Introduction
One of the most controversial debates concerning money is whether it is evil or good. While there are those amongst us who subscribe to the school of though that “money is the source of all evil”, others are of the opinion that money can buy you anything, literary. Whereas money is a good thing to have, nonetheless, the love for money could very well result in evil. It is important to note here that money per se is not evil; rather, it is the individuals who are in possession of it that are evil. Individuals with money and a good heart are very useful to the rest of us who are cash strapped especially in as far as hunger and lines are concerned. The love of money has led to corrupt nations, people without conscience, and a society full of greedy men. In light of this, there is the need to compare and contrast the good and the evil associated with money.
Money as a Means of Exchange
Money is one of the most important tools in the world. Without money, buying of goods and services would be both complex and cumbersome. With money, individuals are in a position to effectively and efficiently trade in various goods and services. The value attached to money is acceptable to all and for this reason it is recognized as a legal tender (Rand 2). Money therefore has a value that can be used to acquire anything. Without money, exchange of goods and services would be hard because one may get a commodity that cannot be used to purchase what he or she wanted. Money is used to produce goods and services that make the life of an individual more comfortable than would have been the case in its absence. An individual’s efforts and mind can help him or her acquire little or more money. Those who are ready to use their minds wisely and put more effort get more money and are able to meet their needs in life.
Money as a Means of Acquiring Ones Needs
Money is a tool that individuals use to reach their destinations. Here, the most important thing is not money but the driver. It is the responsibility of an individual to plan properly on how to spend the money that he or she has accumulated. As a matter of fact, money cannot provide an individual with his or her desires but the individual can use it as a means that will help him or her to satisfy his or her desires (Rand 4). An individual who knows what he or she wants in life can use money as a means to bring happiness in his or her life but money itself cannot be used to buy happiness. In one’s life there are other virtues whose worth precedes that attached to money. They include a purpose for living, a code of values, intelligence, respect and admiration. An individual who has a lot of money but lacks these values will almost always perceive money as evil because in its absence, he/she feels empty. Fools, cowards and the incompetent will always see money as evil but their perception rests on the basis of the fact that they lack the means to make it worthwhile.
Money as a Means of Survival
Money is a means of survival in that those who have it and have acquired it in a moral and ethical manner are in a position to enjoy their lives. There are many ways of obtaining money some of which are moral while others are immoral and illegal. Individuals who obtain their money through corruption, pondering to men’s stupidity, fraud, and catering to fools, amongst others are not likely to enjoy it (Rand 5). The reason behind this is that an individual does this to get more than what they rightfully deserve. Anything that an individual purchases with money acquired through immoral or illegal means is bound to bring a curse to such an individual as opposed to blessings.
In this case, such an individual is the cause of evil while money is the effect.
Money and Starvation
Without money, some individuals in different parts of the world would starve to death. Certain individuals live in places that are frequently hit by draught and famine. Individuals who have large sums of money in the world make donations in the forms of cash or foods to help save the lives of those who are starving. This makes the work of supplying relief food for example easier because if at all individuals were required to make material donations, this would be a cumbersome process. Wealthy nations also donate money to poor their poor counterparts to facilitate in their development initiatives (Roe 7). As a result, money helps in poverty eradication. The same money also finds its way into research projects such as those geared towards the discovery of cures to various diseases.
The Other Side of Money
As previously stated, money cannot be evil but the manner in which individuals use it makes such individuals to appear evil. For example, the same money that some individuals use to build friendship is also used by others to build hatred (Roe 5). The love for money leads to evil actions. Currently, many nations are experiencing incidences of corruption because their leaders are too greedy. The love for money can greatly corrupt the mind and personality of an individual. This would make such a person lose the sense of conscience. Such individuals believe that acquiring a lot of money will help them buy happiness, friends, celebrity status, and popularity. The love for money makes individuals to lie and do many other evil things that they think will help them in acquiring it. At the workplace, employees lie about their coworkers and take credit for work they did not perform so that they can be promoted and their salaries increased. The love for money makes individuals engage in illegal drug selling activities, prostitution, pornography and all other types of evils (Bertrand 2). Some church leaders also use their positions for purposes of gaining money.
Conclusion
Money is not the cause of all evil but the love of it could lead to many illegal activities such as the adoption of evil behaviors. It is a means of exchange that is generally accepted by all people for the exchange of goods and services. An individual works and accepts money for his or her efforts because he is aware that the money that he or she receives can be used to purchase various goods and services that they are in need of. Money helps individuals to acquire their needs in life. It is a means of survival and a means of eradicating poverty as well.
Works Cited
Bertrand, Anthony. Is Money the Root of All Evil? 2010. Web.
Rand, Ayn. Francisco’s Money Speech, 2002. Web.
Roe, Shirley. Money, Monet, Money! Good or Evil? 2010. Web.