Whether starting a new business, completing a transaction with an acquaintance or losing good deals trying to hunt for the best discount, money seems to be on everyone's mind. While the world runs its throat dry screaming slogans against ‘the one per cent', the truth is that it is not just the very rich among us that choose money over all else. Everybody seems to be in a mad rush to earn that little extra, even if it comes at the cost of losing value in our lives and relationships. Have we, as a people, become completely money minded? Post your comments on our Facebook page, ‘Gulf News Al Nisr Publishing UAE' or tell us at readers@gulfnews.com
15:01 Gulf News: People do not hesitate to sacrifice goodwill or courtesy if they stand to gain money.
15:03 Ishfaq Mir: Considering the mindset of a majority of people today, yes, I agree with the statement. People are ready to sacrifice their goodwill as they feel money is more essential than goodwill for survival.
15:07 Aisha Naseem: If anybody has seen a single episode of the Apprentice series, they can get a good idea of what people are willing to do to earn the big bucks. For a lot of people it's usually the case of ‘Everything I have is on the line'.
15:08 Mathew Litty: The current scenario is tight and we would step into any job or take up an occupation, just for the sake of money.
15:08 Ishfaq Mir: I've noticed that some individuals have entered a field just because it would help them earn more, even though they aren't really interested in it. Most common example is of doctors or surgeons. They give more priority to money over their personal interests and because of that they neither do justice to the work nor to themselves.
15:09 Anureet Kaur: I agree with Aisha. If anyone has seen Donald Trump's Apprentice series, it's all about money and money. And let's not forget that even some celebrities allow their privacy to be invaded (Big Brother!) just to get prize money.
15:10 Gulf News: Being stuck in a bad job is a fair price to pay for a better lifestyle.
15:10 Aisha Naseem: It isn't a bad thing to seek financial security. When you are working hard and doing all you can in your capacity, you can't be blamed for doing it to satisfy what you consider is important for you. People prioritise. You can be okay with it, or hang out with others who have different opinions.
15:11 Anureet Kaur: I have seen this in Canada, where people get paid highly but do not enjoy the typical 9-5 full-time job. They do it because the wage-per-hour is good, but boredom strikes them badly.
15:12 Kritika Narayan: As the saying goes, "health is wealth" and when there is good health one can work exceeding their capacity.
15:13 Shajitha Shifa: Labourers come to work in this hot weather. Surely they couldn't have come just to dry themselves in this hot weather, though it is a tough job they just think about the money.
15:13 Ishfaq Mir: Many a time, we aren't satisfied with the work but we still stick to it because we realise that it is a source of money that cannot be sacrificed. We are ready to work hard and even harder to adapt ourselves to unsuitable working environment rather than choosing our desired career, as it may give us less money.
15:13 Anureet Kaur: I think it also depends on what you enjoy and whether you have the much needed experience. An experienced photographer might love his job and also get paid highly compared to an amateur photographer. I guess it depends on what kind of experience you hold.
15:14 Mathew Litty: It is the job satisfaction that many of us don't have and we do not want to take the risk of losing our job sitting at home, as we need money to survive.
15:14 Gulf News: Most social issues like a degrading school system and juvenile delinquency can be blamed on a blind pursuit of money.
15:17 Anureet Kaur: It depends on what the schools or universities teach. We first become students and then employers. So, if all they teach you in economics and business is that money is everything, then that's what we as students are going to preach.
15:17 Richa Thomas: I think a degrading school system and juvenile delinquency can be blamed on decreasing family values, which in turn is due to money factors.
15:18 Aisha Naseem: A degrading education system can't be the reason for every sad scenario. For someone who is determined to prove himself or herself, opportunities will present themselves.
15:18 Anureet Kaur: That's true. Because many of the business management books would say "profit is the ultimate goal for a company" and that's what is stuck in our mind for ages.
15:19 Mathew Litty: That is due to the lack of education that the school has, only focusing on money. They don't teach the value of education, which is why students end up bullying in schools.
15:19 Kritika Narayan: Money indicates superiority, so if a person is superior and shows it off he looks at people with scant respect.
15:19 Nithinsha Najeeb: The new educational system puts lots of pressure on children and their friends circle of course has also a great effect.
15:20 Ishfaq Mir: Yes I agree with the statement. The schooling system has changed a lot. The values that were taught earlier are nowhere to be found now. Fees are increasing, but not the quality. Schools have been commercialised, though they are supposed to be built for a good social cause. The increasing need and greed for money is making people do anything that can allow them to earn.
15:22 Richa Thomas: Mahatma Gandhi used to say that the Earth has enough for man's need but not for man's greed. But I feel that conversion of needs into greed prevents right values from prevailing in our society.
15:23 Shajitha Shifa: Money is needed and most of us are money-minded — that is the truth. But we must make sure that we don't loose goodwill.
15:24 Kritika Narayan: Every relationship is built on deals — the ability to be humane needs to be recreated! Money cannot buy time or memories, which is more precious than anything else!
15:26 Ramachandran Nair: To some extent I have to agree with this. However, it all depends on the situation and individual perception. In modern living, traditions of goodwill and courtesy gain very little respect and rewards in society. Thus people ignore such practices and run behind money that makes them more comfortable. It is also that people are not cooperative to be honest in their interaction with others, thus forcing some individuals to change their principles. And for them, money is more powerful and that justifies their way of looking at things around. Ideally it is not an individual making or wishing to be dishonest or rude in their behaviour, but circumstances force them to behave inadvertently and that gives them temporary relief. The modern culture is that people are willing to compromise or sacrifice their ideology, mostly for mere benefits and appreciation. It is more or less a forced change in their attitude, as they always fail to look at things from the other's perspective.
