Money Talks, but is Money the Root of all Evil?

Published

12 months ago

April 28, 2023

Daniel Wanburg

So you have made your million dollars, or maybe a billion dollars, or more, or are well on your way to achieving your objective of … how much? Perhaps you have made and then lost a lot of money, maybe even more than once and in different ventures, so how do you feel now? Are you happy with your efforts and your current life, and if so, what part does money actually play in how you feel, how satisfied you are with yourself. Maybe you are simply curious as to how people with more money than you are ever likely to accumulate feel about what they have, and how they made it?

The quotes in this article are from generally famous people across several industries and businesses, philosophers and writers, who have mostly made quite a lot of money, or have seen the effects that money can have, large or small amounts, and in some cases observed poverty and how people cope with having little of no money at all. Of course, it’s easy to be wise after the fact – having made a fortune to then look back and reflect on what you did to accumulate your wealth and how this has had an effect on your outlook on life; if you have never been wealthy, you can’t do that.

So it is worth reading what (mostly) ‘rich’ people now think about money – is it indeed ‘the root of all evil ‘ as the apostle Paul commented thousands of years ago, or is it simply the way you acquire it, and perhaps most importantly what you do with what can be a considerable excess, once you’re in a position to live comfortably – whatever that means to any individual.

Some quotes are clearly humourous, but still have the ring of truth.

Table of Contents

BUSINESS, OWNERS, ENTREPRENEURS

Businessman Richard Branson
“Never go into business purely to get money. If that’s the motive, you’re better off doing nothing.”

Music mogul Simon Cowell
“Money brings you security and choice. You can make decisions in a different way if you have a lot of money. But when you have nothing, you have a naiveté, and a more fearless attitude because you have nothing to lose.”

CEO and founder of Instagram Kevin Systrom
“I think not focusing on money makes you sane because in the long run it can probably drive you crazy.”

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs
“I’m the only person I know that’s lost a quarter of a billion dollars in one year… It’s very character-building.”

Disney founder Walt Disney
“Disneyland is a work of love. We didn’t go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money.”

Business magnate Warren Buffett
“I will tell you the secret to getting rich on Wall Street. You try to be greedy when others are fearful. And you try to be fearful when others are greedy.”

Microsoft founder Bill Gates
“I have $100 billion… You realize I could spend $3 million a day, every day, for the next 100 years? And that’s if I don’t make another dime…”

Business mogul Donald Trump
“Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game.”

ENTERTAINMENT

Singer Beyoncé
“I truly believe that women should be financially independent from their men. And let’s face it, money gives men the power to run the show. It gives men the power to define value.”

Actress Elizabeth Taylor
“Money is the best deodorant.”

Actor Will Smith
“Money and success don’t change people; they merely amplify what is already there.”

Model and TV presenter Tyra Banks
“Don’t chase the money, even if you want to be a banker. Chase the passion. Chase the dream.”

Actor William Shatner
“If saving money is wrong, I don’t want to be right!”

Musician Bob Dylan
“Money doesn’t talk; it swears.”

Actor Humphrey Bogart
“The only point in making money is so that you can tell some big shot where to go.”

Singer and actor Justin Timberlake
“The way I grew up, I was always taught that it’s uncouth to talk about money, and that’s not what should inspire you.”

Actor and former pro wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
“1995: $7 in my pocket. I knew two things: I’m broke as hell and one day I won’t be.”

Musician Elton John
“I have a lot of money stashed away, but I do live my life from day to day.”

Filmmaker Michael Moore
“I’m a millionaire, I’m a multi-millionaire. I’m filthy rich. You know why I’m a multi-millionaire? Cause multi-millions like what I do.”

Musician and designer Kanye West
“So many people talk about their investments or how much money they have, but there’s so many rich people who spend a lot of that trying to buy a piece of happiness.”

Rapper and actor 50 Cent
“Money is freedom. Money is a private plane. Money is no metal detection.”

Actress Brooke Shields
“I’m so naive about finances. Once when my mother mentioned an amount and I realized I didn’t understand, she had to explain: ‘That’s like three Mercedes.’ Then I understood.”

Actor Steve Martin
“I love money. I love everything about it. I bought some pretty good stuff. Got me a $300 pair of socks. Got a fur sink. An electric dog polisher. A gasoline powered turtle-neck sweater. And, of course, I bought some dumb stuff, too.”

Comedian Groucho Marx
“Money frees you from doing things you dislike. Since I dislike doing nearly everything, money is handy.”

Comedian Charlie Chaplin
“I went into the business for the money, and the art grew out of it. If people are disillusioned by that remark, I can’t help it. It’s the truth.”

Rapper Eminem
“I always try to be smart. I try to treat all the money I’m making like it’s the last time I’m going to make it.”

Actor Jim Carrey
“I refuse to feel guilty. I feel guilty about too much in my life, but not about money. I went through periods when I had nothing, so somebody in my family had to get stinkin’ wealthy.”

Singer Cher
“I’m scared to death of being poor. It’s like a fat girl who loses 500 pounds but is always fat inside. I grew up poor and will always feel poor inside. It’s my pet paranoia.”

Marvel Comics Chairman Stan Lee
“I’ve been very lucky. All I wanted was to pay the rent. Then these characters took off and suddenly there were Hulk coffee mugs and Iron Man lunch boxes and The Avengers sweatshirts everywhere. Money’s okay, but what I really like is working.”

Model and TV host Heidi Klum
“What are you going to do if you have all the money in the world and all the things that you wanted to achieve in your business, but you have no one to share it with? You come home alone at the end of the day – and then what?”

Comedian Bob Hope
“A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.”

Comedian Joan Rivers
“People say that money is not the key to happiness, but I always figured that if you have enough money, you can have a key made.”

Musician Johnny Cash
“Success is having to worry about everything in the world, except money.”

Musician Billy Idol
“It doesn’t matter about money; having it, not having it. Or having clothes, or not having them. You’re still left alone with yourself in the end.”

Director Woody Allen
“Another good thing about being poor is that when you are seventy, your children will not have you declared legally insane in order to gain control of your estate.”

Actor Robert De Niro
“Money makes your life easier. If you’re lucky to have it, you’re lucky.”

Rapper Snoop Dogg
“If you stop at general math, you’re only going to make general math money.”

TV host and producer Oprah Winfrey
“Everybody wants to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.”

Musician Bob Marley
“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.”

PHILOSOPHERS, WRITERS, POLITICIANS

Missionary Mother Teresa
“Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go.”

Philosopher Karl Marx
“I do not like money, money is the reason we fight.”

Politician Nelson Mandela
“Money won’t create success, the freedom to make it will.”

Writer Jonathan Swift
“A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart.”

Author J.K. Rowling
“Whatever money you might have, self-worth really lies in finding out what you do best.”

Former US President Ronald Reagan
“Money can’t buy happiness, but it will certainly get you a better class of memories.”

Writer Oscar Wilde
“When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old I know that it is.”

‘Family Guy’ Peter Griffin
“It doesn’t matter if you’re black or white… the only color that really matters is green.”

US President Barack Obama
“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself, and it will leave you unfulfilled.”

Artist Pablo Picasso
“I’d like to live as a poor man with lots of money.”

Daniel Wanburg

As the Managing Editor at Net Worth Post, I lead a talented team in delivering compelling content on the lives and achievements of influential figures. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, I oversee the production of insightful biographies that resonate with our audience. My role involves not only managing the editorial process but also conducting research, crafting engaging narratives, and ensuring the accuracy and quality of our publications. At NetWorthPost, we strive to provide our readers with in-depth profiles that offer valuable insights into the worlds of business, entertainment, and beyond. Through meticulous research and captivating storytelling, we bring to light the remarkable journeys and successes of individuals who inspire and captivate us.

1 Comment

Siacri Six

June 5, 2016 at 6:05 pm

When the difference between being allowed to live or die comes down to a single $100,000 surgery and you are left knowing that you are going to die in less than 5 years.. or the difference between living on the streets or coming up with $5000 is the reality you face..it becomes obvious what the statement means. Yeah..money is the devil if such a thing exists…its as close as it gets. Lose your job because your boss gets sick and closes the business and suddenly without the money you face homelessness…yeah…strait evil to the tenth degree!

Reply

Most Influential

Charity Begins at Home, Doesn’t It? Maybe Not!

Published

1 month ago

March 8, 2024

Daniel Wanburg

Many celebrities you read about are often generous philanthropists too – many will say that ‘they can afford it’ – donating to specific charities or through their own or communal foundations such as ‘The Giving Pledge’. Some are activists, donating their time and labour for good causes, and many would presumably help a stranger in some way, usually if asked by said stranger. However, how well do you think whole countries rate in their attitude to charitable activities, in one form or another?

The Giving Index for 2015 recently released by the Charities Aid Foundation(CAF) may give you an idea of the attitudes to charity, by nations as a whole. The survey was conducted in 145 countries world-wide, covering 96% of the world’s population, assessing the percentage of the population who had volunteered time, helped a stranger, and/or donated money – the survey related only to the month previous to that in which the survey was conducted, and doesn’t specify the percentage who may contribute to charity in two or all three ways.

So how do you think your country rates in the three areas specified, and also does attitude reflect wealth, or simply a cultural (or religious) norm, inculcated over many years. Certainly, some of the richer countries are the least charitable – only five G-20 countries in the top 20 – while some of the most generous are also some of the most deprived. Men now outrank women in donating, and Iraq scored the highest in helping strangers.

Table of Contents

Some factors effecting behaviour and the survey:

in some countries, people are asset rich, but time poor;
in countries with a Buddhist majority there is a tradition of giving to monks and nuns;
an opportunity to help strangers, eg few visitors or tourists;
conventions such as Subbotnik – giving a Saturday free – in former Soviet states, but now much less common;
the survey was conducted in some Muslim countries during the month following Ramadan, when generosity is encouraged;
some countries are so rich that the need for charity is minimal!

As with many such surveys, there are some surprises! Remember – columns two, three and four are percentages of the population. These are the top 20 most charitable countries. Read on…

#	Country	Index	Helping	Donating	Volunteering
20.	Germany	47	61	69	32
19.	Thailand	48	44	87	36
18.	Kyrgyzstan	49	53	57	36
17.	Bhutan	49	53	55	38
16.	Guatemala	49	68	38	61
15.	Norway	49	55	60	32
14.	UAE	50	69	59	22
13.	Bahrain	51	71	51	30
12.	Malta	51	50	78	26
11.	Kenya	52	74	39	43
10.	Malaysia	52	62	58	37
9.	Ireland	56	54	67	41
8.	Sri Lanka	56	60	59	48
7.	Netherlands	56	59	73	36
6.	UK	57	63	75	32
5.	Australia	59	66	72	40
4.	Canada	60	69	67	44
3.	New Zealand	61	65	72	45
2.	USA	61	76	69	44
1.	Myanmar	66	65	92	50

Featured

Music Greats – Best Selling Albums of All Time!

Published

1 year ago

February 17, 2023

Daniel Wanburg

Many of you will be avid music fans, who have enjoyed reading about your favourite artists elsewhere on this site, including some details of their releases, singles as well as albums, and have wondered just how good they – the artists – and their music is, or was, in terms of popularity in comparison with the music world in general.

The word ‘popularity’ is important, because it is not reflected only in the number of albums sold, or indeed singles in days gone by, so debates will continue to rage, and with good reasons; one is the accuracy of sales figures both past and present, and also because of the cost of buying, now very small through the internet, for example, when compared with vinyl 30 or 40 years ago. Attendances at concerts given by artists – often in conjunction with the promotion of their latest album – are also unreliable, both in absolute figures, and in calculating gate receipts, as ‘promotion’ can refer to the distribution of free tickets too.

Even then, just how ‘popular’ were artists – soloists, choirs, and orchestras for example – prior to the widespread availability of recorded material, including in the days when concerts were largely the province of the relatively wealthy, in the times of what is now referred to as ‘classical music’?

The Best Selling Artists of All Time is the subject of another article, but here we present a list of the top 30 verifiable album sales of all time, worldwide, excluding digital downloads, so only two albums – Adele and The Beatles Compilation – were released in this century.

Five artists/bands appear more than once, and all albums sold at least 30 million copies worldwide. Naturally the USA is the biggest market, reflected by most albums’ sales, but it is not confined to American artists. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) – an organisation founded in Italy in the ‘30s, but now registered in Switzerland – attempts to collate the number of sales. In the USA, platinum indicates a million copies sold; several countries have adopted this certification system but many have lesser numbers, usually as something approaching a ratio of the population in comparison with the US.

Rank	Artist	Album	Sales(m)	Comments
1	Michael Jackson	Thriller	65	30x platinum, USA
2	AC/DC	Back in Black	50	22x platinum, USA
3	Pink Floyd	The Dark Side of the Moon	45	15x platinum, USA
4	Fleetwood Mac	Rumours	45
5	Various	S’track – The Bodyguard	45
6	Meat Loaf	Bat Out of Hell	43	14x platinum, USA
7	The Eagles	Greatest Hits (1971-75)	43	29x platinum, USA
8	Bee Gees, various	S’track-Saturday Night Fever	40	15x platinum, USA
9	Shania Twain	Come on Over	40	20x platinum. USA
10	Led Zeppelin	Led Zeppelin 1V	37	23x platinum, USA
11	Adele	21	35	11m USA, 5m UK
12	Michael Jackson	Bad	34	9x platinum, USA
13	Alanis Morissette	Jagged Little Pill	33	15x platinum, USA
14	Celine Dion	Falling into You	32	11x platinum, USA
15	The Beatles	SGT Pepper’s…	32	11m USA, 5m UK
16	The Eagles	Hotel California	32	17x platinum, USA
17	Mariah Carey	Music Box	32	7m USA, 2m UK
18	Michael Jackson	Dangerous	32	7x platinum, USA
19	Various	S’track- Dirty Dancing	32	11x platinum, USA
20	Celine Dion	Let’s Talk About Love	31	10mx platinum, USA
21	The Beatles	One (compilation)	31	12x platinum, USA
22	The Beatles	Abbey Road	30	12x platinum, USA
23	Bruce Springsteen	Born in the USA	30	15x platinum, USA
24	Dire Straits	Brothers in Arms	30	9m USA, 14m UK
25	Titanic	Soundtrack	30	10x platinum, USA
26	Madonna	The Immaculate Collection	30	10x platinum, USA
27	Metallica	Metallica	30	16x platinum, USA
28	Nirvana	Never Mind	30	10x platinum, USA
29	Pink Floyd	The Wall	30	10x platinum, USA
30	Santana	Supernatural	30	12x platinum, USA
31	Guns ‘n’ Roses	Appetite for Destruction	30	18x platinum, USA