job. In fact, since his school days, ever since he had read stories <strong>of</strong> Marco Polo, Vasco DaGama and other great explorers he had wanted to become a sailor and live his life on theseas. The only thing he missed, as he grew older, was his family. He had a son Mohan, adaughter Usha, and there was, <strong>of</strong> course, his wife Irawati. He would, however, write toeach <strong>of</strong> them regularly. His son, Mohan, was like him in many ways, restless,adventurous, full <strong>of</strong> spirit and mischief. He was intelligent but needed constant guidance.So his father started writing a series <strong>of</strong> letters to him. In the latest letter he was answeringMohan’s question: “What is wrong with working for more and more money? Moneygives power and power gives position in society. Rich people enjoy their wealth and donot suffer at all. Father, why do some people say ‘money is evil’? What is wrong withit?” Mohan had written a forceful letter after a discussion with his best friend, Tahir, andthey both awaited Mohan’s father’s answers to their queries. This was the reply Mohanreceived.My dearest son,I was most happy to see your letter awaiting me when our ship reached Southamptonand I read and re-read it. I am so happy that my little boy and Tahir are discussing suchimportant matters and are beginning to question things. Lei me try lo answer yourquestion on what is wrong in the search for more and more money. Let us not start with adogmatic statement that it is wrong or right. Let us investigate. Let us enquire.Now, why does man need money at all? The answer is clear. Man needs money for hisliving. He needs a house to shelter him from the sun and the rain, for he can’t live on thestreets. He needs food and the money to procure it. Otherwise he would starve.He needs decent, comfortable clothes. If he has a family he needs money to educatehis children, buy their books and notebooks, etc. If he has to look after his own father andmother he needs a little more money so that he can keep them comfortable. In the presentset-up, with so much pollution around and consequently, curious and baffling diseasesand epidemics on the increase, we are always falling ill, so we need money to pay thedoctor’s fees and buy medicines. Money is also needed for going from one place toanother, in the same city or outside. Further, man needs some relaxation and he also usesmoney to go to a cinema occasionally or buy a radio. These seem to be some <strong>of</strong> his dailynecessities — food, clothes, shelter, transportation, medicine, recreation and so on. Asimple man like a clerk or a factory worker or a salesman earns what may seem like asmall sum <strong>of</strong> money but he uses it wisely and is more or less content.But the trouble starts, when he compares himself with others who have larger houses,better food, more expensive clothes, large cars and several forms <strong>of</strong> entertainment in theirhomes or clubs. It is true that common people do not have money to spend on triflingforms <strong>of</strong> entertainment or pleasure. It is also true that common people <strong>of</strong>ten feel jealous<strong>of</strong> the others. It is at this point that the race starts: they begin to imagine how wonderful itwould be if their children also had the latest television set, the latest toys and so on, withthe list growing longer and longer! They become dissatisfied with the simple work theyare doing. They no longer experience the joy <strong>of</strong> the simple things in life. They aspire tobecome managers and bosses. They want to climb the ladder <strong>of</strong> success because theythink more and more success will bring more and more money and with it will followposition or power. That is how society becomes competitive with people striving to beator outwit each other, as in a game, always wanting to win, feeling thrilled when they get
what they want and very disappointed and frustrated when they don’t succeed. Thisdesire for more and more things is limitless because mankind is inventing more and morethings — better cars, better refrigerators, better machines, better comforts, more andsubtler forms <strong>of</strong> entertainment and man will go on inventing them. So, there is no end tothis desire for ‘more’. Do you see this?Therefore, let us take the poor clerk as an example. When he started working, he wasperhaps contented with a little money. He was perhaps trying to save. He looked after hisfather and mother and kepi people around him happy. Sometimes he would bring a smallgift home, for, at that stage people were more important than things. If they were free inthe evening, they would go for walks or lo the park. They would tell stories and sharejokes. They would look at the sky and the trees and the birds and feel themselves a part <strong>of</strong>nature. There was time for work and time to be happy together. Even at work there wereless problems because the mind was not always obsessed with the wanting to become the‘Manager’. He paid attention to every detail and did a good job. This made him feelsatisfied at the end <strong>of</strong> the day. It is easy to imagine how one feels when something hasbeen accomplished.Then gradually as he began to chase money and power and be like the others hebecame more and more aggressive and angry because unless he pushed himself he couldnot gel what he wanted. So ambition, love <strong>of</strong> money and the things that money can buyand the feeling <strong>of</strong> power that it gives became important to him. Yet, strangely, instead <strong>of</strong>that bringing more joy to the family he noticed that there were more quarrels, moredissatisfaction, more misunderstanding. His wife and he who were basically simplepeople and good friends earlier, hardly spoke to each other. She was busy shopping andgoing to meetings or parties. She neglected her children for they were left with servants.Concern for each other and affection were almost gone.Would you call this a wise kind <strong>of</strong> life? Starting in a simple pr<strong>of</strong>ession with limitedmoney, being driven by ambition and jealousy, racing for better and better jobs, pushingothers out, getting more and more money and position, pretending to be happy withnewer and newer things, but, in reality, having no simple joys like before. In this sense,wouldn’t you consider money evil? Doesn’t it seem foolish to want more and more thingsthat money can buy? Discuss this with Tahir and let me know what you feel in your nextletter.Keep well and look after mother and Usha.With much love. Papa.It would he interesting to know your own views on money, the need fur more andmore, and whether you can observe in people around you and in yourself this desire farmore and more things. How happy are you when you get something new. How did doyou feel when you lose a thing?Think upon these things.18. Excitement with the New
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