Why Are We So Impressed by Money?

This is probably not going to be the deepest thing I’ve ever written, but I was talking to a friend today and somehow we got on the subject of money—specifically, people who have WAY more money than we do.

And let me just say, it doesn’t take much to have more money than me. 😂

But afterward, I kept thinking about the conversation.

Am I impressed by money?

I honestly don’t think I am.

Would I LIKE to have a shit ton of it?

Well, hell yes.

Let’s not get ridiculous here.

Would I like to hop on my own private plane and fly somewhere for the weekend? Absolutely. Would I like to be sitting on my mega yacht somewhere in the French Riviera right now? Yes, please. Would I like to walk into a store, see something I love and never once have to think about what it costs?

Of course I would.

I love beautiful things. I love clothes. I love jewelry. I love to travel. Unfortunately, I also seem to have champagne taste on a beer budget, so there’s that.

But wanting money and being impressed by money are two completely different things.

I’ve met some extraordinarily wealthy people through my business over the years. I’m talking planes, yachts, enormous homes—the kind of money that I honestly can’t even comprehend.

And you know what I’ve learned?

They’re just people.

Some are absolutely wonderful. Some are incredibly down-to-earth. Some are generous and kind, and you’d never know from talking to them that they have more money than most of us could spend in three lifetimes.

And some are assholes.

Money apparently doesn’t cure that.

The other day I was at the Galleria and ran into a friend while we were both headed into Gucci. We were just going there for very different reasons. 😂

I was going to LOOK at a few things.

She was going to BUY a few things.

We’re standing there and she’s trying on shoes and looking at bags and saying, “I’ll take this, and this, and this…” like I walk into Walgreens and buy toothpaste.

Meanwhile, I tried on a pair of boots and fell in love with them.

I almost bought them.

Then I thought, You know what? Go home and think about it.

And I did.

My friend could probably spend $25,000 in there without it changing anything about her life. That’s simply the financial world she lives in.

And here’s the funny part: I don’t like her because she has money.

I like her because she’s nice.

She’s funny. She’s down-to-earth. She’s enjoyable to be around.

The money is probably the least interesting thing about her.

And maybe that’s what got me thinking about all of this.

Why are we so impressed when we see somebody online carrying a Birkin, wearing head-to-toe Hermès, flying private or staying somewhere that costs more per night than some people’s mortgage?

I’ll admit it. Sometimes I see it and think, Damn, that would be nice.

There’s a Ralph Lauren outfit right now that I am OBSESSED with. Silk skirt, silk top and this gorgeous brown leather jacket.

The entire outfit is probably somewhere around $15,000.

Would I love to put that whole damn outfit on?

YES.

Would I spend $15,000 on an outfit that I might wear twice?

That’s where Tammy and Fantasy Tammy have to have a conversation. 😂

Because even if I had the money, I’m not sure I could do it.

And then there’s the bigger question.

Does having all of that actually make you happier?

I don’t know.

I really don’t.

I know people with extreme wealth who are genuinely happy. They have the money, they enjoy it, they have beautiful lives and they seem perfectly content.

But I also know people with extreme wealth who aren’t happy at all.

And that’s what I find interesting.

Two people can both have more money than they could probably ever spend. Both can have access to almost anything money can buy. One can be perfectly happy and the other can be absolutely miserable.

So obviously the money isn’t the deciding factor.

You can have a private plane and still be lonely.

You can live in a mansion and still wake up unhappy.

You can have a closet full of clothes that cost more than my car and still be insecure.

You can have enough money that bills will never be a concern and still have problems that your bank account can’t touch.

And on the other side of that, you can have very little money and be unhappy too.

That’s why I don’t really buy the whole “money makes you happy” OR “money doesn’t make you happy” argument.

I think money is just money.

Now, can money make life EASIER?

Hell yes.

Let’s not lie about that.

Money can give you choices. It can give you freedom. It can let you travel. It can buy better healthcare, a safer home, help when you need it and experiences that most people will never have. It can also take away the enormous stress of wondering how you’re going to pay for something when life throws you a curveball.

That’s a pretty big deal.

But none of that automatically makes somebody interesting, kind, fulfilled or happy.

I live in what I jokingly call my little cracker-box house. I complain that I don’t have enough room while simultaneously bringing more shit into it, which is probably the actual problem.

But I’m happy here.

I have air-conditioning. I have electricity. I have food. I have a nice car.

My husband has a car that I find absolutely embarrassing, but HE is perfectly happy with it, so apparently that’s my problem and not his. 😂

Would I trade my little cracker box tomorrow for a mansion?

Maybe.

Then I start thinking about how many people I’d need to clean the damn thing.

See? There’s always something.

Maybe that’s the point of this whole rambling conversation I’m having with myself tonight.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting more.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with liking expensive things.

And I certainly don’t think there’s anything wrong with enjoying the hell out of your money if you’ve got it.

But I don’t think having money, by itself, makes somebody impressive.

How you treat people is impressive.

Being generous when nobody is watching is impressive.

Being a good friend is impressive.

Being a decent human being is impressive.

Building something you’re proud of is impressive.

Getting knocked down and finding a way to get back up is impressive.

Having a shit ton of money?

That’s nice.

And trust me, I’d be more than happy to give it a try. 😂

But I don’t think it tells me anything about who you are.

And maybe that’s what I was trying to figure out when I started thinking about all of this.

Would I like the private plane, the yacht, the mansion and that damn Ralph Lauren outfit?

Absolutely.

Would having all of it make me happier?

I have no idea.

But would having all of it make me a more impressive person?

No.

I don’t think it would.

So now I want to know what y’all think.

Are you impressed by money?

And if you suddenly had more of it than you could ever spend, what do you honestly think would change about you?