Elitist vibes

There’s this old way of thinking—maybe it's a bit cliché, I guess—that suggests the less you possess, the richer your spirit becomes.
I mean, poverty is just a lack of material stuff, right? It doesn't necessarily mean someone is spiritually bankrupt...
In fact, it's often true that people who have next to nothing—or absolutely nothing, really—possess far more soul than those struggling to stay afloat amidst massive wealth.

But—and this is a big "but"—can we actually discuss those rare (well, conditionally rare, I suppose...) instances where wealthy individuals are also spiritually profound?
Having money doesn't inherently preclude spirituality... Of course, it can certainly mask it, but the question always comes back to the individual; do I actually have a soul?

And of course they can...
The elite can absolutely be soulful...
Could they even possess more spirit than someone with fewer resources?
Yes, they could.

So, why is it that we constantly view the upper class as something that somehow insults the very idea of the spirit?
Well, it isn't a rule that spirituality belongs exclusively to those with less money... it's just an observation, perhaps.

Actually, self-aware wealthy people might even have a better starting point... They might find themselves with more opportunities to explore the spiritual realm simply because their resources aren't limited... They can travel the world, for instance.

Traveling... what's even the point of tourism?
Is it just a way to feed an empty soul?

Thomas Nelson25 said:Traveling... what's even the point of tourism?
Is it just a way to feed an empty soul?

Well, traveling isn't exactly the obvious goal of tourism...
I mean—if I had to guess—traveling is more about enriching the soul...

Of course, those who are struggling financially face much harder hurdles—they rarely get the chance to travel at all...

driftingskipper30 said:Well, traveling isn't exactly the obvious goal of tourism...
I mean—if I had to guess—traveling is more about enriching the soul...

Of course, those who are struggling financially face much harder hurdles—they rarely get the chance to travel at all...

spiritual emptiness calling you to hit the road?

So where's the payoff?

The less fortunate often lean on faith—heaven or some utopia—dreaming things up from the subconscious (think old-school vibes, like the Middle Ages here in the States)—but a truly spiritual person isn't swayed by surroundings. People are people, no matter where you land.

Real wealth just buys you free time—that's the whole point.

Thomas Nelson25 said:spiritual emptiness calling you to hit the road?

So where's the payoff?

The less fortunate often lean on faith—heaven or some utopia—dreaming things up from the subconscious (think old-school vibes, like the Middle Ages here in the States)—but a truly spiritual person isn't swayed by surroundings. People are people, no matter where you land.

Real wealth just buys you free time—that's the whole point.

👍

I agree.
One must consider that the ultra-wealthy can have whatever they desire, often spending much of their time on material pleasures. However, we see that when a person has everything, they often feel empty (look at the suicides of Hollywood stars). They frequently suffer from psychological issues and try to fill the void with medication. Perhaps they aren't spiritually poorer, but money seems to be a comfortable cushion that the ego finds hard to leave—the ego loves comfort. ☕ I agree that money can certainly facilitate travel. But again, how much can one actually enrich their spirit while staying in a five-star hotel? Cheers. 🙂

The idea that rich people are hollow shells while the poor are somehow more enlightened is just a tired, stupid cliché cooked up by some envious, broke chatterbox.

Sandra Morales brought up those wealthy folks who take their own lives because their existence feels empty... but I suspect suicides driven by crushing debt or the sheer misery of poverty are actually way more common.

In my opinion, having money—or lacking it—doesn't say anything about a person's soul, and it certainly isn't a basis for making broad generalizations. I guess the only thing you can really say is that people who build wealth through grit rather than inheritance tend to be more ambitious than those struggling at the bottom. Beyond that, there's not much else to generalize about.

Scott Miller4 said:The idea that rich people are hollow shells while the poor are somehow more enlightened is just a tired, stupid cliché cooked up by some envious, broke chatterbox.

Sandra Morales brought up those wealthy folks who take their own lives because their existence feels empty... but I suspect suicides driven by crushing debt or the sheer misery of poverty are actually way more common.

In my opinion, having money—or lacking it—doesn't say anything about a person's soul, and it certainly isn't a basis for making broad generalizations. I guess the only thing you can really say is that people who build wealth through grit rather than inheritance tend to be more ambitious than those struggling at the bottom. Beyond that, there's not much else to generalize about.

It certainly isn't a coincidence that this deep divide between the upper and lower classes has begun to erode the stability of the middle class as well.

Material wealth? Honestly, it’s just a state of mind.

Scott Miller4 said:The idea that rich people are hollow shells while the poor are somehow more enlightened is just a tired, stupid cliché cooked up by some envious, broke chatterbox.

Sandra Morales brought up those wealthy folks who take their own lives because their existence feels empty... but I suspect suicides driven by crushing debt or the sheer misery of poverty are actually way more common.

In my opinion, having money—or lacking it—doesn't say anything about a person's soul, and it certainly isn't a basis for making broad generalizations. I guess the only thing you can really say is that people who build wealth through grit rather than inheritance tend to be more ambitious than those struggling at the bottom. Beyond that, there's not much else to generalize about.

Jesus? 🤔

Lisen mentioned rich people committing suicide because their lives feel hollow... though I suspect suicides driven by debt or the sheer misery of poverty are actually more common.

Are you perhaps holding onto that book "Hedonism-a cure for dysentery"? It’s been six months and nobody has returned it to the library. 👎Please return it.
The Librarian.

In my opinion, material wealth—or the lack thereof—is no indicator of spiritual depth, nor should it serve as a basis for any kind of generalization. The only thing we can say for certain is that those who are wealthier (specifically those who earned it themselves rather than through inheritance) tend to be more ambitious than those living in poverty. Beyond that, there is no way to generalize.

Look, you're dead wrong. Material wealth is inversely proportional to spiritual wealth. I have proof. 👍I can show you, provided you wire the agreed-upon donation to my charity's bank account.

driftingskipper30 said:There’s this old way of thinking—maybe it's a bit cliché, I guess—that suggests the less you possess, the richer your spirit becomes.
I mean, poverty is just a lack of material stuff, right? It doesn't necessarily mean someone is spiritually bankrupt...
In fact, it's often true that people who have next to nothing—or absolutely nothing, really—possess far more soul than those struggling to stay afloat amidst massive wealth.

But—and this is a big "but"—can we actually discuss those rare (well, conditionally rare, I suppose...) instances where wealthy individuals are also spiritually profound?
Having money doesn't inherently preclude spirituality... Of course, it can certainly mask it, but the question always comes back to the individual; do I actually have a soul?

And of course they can...
The elite can absolutely be soulful...
Could they even possess more spirit than someone with fewer resources?
Yes, they could.

So, why is it that we constantly view the upper class as something that somehow insults the very idea of the spirit?
Well, it isn't a rule that spirituality belongs exclusively to those with less money... it's just an observation, perhaps.

Actually, self-aware wealthy people might even have a better starting point... They might find themselves with more opportunities to explore the spiritual realm simply because their resources aren't limited... They can travel the world, for instance.

Honestly, this way of thinking isn't actually about spirituality at all—it's just materialists looking for an excuse😁
to claim they're being spiritual. You don't need to be loaded or broke to find enlightenment; you just have to be a human being who lives with two simple truths in mind:
1. You didn't bring a single thing into this world with you, and you aren't taking any of your possessions with you when you go.
and,
2. symbiosis
😁

Thomas Nelson25 said:spiritual emptiness calling you to hit the road?

So where's the payoff?

The less fortunate often lean on faith—heaven or some utopia—dreaming things up from the subconscious (think old-school vibes, like the Middle Ages here in the States)—but a truly spiritual person isn't swayed by surroundings. People are people, no matter where you land.

Real wealth just buys you free time—that's the whole point.

Spirituality also implies a certain kind of indifference... being ready for the next transition... In essence, a spiritually aware person understands that change consists of stages meant to be embraced, rather than fought against...

Lawrence Torres56 said:Honestly, this way of thinking isn't actually about spirituality at all—it's just materialists looking for an excuse😁
to claim they're being spiritual. You don't need to be loaded or broke to find enlightenment; you just have to be a human being who lives with two simple truths in mind:
1. You didn't bring a single thing into this world with you, and you aren't taking any of your possessions with you when you go.
and,
2. symbiosis
😁

My intention here was to deconstruct that tired old stereotype regarding the divide between the rich and the poor. Now, obviously, that distinction doesn't truly exist in a cosmic sense, but let's be honest with ourselves... we all tend to view the world through that lens. It's part of our human frailty, I suppose...
But, before we even think about it, we're much more likely to believe in the spirituality of someone who's struggling than someone who's affluent. Why is that?
It's simply because this world is fundamentally material. I guess only the truly brave will choose to let go of material pursuits, and—if we're being even bolder—it takes an even greater kind of courage for those who actually hold better positions and enjoy more advantages—those we label as "poor"—to do the same...

Honestly, you can't trust a single soul when it comes to spirituality nowadays, and this whole idea that being broke is some kind of sign of spiritual growth? That’s just plain toxic in this day and age.

Scott Miller4 said:The idea that rich people are hollow shells while the poor are somehow more enlightened is just a tired, stupid cliché cooked up by some envious, broke chatterbox.

Sandra Morales brought up those wealthy folks who take their own lives because their existence feels empty... but I suspect suicides driven by crushing debt or the sheer misery of poverty are actually way more common.

In my opinion, having money—or lacking it—doesn't say anything about a person's soul, and it certainly isn't a basis for making broad generalizations. I guess the only thing you can really say is that people who build wealth through grit rather than inheritance tend to be more ambitious than those struggling at the bottom. Beyond that, there's not much else to generalize about.

I may have overgeneralized slightly, but I stand by it. 👍

driftingskipper30 said:My intention here was to deconstruct that tired old stereotype regarding the divide between the rich and the poor. Now, obviously, that distinction doesn't truly exist in a cosmic sense, but let's be honest with ourselves... we all tend to view the world through that lens. It's part of our human frailty, I suppose...
But, before we even think about it, we're much more likely to believe in the spirituality of someone who's struggling than someone who's affluent. Why is that?
It's simply because this world is fundamentally material. I guess only the truly brave will choose to let go of material pursuits, and—if we're being even bolder—it takes an even greater kind of courage for those who actually hold better positions and enjoy more advantages—those we label as "poor"—to do the same...

Personally, I don't really see it that way...
If you ask me, the real yardstick for a person's spirituality isn't how much they bow down to others, but whether they actually take care of the basic things they have, like pulling up a blanket when it gets cold.

And let's be real, courage doesn't have anything to do with walking away from your possessions; you just need to find yourself in a situation where you finally realize how utterly worthless—and frankly, how toxic—that material junk actually is.😉

Maria Parker77 said:Material wealth? Honestly, it’s just a state of mind.

But what if you just happen to be born with a silver spoon already in your mouth...?

wearyowl29 said:But what if you just happen to be born with a silver spoon already in your mouth...?

Look, whether that spoon is gold or just cheap wood doesn't even matter. It’s all about reaching that level of spiritual awareness when the moment actually hits.
Some people get lucky and land in a wealthy family, while others end up struggling to make ends meet—whatever you want to call being broke—but on a soul level, we're already living in this state of eternal abundance. Everything else? It’s just a physical illusion. There's nothing "real" out there without our own personal projections, like our belief systems and the choices we make.

Maria Parker77 said:Look, whether that spoon is gold or just cheap wood doesn't even matter. It’s all about reaching that level of spiritual awareness when the moment actually hits.
Some people get lucky and land in a wealthy family, while others end up struggling to make ends meet—whatever you want to call being broke—but on a soul level, we're already living in this state of eternal abundance. Everything else? It’s just a physical illusion. There's nothing "real" out there without our own personal projections, like our belief systems and the choices we make.

But hang on, it actually *does* matter because that stuff can seriously shape how your life plays out.

wearyowl29 said:But hang on, it actually *does* matter because that stuff can seriously shape how your life plays out.

just like pretty much everything else 😉

Maria Parker77 said:just like pretty much everything else 😉

take good health, for instance...