Don’t Educate Your Children To Be Rich: A rather timely quote about richness, money Vs happiness in our life. I like the exploration of the meaning of happiness in this quote and the association of money with happiness. As we debate whether money means happiness and why it is so difficult to separate the two, I’d like to ask the question as to what matters the most to you. I’m sure you have the capacity to achieve anything you set your heart to.
But it needs to be a conscious choice. No matter what you choose, you will lose something. Sometimes, it can be money for happiness or vice versa. These two are completely different things and it helps to keep them separated this way so that we don’t confuse the pursuit of one goal for another.
Don’t educate your children to be rich – Meaning
What does it mean when someone says – don’t educate your childer to be rich? We all know the role which money plays in our lives. As much as I’d like to say that it doesn’t matter, we live in a capitalistic economy where money has a significant pull.
At the same time, it cannot be the single source of our happiness. Or else we’d not have been the multidimensional human beings we are. It reminds me of Maslow’s principles of Hierarchy – although it is not a hierarchy anymore, the principle talks about various things that can influence us such as physical well being, physiological, social and mental.
If these are all the areas which influence us, then why are we so focused on money? I’d like to square the blame on the glorious media around us and the advertisements. Everything we see is either about money, sex or power. It is no secret that these things sell, but the question to ask is – do we want to decide our own lives’ influencers or fall into the trap of these marketing messages?
“Don’t Educate Your Children To Be Rich, Educate Them To Be Happy So They Know The Value Of Things And Not The price”
How to educate for happiness?
Now that we’ve set the premise for – don’t educate your children to be rich, let’s see what other values we can influence upon. Like I said before, we’ll come back to the basic principle that our lives are multidimensional. Money is only a small part of it. The rest have a significant role to play as well. This reminds me of a beautiful quote from Jim Carrey – I think everybody should get rich and famous
Instead of focusing on only one small thing – let’s look at our lives with the richness they deserve. We don’t want to live a singular life where nothing else matters apart from money. It is only a physical resource that can give you some opportunities, but that’s the end of it.
We need to start thinking about how we can be happy. It might start with a simple exercise of identifying the things that make us really happy. For me, I’ve recognised music, books and sometimes exercise as sources of happiness. But that’s merely scratching the surface. Perhaps there are a few answers to mindfulness and mental well being. (Related – 7 Happiness quotes to liberate your constraints)
Knowing the value of things vs price
The value vs price debate is an interesting one and you can easily make an essay out of it. But then again, money has a weird sense of transaction associated with it. Maybe because it is a transactional tool and nothing else. It is a replacement of the barter system which exchanges goods or services. I’m sure you see where I’m going with this.
By nature and definition, money tells us to value everything as a transaction. In other words, we start knowing the price for things but does price always equate to value? Your answers might be different, but I still would like to implore you to ask this question. What does the value of a smile or happiness mean to you? If you’ve found a way to buy it, I’d ask a counter-question – is that all there is?
And once you make the money, life would be extremely boring if we’re failing to recognise the value of other things in life.
With these thoughts, I’d slowly draw an end to my quote analysis about – don’t educate your children to be rich. I’d like to make one last statement – it is your life and your values. Don’t let it be driven by things or people around you. Make a conscious choice and back it with reasons for yourself. The rest will be immaterial.
“Don’t Educate Your Children To Be Rich, Educate Them To Be Happy So They Know The Value Of Things And Not The price”
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Well said. Its always the best to teach children to be happy than being rich. It will be a big asset for them through out their Life.
Excellent article, that’s right admin. happiness is the biggest gift which god give us, Still i miss my childhood days when i was happy then ever. thanks for sharing
Thank you Arjun :). It was fairly easy to be happy when we were children, maybe cos we did not have the fear of judgement or the peer pressure. All we cared about was what was going to be on TV next. Happy to know that the post induced a bit of nostalgia :)
First Educate your children if the educate the will become rich Nice Quote i am really inspiration
Thanks for sharing with us keep up it
Have a nice week ahead.
Thank you Bilal :). I really love the undertones in which a quote or a thought speaks like in this case. This inspirational quote for me talks about both the importance of money and the futility of it wrt character. As always I tend to go a little philosophical but I guess I was educated that way ;)
Wow, this is indeed true. Liked the quote. And yes this is a new way of looking at this aspect.
Good one.
Thank you Lance.. I love these quotes where we are blamed more than anything else or anyone else ;). Kinda responsibility fixation on self :D
Money is not worthless. But, for sure, money is not everything. A relevant quote in today’s materialistic world.
Thank you Ajay.. Indeed, money is a lot of things but everything. There are so many other things which are more valuable and deserve to be treated like that. Money is a great enabler, but as a decider and a drive, it sure needs a slight change in approach..
Very well put Vinay! Truly an inspiration! :’) Hats off
Thank you Maitreni.. Welcome Aboard.. Good to have you here :)
Nothing could be truer that the quote. I’m not saying money is useless, but we need to learn the value of everything, not the price. For example, to me, a gift is always valued by the love attached to it instead of the price tag.
Very true Maniparna, there is a sublte and a huge difference between the price and value of things.. The smart ones know that the value is way more important than the price and move towards it while the sillly ones still keep haggling over the details of how much.. Quite an irony isnt it?
And when something has love, thought, affection and care attached to it, the value simply goes up without even having a second thought :)