The following is a short essay about Maria Nemeth’s “What is the Energy of Money?”
“The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (I Timothy 6:10). This Biblical scripture reflects one of many philosophies that people have created concerning money, wealth, or fortune. If a person idolizes financial gain, then he/she is considered immoral, selfish, and vain. On the other hand, some people believe money to be good–a helpful avenue to better the world. Despite the debate about money’s significance in the American culture, one must realize that with money comes a certain value; it is something that should be used wisely, and it is something that will in fact contribute to the formation of a better world if it is used with the right intentions. This is the argument that Maria Nemeth, Ph.D sustains in her article “What is the Energy of Money?” A comparison of Nemeth’s article with Gabriele Moccino’s film The Pursuit of Happyness demonstrates two separate ideas: one, that money is energy and two, that money does not necessarily lead to happiness, but rather self-determination and family values are the contributing factors; the similarity between the two pieces lies between the fact that money can in fact be conducive to success.
“What is the Energy of Money” exemplifies the idea that money is energy in order to express a new way to approach finances. Nemeth says that “successful people…know how to focus various kinds of energy–money, time, physical vitality, creativity, among others–to convert their ideas, dreams, and visions into reality” (Nemeth 15). This illustrates the main concept that money is equivalent to energy, that successful people understand how to approach their money. She additionally states, “We can hold money in our hands, touch it, feel it, and use it for any purpose we chose” (Nemeth 17). This embraces the idea that money is power, but in a more positive way: she’s not saying that with money comes domination; instead, she’s elucidating that with money comes an overwhelming sense of joy because the power is given to the owner of the one, two, or one hundred dollar bill. As Joseph Campbell claims, “money is congealed energy, and releasing it releases life’s possibilities” (Nemeth 17).
On the other hand, The Pursuit of Happyness conveys the message that a person is much better off rooting his happiness in family values and self-determination rather than in money itself. The jist of this film is found on IMDb, which says, “a struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he’s poised to begin a life-changing professional endeavor” (IMDb). In this brief synopsis of the film, one can see that the main character, Will Smith, struggles to find his own identity as a father and as a survior of life’s challenges, but once he realizes the importance of maintaining his family (his son) and how he can empower himself, then he is able to pursue a successful career. Thus, money is viewed in the film as something that compliments a lifestyle that is prioritized from family to self to career.
Moreover, the main similarity between the two pieces is the concept of self-determination and money. In both scenarios, a person has to be self-motivated and practice self-empowerment in order to succeed. For example, in order to realize that money is energy, one has to make a conscious decision to change his mind about any preconceived notions regarding money. With the film, money/wealth/success is seen as a complement to the act of prioritizing one’s values; self-determination is required.
Money is not the root of all evil; however, it is strongly believed that the love or obsession of it leads to all kinds of evil. In both “What is the Energy of Money” and The Pursuit of Happyness, money is discussed to proclaim the messages that it is vital to our survival in that we can learn many lessons from recognizing money as energy and from using it wisely. No matter what socioeconomic postion a person resides in, he should realize that while money may not bring true satisfaction and happiness to a person, it is still vital to recognize its prevalence in the present age.
Post submitted by Casey O’Neill
Excellent comparative piece, Casey!! Very well written. I loved that film. Sometimes I do wonder though what came first, the desire for money or happiness? Chicken or the egg?