Shhh money.

If you take this $ will you just keep quiet?
Most likely no.
Because, one can continue to hold this real issue over the other for more gains in the future and so on.
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Growing up I had an elementary school friend. Her parents, like mine were immigrants and came to Canada to find a better life. By the looks of it, coming from a country that had an economy that was not doing as well as Canada, one would think, that would mean the more you have (materialistically) then the better off you are doing.
It is so funny (not really) how Money/monetary gains/ materialism gives us this well accepted LIE of a standard of how well we are doing in life.

Don't get me wrong, we all live in a world where we kinda need this to survive in the average daily life, we work, make money, buy food and clothes and a home/ shelter with this money. And round and round it goes. Just basic necessities really.

But the lie been told is that the more we make, the better off we are, the more we have (even beyond our means sometimes) the more better off we are, the happier we will be, the more content we will be, and that all our problems will go away, if we just buy into the idea that Money and the materials it can bring us, will make us happy.

Those of you who have lived life until now, will realize this ain't true. Happiness is not an end state that we all strive for and once there we are good. It is a process we strive for everyday, and not so tangible and that simple.

Anyhow back to my story. This friend of mine, her parents bought into this idea full heartedly. They worked their asses off. Spending all their moments (even Christmas day) working for the mighty dollar (they owned a business, they were not forced to do this). They in fact became "successful" as this lie would say and they managed to have the fancy car and the enormous house. They managed to buy their kids whatever they wanted, the Pretty Woman dress for Prom, the brand new cars (even a rare kind "only 8 of these made in the world"), clothes from Holtz and every item of clothing brand name. Of course, to be this successful, they worked hard. And were never there for their kids. Often times my old friend would joke "Oh I was a latch-key kid".

Growing up with her, I was kinda embarrassed of our old clunky Gran-Am that we all had to share and taking public transit or walking to school. (Yep did not drive any BMW to highschool - gah was I a child in need or what). One day I said to my folks when our family car almost about kicked the bucket - "can't we get a bmw too ? or a nicer car instead?" The answer I got from my parents has still stuck in my head "You think we can't afford to get one of those? That isn't our priority though, people have different priorities with their money. Some like fancy cars, but they may have a crappy house, some may have a fancy house but dress very simply. There are just other things we prioritize with our money and that fancy car is not one of them."

So as Time passed, problems happened to surface for my friend. Family issues, when it all came down to it, it seemed like a struggle to feel loved by her parents and her parents saying that they loved her by what they could buy and provide for her. Simply the monetary stuff. You have a problem with us? Why on earth would you have a problem? We give you all you wanted. AHHHH as they would say now "First world problems". It's sad really. I see it now though, and am thankful for the parents I was given.

My whole point of this long winded story is that it is soooooo easy not to think and to buy into that Lie. The money Lie. We see it everywhere if you look closely. In our communities, in decisions made by management teams, by institutions, by companies, by the private sector and public sector, by politicians, even nationally and globally.
Money does not fix a wrong, solve a problem or make anyone happier or forgive anyone or make amends for a wrong doing. It does not fix a situation in dire straights that is engrained in the psyche of those involved. It may seem like it temporarily, it may appease someones complaint or conflict at the moment. But I think we are all smart enough to see right through it these days. It doesn't address the cause of a problem, but often times it is used at the quick band aid. This isnt the Mad Men era when advertising seeped into households with this lie...
If we all put down our digital media distractions and seeked truth behind media we hear, we can see it , before it is too late.