Money as Motivator

Money does something to us. It both elevates and debases us.

In War and Peace,  Pierre, as opposed to Prince Andrew, inherited a vast estate. Then things went south: duel, divorce and determination to “sanctify” himself by joining the Free Masonry Society.

When money is involved, motivators are involved, not all pure and noble.

We are shy to talk about it.

Great men and lowly men, are distracted and distraught by it.

Gone are the days of Bread’s Everything I Own (I would give everything I own, just to have you back again).

We live out Victor Hugo‘s script (Les Miserables as 99 percenters):

homeless and jobless drain on the system, interest rates eating up social security reserves.

Money man over Guitar man.

Pragmatic over Romantic.

Money rules and changes the rules.

Hire those who are hungry. They will stay with you, sing your praise and watch your back. (the lack of money) keeps them humble and loyal.

The poor gives us an opportunity to be God-like.

A tang of guilt is good for the noble soul.

When you do this to the least of these….

Not GM, nor IBM. The least of these.

Money is inherently a motivator, but not the motivator.

(this is a multi-part series on Motivator e.g. music, passion etc…)

If Money is the only thing, we should all be bankers and be bailed out.

If Money is the only thing, then what happened before Money? (Read The Ascent of Money).

I have run into people who genuinely believe Money is Miracle, not just Motivator.

When they seek Money as an End in itself, they instinctively know they cannot take it with them in death.

Here in Vietnam, at funeral and wedding, money is involved. Fake money for the former, and real one for the latter (which helps pay for the banquet).

Obviously, there are some truth to it: Money opens doors, even the gate of  Hades.

Pierre settled for a quick divorce with the splitting of his estate (money).

People marry in the name of love, and divorce in the name of money.

The practice of dowry and divvying up from a will show the importance of money.

Money talks.

If I had been told Capitalism means money and money, I would have understood the concept and philosophy immediately. Instead, I was given a run-around. Sold on a dream and not drawn from a bank account. Apparently, they also instinctively know that in hiring and selling, you must first lay out all the intangible values, then slap them last with the bottom line. By then, all the other motivators (safety, status etc..) have been weighed in to spin the and price justify.

Apparently even the money handlers know deep down, money is only a motivator, albeit an important one. In all seriousness, people in Vietnam and China burn artificial 100-dollar bills, fake I-pads and I-phones for dead ancestors to use. It’s a small price to carry out filial duty.