by Paul Kemp

Created on: December 08, 2007

Material wealth comes and goes during life. If you're basing your happiness on how well you're doing financially, you may find yourself needlessly unhappy much of the time. Sometimes the tide turns against you, through no fault of your own. Will you let that disturb your composure?

Another thing to consider is, "What kind of friends will I attract if I focus on piling up material wealth?" You may find you are attracting people who are more interested in your possessions than they are in you. Some may be desirous of finding ways to relieve you of your wealth.

A very wealthy relative of mine is always complaining that this or that friend or business associate has abused his trust and taken financial advantage of him. You could say that like attracts like because he has made a career out of driving hard bargains and taking advantage of others. Ask yourself: Do you want to live constantly on guard to protect your material wealth? You will need to, if you make it your focus.

It might be worthwhile to consider what you can take with you when you die. What is this amazing drama of life all about? Based on what you believe we're here on earth to do or learn will give you a clue on how to answer the debate question at hand.

All the major spiritual teachers down through history seem to agree that we possess an infinite soul that experiences what we need to learn so that we may become free of attachment to this world of appearances. That soul, they say, continues on after our physical death. Buddha, Jesus, Lao Tzu, and the Hindu religious philosophers all convey this theme in their own way.

If you accept what these spiritual teachers say as true, then a focus on material wealth is a stumbling block to spiritual progress. That is not to say that a person with a focus on a balanced quality of life cannot achieve great wealth; the key is not to become attached to that material wealth.

Bill and Melinda Gates do a good job of putting their great wealth to good use for the benefit of many others. They don't seem to be caught in the the trap of self-aggrandizement. They don't seem particularly attached to their wealth. In fact, they enjoy giving large chunks of it away.

So, to wrap up, yes, I believe Americans should focus less on material wealth and more on quality of life. I just use a far broader definition of "quality of life." In my definition of quality of life, I include an assortment of spiritual gifts that are available to anyone, rich or poor, if they have triumphed over their attachment to material wealth.

In my personal philosophy, wealth is good if you acquire it through doing something you love which is beneficial to others. Once you get wealth, the trick is not to fall in love with the things or the power that wealth can buy you.

If you believe "You can't take it with you," then why spend so much of your life, wrecking your health and disturbing your sanity, trying to get things you can't take with you? It seems wiser to spend our time accumulating emotional and spiritual experiences that we can take with us.

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