Mahatma Gandhi identified Seven Social Sins that weaken our character and destroy the person we are meant to be. When it comes to money, the sin that comes to mind is Wealth Without Work. You may be thinking, “What’s wrong with that? Who doesn’t want to be wealthy without working?” Those are fair questions, so let’s dive into what this means and see why Wealth Without Work is one of the Seven Social Sins.
Who This ISN’T Referring To
Let’s start off with who this ISN’T referring to. This isn’t talking about people with family money who inherited a huge inheritance or if you just lost a loved one and got a big insurance payment. You don’t have to feel guilty or think you’re committing a social sin. There’s nothing wrong with inherited money, or money from a loved one who thought enough of you to have an insurance policy to help make your life easier. There is nothing wrong with this money, but you do need to know how to handle it.
So, who is this sin referring to???
This Sin IS Referring To…
This sin is associated with professions that manipulate situations and people to make money off of them. Things like pyramid schemes, making money and not paying taxes, and making money without adding any value. This is where people take advantage of other people or situations where they can gain something by someone else losing something.
Think about a Pyramid Scheme. This is the type of profession where you make money by recruiting members via a promise of money if they enroll more people under them. In a Pyramid Scheme, there is no real value, investments, or products. There’s just the promise of making money off of others that you enroll under you.
There’s a great documentary on Netflix titled Betting On Zero. This is a real life situation where millionaire investor, Bill Ackman, is trying to short HerbaLife stock because he believes they’re a Pyramid Scheme. His bet is that people will figure out this scheme and sell the stock, which since he’s shorting it, will put quite a bit of money in his pocket. It’s an interesting documentary. Give it a watch as Mr. Ackman appears to be accusing HerbaLife of committing the social sin of Wealth Without Work.
Isn’t It Just Too Bad For Other People?
Some people may think, “Well, if people, the Government, or organizations are too dumb to prevent it, it’s their fault.” I agree that we should all do our part to not be taken advantage of, but it’s not just bad for the people being taken advantage of. It’s bad for the character of the person who is taking the advantage. Cheating is no way to get ahead in life. I know this is a cliché as old as time, but it’s true. It will destroy your character if you only get ahead in life by stepping on the heads of others. This is no way to live and does not breed a person of value and character.
If you want wealth, you have to be the kind of person who creates value and attracts money. If you’re doing all the right things and providing value to many others, the money will come looking for you. You won’t need to hunt for the money.
The Takeaway
Wealth Without Work is one of the Seven Social Sins that hurts everyone involved. It hurts the people being taken advantage of and the person who is taking the advantage. When you get ahead by stepping on others, you’re destroying the very fiber of your character. You don’t want to be the person who has to cheat and lie to get ahead in life. You want to be the person that creates value for many and uses that value to lift people up. By doing the right things, and becoming that person of value, the money will find you and the work you’re doing won’t feel like work. You’ll get wealthy doing what you love to do and build character while doing it.