Friday, December 16, 2022

Imagine

The story is neither from Bill Gates nor from Elon Musk according to fact checkers: here. Nevertheless, the thoughts make me contemplate. What kind of children do we want? What do we expect from them? What is the storytelling (source)?

“In conclusion, when I say my daughter is not going to marry a poor man, I’m not talking about money. I’m talking about this man’s ability to create wealth.”
“Example, someone who wins the lottery or gambling. Even winning 100 million is not a rich man: he’s a poor man with a lot of money, that’s why 90 per cent of lottery millionaires go back to being poor after five years.
“If you see a young man who thinks the problem is the state, and thinks the rich are all thieves and constantly criticize, know that he is a poor man.
“Wealth is first a state of mind my friend.”

So it's a story (one of many) about having money, being rich, being poor, constantly criticize everyone and everything and the ability to create wealth. 

It's an echo of the metaphor in the Bible (Matthew 25: 14-30) of the man who gave talents to three of his servants and what they did with it. The "good" ones would become "ruler over many things" and "enter the joy of thy lord". And the "bad" one? He would be "cast into outer darkness" and weep and gnash his teeth.

Imagine there is no God. Imagine that we are only accountable to all other 'homo sapiens'.

P.S. More background and other sources in the Bible about the 'Parable of the Talents': wikipedia

P.S.S. Drawing: Rembrandt, 'The Parable of the Talents' (around 1652).

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