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Riches are not Filth
By Elena Shoval
It's not a secret, that some of the wealthiest and most powerful people are vicious drug dealers, heads of ruthless crime organizations and the owners of casino houses where many people lose their last dime. In short, many rich people thrive on human weaknesses.
Even when we look at respectable rich people, who are not criminals but prominent figures in society, again and again we find that many of them climbed to the top by using predatory behaviour, and very little, if any conscience.
Take a look, for example, at Jacob Astor (1763-1848), the first millionaire in the United States and the creator of the first trust in America; Definitely a respectable figure. This same Astor, who emigrated from Germany as a young man, and made his fortune by trading furs and real estate …also made it by shipping large quantities of opium to China.
Cornelius Vanderbilt I (1794-1877), another prominent figure, who built his wealth in shipping and railroads, was known for his ruthlessness in business, and was said to have few friends, and many enemies in his lifetime. Apparently, he wasn't much of a family man, and in his will he disowned all his sons except for one, because he belived he was the only one of his offspring as ruthless as himself.
Many of us have heard about John Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), an American financier and banker, and one of the wealthiest men of his time. He is known for his generous donations to society. But when younger and still building his fortune, he was known to have achieved his wealth in many a conniving method. During the American Civil War, he bought 5,000 defective rifles from an army arsenal, for $3.50 each, and knowingly sold them to an army general for $22 each. The defects in the rifles caused them to shoot off thumbs of soldiers who used them. He himself avoided military service by paying $300 for someone to enlist in his place.
…And what about John D. Rockefeller (1813-1889), who is considered the wealthiest man to ever live? Rockefeller, who built Standard Oil, and in later years donated millions of dollars to society, made his riches with the help of secret rebates from railroads bringing oil into Cleveland. Thanks to this, his company grew to become one of the largest transporters of oil and kerosene in the state. Eventually Standard Oil gained almost complete control of oil production in America.
Become a Creator
We could easily go on and on, finding numerous stories like these. But does that means all rich and powerful people are like this? Does this mean nobody can get rich and keep a clean conscience?
Of course not.
Some of the richest people are very honest, decent, and made their fortune without robbing or stealing from anyone. If your motive to become rich is to develop your interests, your intellect, and to be kind and generous to others; if you are actually looking for a way to contribute to the universe; if you believe there is more then enough for everyone on this earth - there is no reason for you to rob, cheat or exploit others, while getting rich.
People, who become ruthless in order to become rich, are people who never really experience a sense of abundunce. No matter how rich and powerful they are, deep within, they always feel insecure and frightened. These are people who once they acquire a huge home with tens of empty rooms, build high walls around them to protect themselves from the other thieves, who they expect to be waiting for the first opportunity to rob them, and leave them penniless. They should know, after all, this is how they achieved their fortune.
There is no reason for us to behave this way when we decide to put our heart into becoming rich - "You do not have to covet the property of others", says Wallace D. Wattles in his book, The Science of Getting Rich, "Or to look at it with wishful eyes; no man has anything of which you cannot have the like, without taking what he has away from him. You are to become a creator, not a competitor; you are going to get what you want, but in such a way that when you get it - every other man will have more than he has now".
<back
By Elena Shoval
It's not a secret, that some of the wealthiest and most powerful people are vicious drug dealers, heads of ruthless crime organizations and the owners of casino houses where many people lose their last dime. In short, many rich people thrive on human weaknesses.
Even when we look at respectable rich people, who are not criminals but prominent figures in society, again and again we find that many of them climbed to the top by using predatory behaviour, and very little, if any conscience.
Take a look, for example, at Jacob Astor (1763-1848), the first millionaire in the United States and the creator of the first trust in America; Definitely a respectable figure. This same Astor, who emigrated from Germany as a young man, and made his fortune by trading furs and real estate …also made it by shipping large quantities of opium to China.
Cornelius Vanderbilt I (1794-1877), another prominent figure, who built his wealth in shipping and railroads, was known for his ruthlessness in business, and was said to have few friends, and many enemies in his lifetime. Apparently, he wasn't much of a family man, and in his will he disowned all his sons except for one, because he belived he was the only one of his offspring as ruthless as himself.
Many of us have heard about John Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), an American financier and banker, and one of the wealthiest men of his time. He is known for his generous donations to society. But when younger and still building his fortune, he was known to have achieved his wealth in many a conniving method. During the American Civil War, he bought 5,000 defective rifles from an army arsenal, for $3.50 each, and knowingly sold them to an army general for $22 each. The defects in the rifles caused them to shoot off thumbs of soldiers who used them. He himself avoided military service by paying $300 for someone to enlist in his place.
…And what about John D. Rockefeller (1813-1889), who is considered the wealthiest man to ever live? Rockefeller, who built Standard Oil, and in later years donated millions of dollars to society, made his riches with the help of secret rebates from railroads bringing oil into Cleveland. Thanks to this, his company grew to become one of the largest transporters of oil and kerosene in the state. Eventually Standard Oil gained almost complete control of oil production in America.
Become a Creator
We could easily go on and on, finding numerous stories like these. But does that means all rich and powerful people are like this? Does this mean nobody can get rich and keep a clean conscience?
Of course not.
Some of the richest people are very honest, decent, and made their fortune without robbing or stealing from anyone. If your motive to become rich is to develop your interests, your intellect, and to be kind and generous to others; if you are actually looking for a way to contribute to the universe; if you believe there is more then enough for everyone on this earth - there is no reason for you to rob, cheat or exploit others, while getting rich.
People, who become ruthless in order to become rich, are people who never really experience a sense of abundunce. No matter how rich and powerful they are, deep within, they always feel insecure and frightened. These are people who once they acquire a huge home with tens of empty rooms, build high walls around them to protect themselves from the other thieves, who they expect to be waiting for the first opportunity to rob them, and leave them penniless. They should know, after all, this is how they achieved their fortune.
There is no reason for us to behave this way when we decide to put our heart into becoming rich - "You do not have to covet the property of others", says Wallace D. Wattles in his book, The Science of Getting Rich, "Or to look at it with wishful eyes; no man has anything of which you cannot have the like, without taking what he has away from him. You are to become a creator, not a competitor; you are going to get what you want, but in such a way that when you get it - every other man will have more than he has now".
<back
