As you may be aware, Paul Allen is co-founder of Microsoft. That makes him one of the few people in the world who can afford a boat like this.
It's not something I particularly aspire to (what would I do with it?), but it is surely a nice boat.
And if you look at the last picture, you'll see a classic example of envy disguised as moral indignation.
Yes, I am sure that if the guy who wrote that (very poorly) had earned that kind of money, then he would immediately give it all away to the needy. Oh yes, sure.
And if he should turn out to be the one guy who felt he didn't deserve it and couldn't use it, and gave it away, would the world really improve all that much? I doubt it. You can't give it away, and you can't take it. You can only make it, or not. I am reading the wonderful book The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist, and she writes a lot about this. For example, the Bangladeshi was almost destroyed as a people by a huge charity inflow a couple decades ago. Only when they found out (with a little of the right kind of help) how to make their own affluence by themselves did they recover and start living instead of just surviving.
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Featured comment by Laurie (not Laurie Jeffery, but a female reader):
Eolake, thank you for that wonderful post. I myself am growing out of my judgement and envy of the rich. In my case, I have I was too spiritual to be concerned with money. Secretly I felt money had more power than God, and I was afraid to even handle it. Same with physical beauty. Once I saw the hidden ego motivations behind my desire to stay overweight and unnatractive (to remain special and spiritual, not ego-driven and superficial), I dropped all excess weight and started LOVING who I was underneath, so luxurious. Same now with financial health. Now I bless rich people and beautiful things, I bless the people I used to be secretly envious of. I want to learn to be in the flow of luxurious living and loving. For whom for what? Now, it's for love, not ego. I've begun seeing a finance "coach", and am beginning to turn around my sorry financial status. It feels great, to be free of the false spiritual ideas, and out from under the thumb of the scarcity principle.
Laurie
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Thank you very much.
Take a peek at my money article from last year.
Eolake, thank you for that wonderful post. I myself am growing out of my judgement and envy of the rich. In my case, I have I was too spiritual to be concerned with money. Secretly I felt money had more power than God, and I was afraid to even handle it. Same with physical beauty. Once I saw the hidden ego motivations behind my desire to stay overweight and unnatractive (to remain special and spiritual, not ego-driven and superficial), I dropped all excess weight and started LOVING who I was underneath, so luxurious. Same now with financial health. Now I bless rich people and beautiful things, I bless the people I used to be secretly envious of. I want to learn to be in the flow of luxurious living and loving. For whom for what? Now, it's for love, not ego. I've begun seeing a finance "coach", and am beginning to turn around my sorry financial status. It feels great, to be free of the false spiritual ideas, and out from under the thumb of the scarcity principle.
ReplyDeleteLaurie
Most people are envious of the rich. But if they gained their wealth through truth and honor, hard work, then they deserve it.
ReplyDeleteYet, money can be a downfall as well. Like they say, "You can't take it with you when you die."
You come into this world with nothing and will leave with nothing.
I want Paul Allen's boat! What would I do with it? Many things, but first of all, on board the ship I would hold the first annual EBCC.
ReplyDeleteEBCC = Eolake Blog Commenters' Conference.
Well, that would be like only a couple dozen people.
ReplyDeleteBut maybe I could get a couple dozen Domai girls to attend. Nah, nobody would be interested in that.
Of course they wouldn't! Just look at the very poor success of Hugh Heffner's "playmate parties" in his mansion...
ReplyDeleteBut, considering how much I like you guys, I'd make an effort and attend. At least to encourage these nice ladies' self-image. ;-)
It's a deal. Paul Allen provides the boat, Eolake recruits a bunch of DOMAI girls, and Pascal shall serve as our Master of Ceremonies. What else do we need? A photographer to document the fun; Laurie, perhaps? A band or DJ maybe ... what else?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure someone close to Mr. Allen can pass the word. He is welcome to join us, of course. See you all there.
I can provide a nice spot with free fuel aplenty. Remember that oil spill during the last war on the coasts of Lebanon? It's still there.
ReplyDeleteThey're even looking for people to take it away, can you imagine that?
Sailing on a sea of oil : now, THAT's exclusively for the richest excentrics!
I'm okay with the Master of Ceremony thing. We could also try fishing? I'm pretty good as Master Baiting. Maybe we'll catch us a mermaid...
Oh, and believe it or not, we'll also have free fireworks. And I'm not talking about these israeli phosphorus and cluster thingies either! Only the real deal. It seems the people here are not the least bit tired of flashes and bangs in their sky. Ah, scenic Lebanon, what a lively place!!!
"Money doesn't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery a lot less unpleasant."
ReplyDeleteIt's okay to be rich. Even VERY rich. It's just wrong to become rich by exploiting/robbing others. Which is frequent, but NOT universal. (For instance, what's wrong with being the lucky winner of the Lottery?)
If Microsoft's software was less infuriating, AND monopolistic to make matters worse, I wouldn't even bother dissing Bill Gates. Bitterness is just a waste of your lifetime's serenity.
The late assassinated Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafiq Hariri, started from scratch, litterally, and became a billionaire through the famed lebanese entrepreneurship. And with a lot of smart and hard work. His many charities in Lebanon are universally known. Okay, so he entered politics, and his existing influence/popular prestige helped. So what's wrong with that? It's "the rules of the game". Reversely, his son, and new big shot in lebanese politics, is just a cheeky wealthy heir, shamelessly using Daddy's fortune and martyr's image to gain control of a more and more corrupted country. Not that R.H. was free from controversy of course, but HE had numerous definite qualities. And HE never resorted to mud-slinging nor bought votes in broad daylight, either.
"You come into this world with nothing and will leave with nothing."
I beg to differ. There IS something you take with you : your deeds, good and bad. Because they're part of your soul. People should become more aware of that simple, fundamental fact. Or become atheists, and not give a hoot! ;-)
But still, many atheists can have more actual morals than a lot of bigots I know. The power of Reason and Sense...