Money as a Magnifier of Human Nature

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Last week, some wild pictures surfaced on the internet featuring Jeff Bezos' newest toy: a colossal yacht named Koru. It came with a staggering $500 million price tag and that’s not even the craziest part.

What really caught everyone’s attention was the gigantic mermaid mounted on the bow that looks eerily similar to his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez.

Now, this got me thinking—if I had $150 billion, would I do that? Would I place an order for the world’s largest sailing yacht, complete with a wooden sculpture of my girlfriend?

I like to think no. But then again, does this look like a guy who would?

Contrast this to Bezos’ ex-wife MacKenzie Scott, who embarked on a remarkable donation spree after being granted control over billions of dollars through their divorce.

I know, Jeff has billionaire games to play, and what one chooses to do with their money is up to them. But the stark differences between the once-married couple sheds light on how differently money can magnify us.

We all have our definitions of it. Some folks see money as the root of all evil—a gateway to corruption and a product of greed. On the flip side, there are those who believe money can be a force for good—a vehicle for positive change and a well-earned reward for hard work.

But on its own, money is none of those things. It’s just paper—a medium of exchange. It has no motivations or incentives. Instead, it takes on the character of its owner, magnifying their wants, values, flaws, and insecurities.

It gives the gluttonous a means to indulge, the generous an opportunity to give, the materialistic an ability to spend.

If you are a compulsive gambler, it doesn’t matter how much money you have. You will keep raising your bets higher and higher in line with your income. It’s why people can make six figures and still live paycheck-to-paycheck. Spenders spend.

This holds true for time as well—having more time won't magically enable you to achieve what you desire if you already can’t manage it effectively. Time, like money, fuels whatever is already present within us.

People can debate if money is the root of all evil, but a better way of saying it is that money merely feeds preexisting evil. When wealthy people engage in unethical behavior, it’s not their bank account driving their propensity for evil. Their dollars merely nourish inherent traits that others may also have, but lack the means to fulfill. Suddenly, things like exploitation, tax evasion, and bribery become more realistic.

Money doesn’t only increase a capacity for wickedness. It does the same for goodness. It can fuel charitable endeavors, advance medical research, support loved ones in need, and fund businesses making the world a better place.

Money doesn’t make anyone good, evil, or really anything. It simply removes constraints that prevent you from being as good or evil as you want.

It all comes down to your values. It’s easy to say that you would be a better person if you were wealthy. Financial success may make life more comfortable, but it doesn’t suddenly transform us into better versions of ourselves.

The wealthy nice person was nice before the money, those dollars just empower them to do nice things they couldn’t do before.

MacKenzie Scott may not necessarily be any kinder than the person who hands a dollar to a homeless person on the street, just like Jeff Bezos probably isn't any more materialistic than the person driving a BMW. He doesn’t need a $500,000,000 yacht in the same way you don’t need a $50,000 car. Same values, different levels of wealth.

How you interact with the world at your current net worth is likely how you’ll interact with the world when you have more.

Those interactions show up in subtle ways. If you're already respectful to service workers and conscientious enough to put your shopping cart back where it belongs, those are great indications. But take the opposite persona then mix in a few million dollars, and now you’re looking at a very unpleasant person.

Don’t be that person, money magnifies.

- Sam

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