Wealth & Its Influences

DON EBUBEOGU 

Over the Christmas holiday, while deliberately sitting with my brother to attend to the numerous visitors that came to the house in the village, I had the opportunity to listen and observe the behaviours of wealthy individuals, sparking my interest in the complex relationship between wealth and personality. It raised many questions, such as:

1. Does wealth change a person’s personality or reveal their true nature?

2. How do social and societal norms influence the relationship between wealth and personality?

3. Can people maintain their values and humility in the face of significant wealth, or is wealth inevitably corrupting?

Exploring these questions can provide valuable insights into the human psyche and how wealth can both empower and corrupt.

Wealth can create a sense of invincibility, leading individuals to believe they are above the law or moral codes.

Wealth can foster a sense of entitlement, leading individuals to believe they deserve special treatment and privileges in the society.

Wealth can lead individuals to compromise their values and principles in pursuit of more wealth and power.

Wealth can inflate an individual’s ego, causing him to become arrogant, self-centred, and dismissive of others.

The idea that “wealth doesn’t change you, it reveals who you are” suggests that when someone acquires wealth, they may feel less constrained by social norms, thus allowing their true personality to emerge more clearly.

More so, wealth can amplify existing traits, but it doesn’t necessarily create new ones.

Additionally, people’s responses to wealth vary greatly depending on their values, upbringing, and life experiences.

My question to you this morning is, how does wealth shape your sense of identity?