[haberman]

> First, one of the only real things being rich gives you is that you don't have to worry about money as much anymore.

I disagree with this. One thing being rich gives you is the ability to make things happen.

Being a benefactor of a cause or artistic organization or an investor in a startup means that you can help set into motion meaningful projects that you believe in that would not otherwise have been possible. I'm a singer and one group I sing with has a benefactor who has financed all of our recording projects. We put his name in the CD notes and that guy can know that without his support the CD simply could not have happened. I have to believe that's a deeply gratifying feeling.

[user24]

> One thing being rich gives you is the ability to make things happen.

Money does not have exclusivity on this ability.

I'm a member of the Friends of Northampton Castle[1], a group of people interested in the heritage of my home town.

Time is far far more important than money to groups like this.

We've had an architect put together a 3D reconstruction in his spare time (which I scripted and voiced in my spare time).[2]

We've spoken with the local library to get copies of some photos of the castle to put on our website (gathering local press attention by doing so).

We've lobbied and met with various groups with huge amounts of success. Not because we're well funded but because our members are able and willing to give their time to the project.

I've given my time to blog, tweet and facebook for them, etc etc.

In large part thanks to our activities, the people in charge of redeveloping the site (now a train station) have performed an archaeological exploratory trench - and found castle walls and a saxon brooch.[3]

Don't be tempted to think that you can't make real changes without money.

[1] http://www.northamptoncastle.com I run the website, would be interested in feedback.

[2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp6TCRc9KVo

[3] http://www.northamptoncastle.com/posts/castle-station-evalua...

[haberman]

That's very cool. I certainly wasn't meaning to say that without money you can't make things happen. Just that money can be a very useful way of helping to make things happen.

[user24]

I'm sure you didn't mean it like that but I felt that it could be taken to mean that money is the best way of making things happen so I wanted to provide a counter-example.

Cheers!

[jhuni]

Capitalism is a system of alienation. For us hackers this is clear as day as the many proprietary software programs out there directly alienate people from the process of software production. Perhaps the best thing about being a capitalist is that you are no longer alienated from production like everyone else so you can make things happen.

[elemenohpee]

That's what's so twisted about the American Dream™, is that it's the desire for a certain type of individual freedom, but a freedom that is always based on the subjugation of others. It's not a universal freedom, which to me is the only kind.

[willholloway]

Absolutely. The article does not include the cost of alienation and serfdom into its calculus.

How much would you pay for freedom?

[jaggederest]

Money isn't useful for it's own sake. Money is a proxy for power, which is why people complain about how it changes their lives.