Why do some people need so much money?

Hannah White2 said:Look, this is basically true most of the time—it’s just not something everyone can handle. That whole greed thing? It almost always stems from some deep-seated psychological issues, sure. But then you’ve got those people who actually get it—they realize that if they don't grab the cash themselves, someone else is just going to swoop in and snatch it up without even knowing what to do with it...

Look, taking the money is fine by me, provided you actually plan to put it to good use. And I'm not talking about blowing it on massive yachts, mansions, or luxury cars.
You start a business, create jobs to feed tons of families, and make your own life a bit easier in the process. To me, that's what actual responsible money management looks like.

Sure, basic consumerism keeps some people fed, someone else maintains a boat, and another person designs houses... but none of that comes anywhere close to true financial responsibility.

But we're talking about greed and hoarding here. This isn't about REINVESTING capital. So, within the context of this discussion, I think anyone just sitting on piles of cash is basically just terrified of being hungry or broke again.
And honestly, there's an element of pure momentum to it too. When you're running with a crowd of people all clawing for cash, the money starts flowing to you almost without effort. It literally feels like it's falling from the sky because you've embedded yourself right in the middle of those aggressive, high-speed acquisition cycles.

Anthony Garcia19 said:So, you think they won't agree?😕

I get where you're coming from. I'm not judging anyone either. I was just sharing my take on why some people acquire and hold onto massive wealth. Insecurity and low self-esteem aren't things to judge. And sure, narcissism isn't exactly charming, but it's still human nature, right? If my posts sounded negative, it's just because I feel bad that material stuff becomes everyone's top priority—it's not great for the individual or for society at large. It wasn't meant as a judgment.

Nah, I actually meant they *will* agree.
Because I don't think any of those types are gonna admit that being obsessed with chasing a buck is totally unhealthy. 🙂
Not even the ones living it.
They aren't even aware of it.

Bradley Wood3@

Oh, so that’s how you see it!
Sure, everyone says they're against it, but we'll see who actually steps up when things get real... 🙂

Integrator, your observations regarding capital accumulation versus circulation are sound, but I feel the discussion is drifting toward the wealthy elites we all tend to dislike and their various scandals. In my view, this doesn't quite address the true misers—those who hoard wealth without ever spending it. Such individuals usually remain completely anonymous to the public and pass away in poverty, leaving behind nothing but massive, stagnant sums in bank accounts.

Anthony Garcia19 said:Bradley Wood3@

Oh, so that’s how you see it!
Sure, everyone says they're against it, but we'll see who actually steps up when things get real... 🙂

Anthony Garcia19, your points are well-taken, but perhaps the idiom "a leopard doesn't change its spots" fits better here. 🙂

It’s kind of like "don't trust everyone," I guess... I’ve heard her say it somewhere before, but I can't quite wrap my head around what she actually means! 🤔

This isn't some debate about morality—nor is it a matter for a psychologist to untangle...

That isn't really an individual matter...
The issue doesn't lie within some fleeting cognitive-emotional lapse of an individual—nor does it stem from their specific psychological cravings for one thing or another—that's simply a given... a fundamental part of being human, much like the very anatomy of the individual itself...

The individual who accumulates wealth does so simply because that is their designated function within a framework designed specifically for accumulation—the system itself is engineered to ensure such outcomes...
He’ll just do whatever he can get away with... if that's even possible...

Nothing indirect can ever truly compel an individual in such a position to exercise any semblance of "responsible" stewardship over funds—not really...
Capital exists for one purpose alone—to grow. It is accumulated through whatever means prove most efficient for that expansion... Period. This concept of "responsibility"—whether we’re talking about corporate social responsibility, moral imperatives, or some vague sense of social sensitivity—simply isn't a functional variable in the equation. An individual might struggle with their own conscience, perhaps they cheated someone or made a mess of things and now they're feeling the weight of regret—but that internal turmoil doesn't change the fundamental mechanics of how the system operates... It remains indifferent to the soul of the actor.

"Responsible management" at that particular level—it implies a certain standard of collective accountability, organization, and discipline... or perhaps a system of penalties for those who fail to meet them. Or, more cynically, it suggests that absolutely no one is actually in charge at all...

In other words—the fundamental issue isn't that an individual shouldn't be tasked with accumulating wealth—the real failure lies in the total absence of anyone whose actual job it is to break their legs and strip them of every asset the moment they commit embezzlement. A few months in a federal penitentiary? That’s just a revolving door... it changes absolutely nothing about the systemic rot.

The fundamental issue—if we can even call it that anymore—is a complete and utter lack of awareness regarding the true "nature" of the work itself...
An act like that isn't just a mistake—it is a deliberate, calculated sabotage of an entire society...
The penalty ought to be strictly proportional... if we are truly aiming for any semblance of justice here.

Anthony Garcia19 said:It’s kind of like "don't trust everyone," I guess... I’ve heard her say it somewhere before, but I can't quite wrap my head around what she actually means! 🤔

It is like when a goat walks up and claims it isn't a goat. But it has horns and everything else, so you know it is lying and is indeed a goat. 🙂

These are just old folk sayings. Back when people lived on farms with livestock, everything was much more obvious. 🤣

They say if you really want to see someone's true colors, just give them power and a massive bank account. There’s probably some truth to that. 🙄 It is fascinating how quickly a person can transform overnight once they finally "strike it rich." Personally, I value character and integrity far more than material wealth, because the reality is that the more money you accumulate, the more your greed expands. It’s a vicious cycle. 😢 There is simply no helping them...

Zachary Mendoza2 said:It is like when a goat walks up and claims it isn't a goat. But it has horns and everything else, so you know it is lying and is indeed a goat. 🙂

These are just old folk sayings. Back when people lived on farms with livestock, everything was much more obvious. 🤣

Wise words! 🧐
Everything is so cluttered with different influences these days that we can't even see the forest for the trees. We're just wandering through reality like geese lost in a fog!

placidwolf27 said:This isn't some debate about morality—nor is it a matter for a psychologist to untangle...

That isn't really an individual matter...
The issue doesn't lie within some fleeting cognitive-emotional lapse of an individual—nor does it stem from their specific psychological cravings for one thing or another—that's simply a given... a fundamental part of being human, much like the very anatomy of the individual itself...

The individual who accumulates wealth does so simply because that is their designated function within a framework designed specifically for accumulation—the system itself is engineered to ensure such outcomes...
He’ll just do whatever he can get away with... if that's even possible...

Nothing indirect can ever truly compel an individual in such a position to exercise any semblance of "responsible" stewardship over funds—not really...
Capital exists for one purpose alone—to grow. It is accumulated through whatever means prove most efficient for that expansion... Period. This concept of "responsibility"—whether we’re talking about corporate social responsibility, moral imperatives, or some vague sense of social sensitivity—simply isn't a functional variable in the equation. An individual might struggle with their own conscience, perhaps they cheated someone or made a mess of things and now they're feeling the weight of regret—but that internal turmoil doesn't change the fundamental mechanics of how the system operates... It remains indifferent to the soul of the actor.

"Responsible management" at that particular level—it implies a certain standard of collective accountability, organization, and discipline... or perhaps a system of penalties for those who fail to meet them. Or, more cynically, it suggests that absolutely no one is actually in charge at all...

In other words—the fundamental issue isn't that an individual shouldn't be tasked with accumulating wealth—the real failure lies in the total absence of anyone whose actual job it is to break their legs and strip them of every asset the moment they commit embezzlement. A few months in a federal penitentiary? That’s just a revolving door... it changes absolutely nothing about the systemic rot.

The fundamental issue—if we can even call it that anymore—is a complete and utter lack of awareness regarding the true "nature" of the work itself...
An act like that isn't just a mistake—it is a deliberate, calculated sabotage of an entire society...
The penalty ought to be strictly proportional... if we are truly aiming for any semblance of justice here.

So, it actually *is* a psychological issue, isn't it? 😉
At least for those who should be recognizing the full scope of this situation—and its impact on the country—but they won't. Instead, they hide behind legal loopholes designed specifically to protect the very people who caused the damage in the first place.

Anthony Garcia19 said:So, it actually *is* a psychological issue, isn't it? 😉
At least for those who should be recognizing the full scope of this situation—and its impact on the country—but they won't. Instead, they hide behind legal loopholes designed specifically to protect the very people who caused the damage in the first place.

That’s the cold, hard truth right there.
But it isn't some simple fix. Nobody ever set out to design a society specifically to hoard wealth for a tiny elite while grinding the working class into the dirt; that’s just straight-up systemic corruption.
First, you build a government meant to protect the people. Then, that power gets concentrated, and they start twisting the laws to serve themselves while using those same laws as a shield. These days, it feels like the modern Pharisees are the ones doing all the interpreting of the Bible.
Then comes the brainwashing, where everyone gets it drilled into their heads that an elite class is inevitable and that there's no other way to run things, across every single sector of society. Even the poorest folks end up believing they can't survive without the wealthy. That's why revolutions always fail. As soon as some regular person grabs a seat at the table, they end up acting just like the old guard because they don't know any better. Worst of all, nobody seems to know any better, and even plenty of "intellectuals" think this is just how the world works (your classic Machiavellian types).

That’s why it’s on philosophers to actually act like human beings and try to wake people up.
Someone mentioned Chomsky. I’ve read his stuff and the guy is spot on. But I’ve also spent time debating his critics and reading their arguments. Long story short, they either dismiss him as a joke or label him as subversive. Basically, he’s fighting a losing battle. They’ve already built this massive machine designed to discredit him. To pull off what he does, you’d need a whole movement, not just one guy or five others trying to make a dent.

Anthony Garcia19 said:So, it actually *is* a psychological issue, isn't it? 😉
At least for those who should be recognizing the full scope of this situation—and its impact on the country—but they won't. Instead, they hide behind legal loopholes designed specifically to protect the very people who caused the damage in the first place.

It's actually more about sociology, if you ask me.

The opening post essentially asks why certain people are receiving so much money—but those specific individuals aren't the core issue. The real problem lies in how the general population thinks and behaves, rather than focusing on isolated cases or individual pathologies. That was my point, anyway... even if it is technically a psychological question too, the original poster just didn't phrase it quite right...

Money is power. You can never have enough power, which basically means you can never have enough cash.

Anthony Garcia19 said:It's true that power can buy you freedom, but you don't need to be powerful to be free. Financial independence is enough. Once you achieve that and keep stacking cash just for the sake of it, it's no longer about being free—it's about wanting to control others. That's where the hunger for power comes in.

So, saying people without a drive for power have "small needs" doesn't really track. If someone is chasing total personal autonomy, their needs aren't small. Honestly, craving power isn't a sign of big ambitions; it's just a sign of a small mind...

And honestly, having too much cash usually just means you're becoming a slave to that money.
Because you're constantly living in fear of losing it all.

Let me break this down for you.
Think about some guy working a standard 9-to-5 at a place like Target or a local office; he pulls in a decent middle-class salary. If he loses that job, it’s not the end of the world. He can find another one pretty quick, or just borrow a bit from a friend to cover the bills.

But now, imagine this guy owns yachts, manufacturing plants, luxury cars, and massive estates. Suddenly, he’s hit with insane tax bills, and his entire lifestyle depends on maintaining that image. He needs the high-end cars to get around his properties and keep up appearances, and he has to dress like a million bucks because that's what people in those elite circles expect—if you break the social code, you're an outcast, your business partners bail, and your spouse might even walk out halfway through a divorce settlement...
So here's the kicker. If he loses a massive chunk of his wealth... there's no coming back from that. He can't exactly knock on his neighbor's door to borrow a few million bucks. Meanwhile, the cars, the designer suits, and the mansions still need upkeep, and the IRS doesn't care if your bank account is shrinking—those taxes stay exactly the same.

That’s why the ultra-wealthy are always obsessed with hoarding more. It's not just greed; they're forced into it by the way things work. That's just how the system is built. In American capitalism, there is no such thing as standing still. You're either scaling up or you're crashing and burning.

It’s infuriating. The working class carries the tax burden while the wealthy remain untouched. His corporations and investment vehicles purchase the luxury cars, yachts, estates, and tailored suits, not him personally. Furthermore, he always has the option to secure millions from neighbors, banks, the government, investors, partners, or buyers. Someone who hasn't amassed such wealth lacks those avenues for quick capital.

If all that matters is power, then politics is definitely the way to go.
Sure, money is just another form of power. But looking at it purely from a material standpoint, it isn’t hard to see why people always want more. You get used to comfort fast. Look at the current economic crisis. People are struggling because their standard of living is slipping back to what it was a few years ago—even though they were actually worse off back then. When your salary jumps from $50k to $100k, your lifestyle shifts. You start buying better clothes, eating at nicer restaurants, and so on. If you have $20 million, you don't have a private jet. Once you hit $100 or $200 million, suddenly you can afford one.
But it’s not just about the stuff. It's a mindset—that drive for new challenges and breaking records. Some of the wealthiest people out there live relatively modest lives, but they stay driven by the work itself.

Scott Hall39 said:If all that matters is power, then politics is definitely the way to go.
Sure, money is just another form of power. But looking at it purely from a material standpoint, it isn’t hard to see why people always want more. You get used to comfort fast. Look at the current economic crisis. People are struggling because their standard of living is slipping back to what it was a few years ago—even though they were actually worse off back then. When your salary jumps from $50k to $100k, your lifestyle shifts. You start buying better clothes, eating at nicer restaurants, and so on. If you have $20 million, you don't have a private jet. Once you hit $100 or $200 million, suddenly you can afford one.
But it’s not just about the stuff. It's a mindset—that drive for new challenges and breaking records. Some of the wealthiest people out there live relatively modest lives, but they stay driven by the work itself.

The thing is, nobody would even care about this crisis if it were just about paychecks shrinking. This whole situation is a nightmare because people are losing their jobs entirely. That isn't just a drop in living standards; it's an absolute catastrophe. You can't save anything when you're starting from zero. You can't live on zero. And there's no such thing as a paycheck lower than nothing.

After reading all of this, I’ve got one final thought to toss out there.

If I actually had billions of dollars, I’d be terrified of losing them. Based on what I'm seeing here, I get the distinct impression most of you would tear me limb from limb just to get a piece of the action... 😁

Peter Baker57 said:After reading all of this, I’ve got one final thought to toss out there.

If I actually had billions of dollars, I’d be terrified of losing them. Based on what I'm seeing here, I get the distinct impression most of you would tear me limb from limb just to get a piece of the action... 😁

You might find that amusing, but let's not forget you're also a participant in a conflict that has been dragging on for millennia...

but that's probably drifting too far off topic now...