In principle, money absolutely matters but it’s not the only thing that matters. Money represents many valuable things yet fails to account for many things we value. Group decisions all about money often fail to consider adverse long-term effects on our emotions, on our relations, and on other groups, including future generations. This results in conflict at other times or in other places.
Money-based decisions also tend to miss opportunities that do not show up in the financial accounts of the alternatives: opportunities to increase long-term trust, peace, happiness, and other rewards in waiting.
Decisions motivated by profit tend to focus on short-term selfish impact rather than long-term community impact.
Practical Tip: When making group decisions, consider all potential costs and benefits. Consider how it will affect long-term peace among the group. Consider impacts outside the scope of your financial accounting: impacts on society at large, on the environment, on future generations.
The golden rule is: “Treat others as you would like to be treated,” not, “He with the most gold rules.” Actually, happiness does not result from having money or from ruling other people; it results from being at peace.
– Craig Freshley
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Thanks for your comment, Marlene. I agree. If I could write it again, that’s how I would say it.
Not All About Money
I think the phrase : Decisions motivated by profit tend to focus on short-term selfish impact rather than long-term community impact would be more accurately stated with the insertion of the word exclusively after motivated….motivated exclusively by …