell themselves they're "doing the right thing" for the rest of the world, whilst nurturing their growing wealth!
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