Philosophy Discussion Forums

I resonate with the idea that an "income problem" is often rooted in a spending issue – it's a familiar pitfall. The warning about the pitfalls of more money is eye-opening, especially backed by real stats on lottery winners. The reminder to be wary of toxic enabling in the name of love strikes a chord; good intentions can sometimes lead to unintended damage. The notion that discomfort can be a blessing for growth is a perspective worth considering. What are your personal reflections on these insights?

Eckhart Aurelius Hughes wrote: ↑October 27th, 2023, 7:42 pm If you haven't already, you can sign up to be personally mentored by Scott "Eckhart Aurelius" Hughes at this link.


99% of the time, when someone says they have an "income problem", they actually have a spending problem. It's kind of like how a detoxing alcoholic will claim that their problem is that they don't have enough to drink.

99% of the time when someone says or thinks that their problems would be solved by having more income and money, the exact opposite is actually the case. For example, if you double the income of someone who is in debt, they will likely just end up twice as much in debt. For example, someone who gets a mortgage and car loan they can't really afford on X income will just get twice as big a house and twice as expensive of a car loan on 2X income. They will just make the same mistakes but twice as bad.

That's where the expression "more money more problems" comes from. It means the person with the money is the problem, and the more money they get, the worse it gets.

Here are some real stats from the USA today to just illustrate the much deeper and much more timeless philosophical truth of which I speak: About 70% of big lottery winners end up going broke. 44% of winners file for bankruptcy within 5 years of winning the lottery. If you want be terribly broke and worse off financially then you are now, then hope to win the lottery.

It doesn't just happen with money: Give an ungrateful person more, and it just makes them more ungrateful (a.k.a. miserable).

Or, in other words, and I mean this playfully with no hatred at all: Give an entitled spoiled brat even more, and you just make them even more entitled and bratty and ungrateful (a.k.a. miserable).

Do you keep a daily gratitude journal in writing? Is your first thought when you wake up in the morning all the many things for which you are grateful?

Typically, the best way to destroy a person is to give them what they think they want. It's to be toxic enabler--something most people do in the name of love. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, people say. I don't know if I would actually use the label "good intentions" to describe toxic enabling in the false name of love, but it sure does a terribly massive amount of damage to humans, perhaps even more than outright hate. Careful what you do allegedly out of love, or what others do to you allegedly out of love.

99% of the time when someone claims they'd be better off if you gave them more of something, or if they otherwise got more of that thing, the truth is the exact opposite: They'd be better off with less, and worse off with more.

Luckily, nature and time has a way of teaching most people that lesson. All humans are on the addiction spectrum, and eventually pretty much all overdose in one sense or another. And rock bottom is where salvation is most often found, where people most often finally turn it all around.

Or, as I say it in my book, on page 43, "Those who have not been blessed by discomfort yet will be soon."





rock-bottom.jpg




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In addition to having authored his book, In It Together, Eckhart Aurelius Hughes (a.k.a. Scott) runs a mentoring program, with a free option, that guarantees success. Success is guaranteed for anyone who follows the program.

Certainly. The idea behind "More money, more problems" is that while acquiring wealth may seem appealing, it often brings about new and unexpected difficulties. Increased financial resources can lead to added responsibilities, heightened expectations, and complexities in managing relationships and lifestyle. The phrase implies that the pursuit of material success may come with its own set of challenges, challenging the notion that more wealth necessarily equates to a simpler or happier life.

Instead of chasing after the whole world, let’s value moments of love, kindness, and peace. These are the real treasures that enrich our souls.

I will say that I agree with everything you said, Scott. Actually, it is conventional to see people blaming the external things for their problem not knowing that they actually only need to work on themselves. Your different illustrations said it all. While I see your assertion in this post as a transformational and eye-opening piece, we must also acknowledge the fact that money, for example, as one of human wants, can be a source of happiness and success to man if he himself is no more the problem, which is the basic point you have tried to address in your post.

I believe there's a big difference between "want" and "need." What most people want isn't really what they need. For example, someone might want to get a higher paying job when what they need is self-discipline. I agree that giving someone what the want might be the fastest route to their destruction.

But then, it's there ever a meeting point for wants and needs?

Briton Opiyo wrote: ↑December 20th, 2023, 2:37 am

Eckhart Aurelius Hughes wrote: ↑October 27th, 2023, 7:42 pm If you haven't already, you can sign up to be personally mentored by Scott "Eckhart Aurelius" Hughes at this link.


99% of the time, when someone says they have an "income problem", they actually have a spending problem. It's kind of like how a detoxing alcoholic will claim that their problem is that they don't have enough to drink.

99% of the time when someone says or thinks that their problems would be solved by having more income and money, the exact opposite is actually the case. For example, if you double the income of someone who is in debt, they will likely just end up twice as much in debt. For example, someone who gets a mortgage and car loan they can't really afford on X income will just get twice as big a house and twice as expensive of a car loan on 2X income. They will just make the same mistakes but twice as bad.

That's where the expression "more money more problems" comes from. It means the person with the money is the problem, and the more money they get, the worse it gets.

Here are some real stats from the USA today to just illustrate the much deeper and much more timeless philosophical truth of which I speak: About 70% of big lottery winners end up going broke. 44% of winners file for bankruptcy within 5 years of winning the lottery. If you want be terribly broke and worse off financially then you are now, then hope to win the lottery.

It doesn't just happen with money: Give an ungrateful person more, and it just makes them more ungrateful (a.k.a. miserable).

Or, in other words, and I mean this playfully with no hatred at all: Give an entitled spoiled brat even more, and you just make them even more entitled and bratty and ungrateful (a.k.a. miserable).

Do you keep a daily gratitude journal in writing? Is your first thought when you wake up in the morning all the many things for which you are grateful?

Typically, the best way to destroy a person is to give them what they think they want. It's to be toxic enabler--something most people do in the name of love. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, people say. I don't know if I would actually use the label "good intentions" to describe toxic enabling in the false name of love, but it sure does a terribly massive amount of damage to humans, perhaps even more than outright hate. Careful what you do allegedly out of love, or what others do to you allegedly out of love.

99% of the time when someone claims they'd be better off if you gave them more of something, or if they otherwise got more of that thing, the truth is the exact opposite: They'd be better off with less, and worse off with more.

Luckily, nature and time has a way of teaching most people that lesson. All humans are on the addiction spectrum, and eventually pretty much all overdose in one sense or another. And rock bottom is where salvation is most often found, where people most often finally turn it all around.

Or, as I say it in my book, on page 43, "Those who have not been blessed by discomfort yet will be soon."





rock-bottom.jpg




---
In addition to having authored his book, In It Together, Eckhart Aurelius Hughes (a.k.a. Scott) runs a mentoring program, with a free option, that guarantees success. Success is guaranteed for anyone who follows the program.

Certainly. The idea behind "More money, more problems" is that while acquiring wealth may seem appealing, it often brings about new and unexpected difficulties. Increased financial resources can lead to added responsibilities, heightened expectations, and complexities in managing relationships and lifestyle. The phrase implies that the pursuit of material success may come with its own set of challenges, challenging the notion that more wealth necessarily equates to a simpler or happier life.

I agree that with more money comes more problems. However, I believe that wealth isn't the abundance of money. Wealth encompasses everything you have to make you truly happy. Some folks have lots of money but aren't wealthy because they are unhappy. For instance, a fraudster might have a lot of money gotten from defrauding people. However, the fraudster is not wealthy, as they constantly live in the fear of being apprehended by the law.

I don't agree with you totally because although this is true for majority, I do believe that this isn't true for everybody. Sometimes, giving people what they want actually solves that problem for them. Just like you said, only ungrateful people exhibit such habit that leads to their demise after getting what they want.

Certainly, external factors, support, and positive influences play significant roles in an individual's success. Surrounding oneself with positivity, encouragement, and constructive influences can contribute to personal and professional growth.

The emphasis on the importance of self-awareness and responsibility in handling resources, whether it's money, gratitude, or entitlement, is crucial. It's a thoughtful reflection on how excess can sometimes exacerbate existing issues rather than solve them. Gratitude, as you mentioned, plays a significant role in fostering contentment and recognizing what truly matters. The concept of hitting "rock bottom" as a potential turning point is indeed echoed in various personal transformation stories. How do you personally approach managing desires and maintaining a balanced perspective on what you have versus what you want?

The phrase "more money, more problems" underscores the potential negative consequences that may accompany increased wealth, such as increased responsibilities, scrutiny, or interpersonal issues.

I agree to the discussion about money being evil because it makes an individual struck in a loop of little more.

The line you wrote about keeping a gratitude journal caught my attention. It's a practice that I personally discovered the power of a few months ago. Before that, I was in the habit of always focusing on the negative things in my life, no matter how many positive things were happening. Even if 99 things were going right, I'd zero in on the one or two things that weren't. Eventually, I began to realize that my mind was addicted to negativity and this kind of mindset was toxic for both my spirit and body.

Since then, I've been making an effort to write down 1-3 things that I'm grateful for every day. Doing this has helped me to train my brain to focus on the good things in my life, rather than always dwelling on the bad. It's a simple practice, but it's made a big difference for me.

While that is very true, I am often concerned by the destruction and the damage they cause to other people when they get more of something they want. And sometimes they can get away with it scot-free because they have more money and/or power.

This sums up my version of parenting. "The best way to destroy a CHILD is to give him what he thinks he wants." I assume it would work with adults as well.

Money troubles often result from overspending, not low income. Simply earning more without fixing spending habits may not help and could worsen problems. Examples, like lottery winners facing issues, highlight the risks of seeking more without addressing core problems. The importance of gratitude and caution about assuming that giving more always helps are key points.