Tuesday, August 20, 2013

How does one get greedy?

I asked Vince over the weekend, "How much money do you think we need?"

He replied, "Just a little more. We're fine."

I know what he meant. He meant we're living a comfortable life but we need just a bit more so that the kids' education and our family's health requirements, should those arise, will be covered.

So I wondered how much would that cost. How much does a full education (grade school, high school and 4-year college course in a really good school) cost? How much will we need in case someone gets into an accident, gets cancer, gets some disease? My mind, not really sharp when it comes to money since I grew up without it, started going, "We'll need maybe 20 million pesos. We can live off the monthly interest. We can invest, too. Yes, just 20. That should do it. Wait, if I want to send the kids to IS or to the British School, we'll need a million or so a year. Twenty won't do!"

Then I started thinking, "Well, since we have boys, we really should get a house with a big garden. Definitely in a gated community for security. That house should start at 12 million. Then that will be enough. But we'll need to travel! Travel is the best education. We'll go around the world, experience all kinds of cultures. Yes, yes, and business class, of course, and nice hotels. Then that would be enough." Now, how much would all of that cost? Just thinking about it makes me tired. Vince and I will need to work hard and smart if we want to become mega-millionaires.

To be honest, I don't want to be that rich. Too much money is scary. Whenever I see in the news that someone won the lotto (last month's P178 million prize had just one winner), I always wonder what the winner would do with the money. And we've all heard about those stories that no matter how huge the prize is, all that money disappears in no time flat. (Plus, it attracts all sorts of negative energy.) Seems to me, once you have enough, you'll still want more.

image grabbed from Facebook
(check out the Jeane Napoles's Rage Page)

I guess I'm thinking these things because I can't understand how someone gets greedy. The numbers that the Napoles and Co. (that company being the illustrious members of our Congress and Senate) have allegedly stolen from us is, well, I can't even imagine it. Seriously, my mind can't fathom billions of pesos. I tried thinking about it, "What if I were Napoles? Why would I think I need 28 houses in the Philippines? Why would I need 30 cars?"

I was told the government officials needed the money for the elections, which are very expensive. So I guess they really need it to stay in power. Not that I think that's an acceptable reason.

Okay, enough. I promised to keep things light and shallow here. But there... I just want to understand because I really can't understand how anyone can just keep wanting more and more and more.

Are you going?

5 comments:

  1. nakakagalit talaga everytime i hear news about pork barrel - though we know naman na talaga yung corruptions ng mga politicians, parang ngayon nagkakaroon na ng evidence... haaay.

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  2. Wow. I asked my husband the same question while fanning our two little ones with folders, waiting for the flood to subside and the electricity to come back. I, too, cannot understand their need to be that greedy. I was telling my husband that all I need is our own house (nothing too big, a bungalow with a garden is fine), a family car, money for the kids' education, health insurance and a little extra for travel. I don't even dream of shopping for branded clothes, shoes and bags--not even grand vacations. All I want is a comfortable life, not a super expensive one.

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  3. Great post, Frances. Your needs change when your money status changes. Like Starbucks -- I never understood why anyone would spend that much on coffee when I started to work. Now twelve years later, I drink a tall latte a day. Much to my husband's disgust! Sosyal na daw ako! Imagine that multiplied by the billions.

    I liked this writer's insight into it: http://thoughtcatalog.com/2013/your-lifestyle-has-already-been-designed/

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  4. Sorry for the rant....Sa sobrang pagkadismaya ko sa isyung Pork Barrel at corruption sa ating bansa ay di ko matapos ang aking blogpost, nakakapuyos sa galit. Galit na ang mga Pilipino. Ang pera na ating binayad sa taxes ay napupunta sa sariling bulsa ng mga tiwaling halal ng bayan. Kasama na sila sa deduction sa opisina e, kulang na lang nakalagay sa deductible natin sa payslip and corruption fund...Grrrr, nakaka gigil..sana naman tanggalin na ang porkbarrel fund, wag lang irename ito, ireporma ang sistema at higit sa lahat dapat managot ang mga magnanakaw na nakaluklok sa pwesto maging ang mga sindikato na tumulong sa kanila para nakawin ang pera nating mga Pilipino.

    http://www.brownpinay.com

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