Money, like drugs, gambling and sex can be an addiction. Many conflate the “addiction to money” with free market capitalism. What if we separated the “addiction” from a Money-Positive life of delivering value? Could we adopt a Money-Positive experience?
Money, like drugs, gambling and sex can be an addiction. If we are missing an essential part of meaning in our lives, hope for the future and a supportive connection to family, friends and community, we can have what I call a “hole-in-the-heart.” This missing part of our heart can represent a wide range of unworthiness, trauma, pain and isolation.
Often, this pain is managed by creating artificial hope and filling it with a temporary anesthesia. The pursuit of Money to fill an emptiness, prove we are worthy, gain acceptance and status can be as addictive as a drug that gives us a temporary high.
What is a social and psychological problem is described as greed and an argument against free market capitalism.
A money-positive life reframes Money as a measure of value delivered. Money and wealth are accepted as markers for a broader positive life. Because money is a result of delivering value to others, it loses its negative emotional focus and is not needed to fill empty holes in our hearts. Because it reflects our ethic of respect for the dignity and integrity of every individual, with voluntary transactions, it brings a deep satisfaction as a reflection of the value we have created. Delivering value to others creates a long lasting meaning and satisfaction.
