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THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR: MASTER, MONSTER & MUSE

By P Mohan Chandran


"Money makes the world go round," goes the saying. But what happens when this benign orbit spirals into a vortex of anxiety and apprehension? Have you ever paused to contemplate how our lives have become a relentless chase of this omnipotent and omnipresent entity, money? Are we living or are we merely surviving, enslaved by the tyranny of financial stress?


In our modern world, everything – from basic sustenance to extravagant luxuries - is intrinsically tied to the concept of finance. Money, the universal catalyst, seems to hold a crucial role in the script of our lives. The "Have or Have-nots" dichotomy is not merely a divide, but an abyss, where the quality of life teeters precariously on the fiscal fulcrum. Isn't it ironic how a simple medium of exchange has gained colossal stature, wielding immense power over our lives?


Take, for instance, a man who is psychologically burdened or emotionally distraught. Counseling, therapy, medications – aren't these alleviations themselves linked to financial affordability? Or consider an athlete fighting a debilitating injury. Despite her indomitable spirit, doesn't her road to recovery ultimately depend on the depth of her pockets? Pervading every strata of our lives, finance is like that omnipresent, omniscient character in a novel, subtly manipulating the plot, yet never explicitly mentioned.


Finance, the once humble servant of mankind, has assumed the throne, transforming into an unyielding tyrant. Money, in its modern avatar, is no longer a mere facilitator; it's a potent influencer, a social yardstick, and a formidable gatekeeper of power. Its dominion extends beyond the tangible, into the realms of prestige, influence, and authority. Money talks, and the world listens. Money commands, and the world obeys. Money mocks, and the world cringes. Are we so entangled in the tentacles of finance that we've become marionettes in its grand performance?


In the face of this daunting reality, humor may be our saving grace. Imagine money as a giant, green puppet master, chuckling as it pulls the strings, dictating our dance of life. A dash of sarcasm, a pinch of irony, and a dollop of humor, after all, make the grim reality of finance more palatable. But is this the dance we've chosen, or the one we've been coerced into? Are we dancing to the tunes of joy, or are our moves dictated by the rustling of banknotes?


Herein lies the paradox of our times: Money, created by man as a tool, has ironically become the craftsman, shaping our lives, desires, and aspirations. While money should ideally serve us, we seem to be serving money. We've become players in a grand game where money sets the rules. But who decided this game? Who allowed money to morph from a dutiful servant into a demanding master?


The real question we need to ask ourselves is this: Are we in control of money, or is money controlling us? Have we become so entangled in this web of finance that we've lost sight of the fact that we spun this web ourselves? How do we wrest back control? Can we redefine our relationship with money, transforming it back from a monstrous master into a useful tool?


In this great dance of life, are we willing to change the music? The answer, my dear reader, lies within you.


Do you think humans have become an absolute slave to money?

  • Yes, today humans worship money more than Gods.

  • No, money can never ever become our master.



© 2023. P Mohan Chandran. All Rights Reserved.

17062023

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