The richest businessman, Ma, got mocked on social media when he said I was not interested in money. If only based on this saying, of course. The solo pursuit for money won’t lead him to be an influential and remarkable person whose business empire is almost changing several generations, even though he rode the wave of the internet.
When wealth reaches a certain level, having more doesn’t bring much additional happiness. In economics, this is called diminishing marginal utility. However, most people don’t understand this. They always want more, and are willing to pursue more money at the cost of themselves.
There is a fact of social media observation that people tend to be anxious about their work and studies. They study hard to get into a good university; then they work hard to get more money. Their ultimate goal is to earn more life, to live their life more easily.
There is another economic term, “Law of minimum”, which indicates that the overall outcome is limited by the weakest part. Then, people tend to improve their weakest part. However, in real life, what determines the opportunity is what you’re most strengthened at, which means, as long as the minimum is passed, that’s enough. The core competence is what you’re mostly good at. That’s also how labor in society is divided.
Technically, what determines your wealth is where your core competence is, rather than how average good you are. Wealth is the instrument for one’s pursuit, rather than the aim of one's pursuit.
Surely, there are lots of things that can be improved with enough money. Quiteness with nature, far away from the city’s noise, free time on what you’d like to spend, no outside disturbance, resisting uncertainties and risks, etc.
The greatest support of wealth is autonomy, which distinguishes a person from others. Some people earn money at the expense of their time through giving up their autonomy; for the wealthy, they have their autonomy through their long-lasting insights and actions by investing their time.
Based upon such a view, wealth is also about time. Time is fair for everyone; the difference lies in how to spend it.