What would REAL money buy you?

fupduck

My son is studying sociology as part of his degree course.
We were having a chat about his coursework this evening, and he comment about money being at 'the top' in today's society. His next comment, was that if he did have money, he would like to have power too.
Personally if I had money, I wouldn't particularly like 'power' what I would like would be freedom, to chose how I spend my time, where I spend it, and who I spend it with.

If you had REAL money (not an Irish Lotto win, but more like a Rothschild fortune) would you chose freedom or power?

desertcircus

If you have Rothschild-scale money, you have power.

fupduck

yeah, I suppose, I guess what I mean is, that I wouldn't be interested in taking over conglomerates, or peoples lives, I would just like to enjoy some freedom, spend my time doing things I like, rather than things I have to do

My name is URL

I would crush my enemies and sleep with their wives

Hownowcow

Have money, pay electricity bill, have power.

A0

Freedom, without a doubt.

The Backwards Man

Brazil.

BillyMitchel

I'd buy Monopoly so I could get fake money.

Agricola

If I had enough money to give the state a bailout, I'd spend my time travelling the world, living in different countries for extended periods of time. Would also enroll in university courses that I have a hobby level interest in, without a care in the world for financial reward in the future.

Its funny, most people who are filthy rich have a strong work ethic and desire to succeed / prove themselves so they dont really enjoy the fruits of their labour ie Michael O Leary. They live to work. The people who would really make use of tonnes of money dont have the personalities to get it in the first place!

IM0

fupduck wrote: »

My son is studying sociology as part of his degree course.
We were having a chat about his coursework this evening, and he comment about money being at 'the top' in today's society. His next comment, was that if he did have money, he would like to have power too.
Personally if I had money, I wouldn't particularly like 'power' what I would like would be freedom, to chose how I spend my time, where I spend it, and who I spend it with.

If you had REAL money (not an Irish Lotto win, but more like a Rothschild fortune) would you chose freedom or power?

eh do you have ANY idea how rich those kinds of guys are? you could do what you want with ten million or whatever you dont need hundres of millions or billions for that

Nino Brown

http://i1360.photobucket.com/albums/r641/Bishbosh2/22398067_zpsaeaaf6a2.jpg

RobbingBandit

Power for me, like these elusive rich bastards I am more of a background kind of guy, rule from the shadows, puppet master style.

Fr_Dougal

In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women.

IM0

Agricola wrote: »

If I had enough money to give the state a bailout, I'd spend my time travelling the world, living in different countries for extended periods of time. Would also enroll in university courses that I have a hobby level interest in, without a care in the world for financial reward in the future.

Its funny, most people who are filthy rich have a strong work ethic and desire to succeed / prove themselves so they dont really enjoy the fruits of their labour ie Michael O Leary. They live to work. The people who would really make use of tonnes of money dont have the personalities to get it in the first place!

or any of the dragons in the den, they are minted but total control freaks and live to work, thats not living

desertcircus

The thing is, a billion quid (a rough estimate of Rothschild-level money) will get you roughly fifty million euro a year in interest, profits and capital gains. That's so far beyond any scale of realistic spending that you'd exercise power inadvertently simply by having that much money. If you start buying Scotch? Your personal preference will make millionaires of one distillery and paupers of another by dint of what you're willing to pay for one over the other. If you decide to collect supercars? You'll create an artificial shortage in the market by buying up so many.

Even if you don't buy anything, you'll trigger huge effects. Invest it? You'll have visible effects on different markets by virtue of the size of your stake. Leave it earning interest? You'll enable the bank you're with to hockey its competitors on lending by virtue of the money they have on deposit. Lend it out yourself? Total chaos in the banking sector.

RobbingBandit

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Boys from Brazil, Heil Heil.

Fyp.

Cody Pomeray

fupduck wrote: »

yeah, I suppose, I guess what I mean is, that I wouldn't be interested in taking over conglomerates, or peoples lives, I would just like to enjoy some freedom, spend my time doing things I like, rather than things I have to do

You wouldn't need power - this society accommodates asset owners. I'm not saying that's a bad thing or a good thing because I don't think it matters to your question. But asset-rich individuals are quite comfortably accommodated here in Ireland, and can enjoy a nice standard of life, regardless of the hype...and the property tax... so you shouldn't feel the need to acquire additional power.

The people who,logically speaking, might feel the need to acquire more power are those who are asset-poor, or those who believe in greater redistribution of wealth as a moral right.

KKkitty

It would buy me the house I'm renting currently, financial stability for the rest of my life, give my kids what I'd love to give them now but can't afford and I could help my younger siblings out with stuff they need. That's all I want.

Agricola

IM0 wrote: »

or any of the dragons in the den, they are minted but total control freaks and live to work, thats not living

I guess different people get their kicks different ways. For some its living the travel writer cliché, for these people its breaking balls and increasing the profit margin.

Curly Judge

I'd like to become a sort of legal "Equaliser".
You know, take on cases on behalf of someone who was being shafted by the big boys and didn't have the spondulicks to defend themselves.
I'd also spend my money fighting corruption like the present shenanigans at Aer Lingus and the DAA where taxpayers money is being used to provide luxury defined benefit pensions for the feather-bedded staff.
When I'd finished all that I'd buy up all the power generating stations, slowly replace them with nuclear IFR reactors and put all the staff on the average industrial wage plus 30%. All those who didn't like it could resign on statutory redundancy.
Ohh.... and I'd hire a team of ex SAS hard chaws to protect me in the unlikely event of anyone getting upset with me.

fupduck

Curly Judge wrote: »

I'd like to become a sort of legal "Equaliser".
You know, take on cases on behalf of someone who was being shafted by the big boys and didn't have the spondulicks to defend themselves.
I'd also spend my money fighting corruption like the present shenanigans at Aer Lingus and the DAA where taxpayers money is being used to provide luxury defined benefit pensions for the feather-bedded staff.
When I'd finished all that I'd buy up all the power generating stations, slowly replace them with nuclear IFR reactors and put all the staff on the average industrial wage plus 30%. All those who didn't like it could resign on statutory redundancy.
Ohh.... and I'd hire a team of ex SAS hard chaws to protect me in the unlikely event of anyone getting upset with me.

I do like the idea of pro-bono legal defences, and being able to stick one in the eye of the corrupted, maybe that kind of cash would give me the freedom to follow my social conscience

DazMarz

Power and money... The ultimate dream.

And what do men with power and money crave? More money and more power.

If I ever got my hands on huge, mega amounts of money, there is a list of people in my head that are going to have really, REALLY bad days. Money brings with it ability to influence people and events. Said influence beings power. With said power, brings the ability to control lives, for their benefit or for their detriment.

I would not like to be know publicly with this wealth and power. I would prefer to be behind the scenes, a power-broker, pulling strings and sitting back quietly knowing that the history books will not know me, but I shall be writing and making history as I go along, but will never be a hated or loved figure. The anonymous man behind the curtain of the king.

The ones who would benefit; friends and family. They'd suddenly find themselves getting offered well-paying jobs with massive benefits and so on. Others who would benefit? Politicians. I'd have a steady crop of politicians in my pocket. I don't know how I would use them, but it's nice knowing that at the drop of a hat, I could exert influence over the very highest echelons of a government.

The detriment would be to those who have crossed me. Yes, I am a petty fúcker like that. There is a long shít-list of people who would suddenly find themselves in hugely disadvantageous positions. Bankrupt, broken, destroyed... Their lives would be slowly but surely pulled apart through a strategic and judicious use of small moves. As intricate and precise as a well played game of chess. Little moves will culminate in one final "checkmate". And they will never know what happened, why it happened or who the person ultimately behind it all was.

Yeah, I don't think I should ever be given money and power. I'd be like that French bloke from The Matrix films; arrogant, drunk with power and just an incorrigible arse. I might even start talking in an over-exaggerated French accent, just to complete the effect.:P

irish bloke

I would buy a gold horse drawn carriage and swap the horses for 9 naked super models.

Would call them all after Santa's reindeer.

fupduck

I work a physically hard 9-5 job, and have struggled for years as a single parent, I would love the freedom to escape the 9-5, and to spend real time with my family, to be able to have a holiday, the simple pleasures I guess, but maybe that kind of money would change my mind after a while?

RobbieTheRobber

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A939QRRSNV4

KyussBishop

If I were greedy I'd buy a bank, where I can live a usurious life endlessly increasing my gains, by charging people interest on money created from nothing.

EoghanIRL

Hownowcow wrote: »

Have money, pay electricity bill, have power.

Get this man a promotion.

You will have no enemies in the face of money.

NuckingFacker

I know a few very wealthies - most of them are so driven, you'd need a ferrari and a private plane just to keep up. They live at a literal breakneck speed and their lives are unbelievably complex and hassled. I'm not too sure I'd want it, any time I deal with them, I have to accelerate my life up to their speed and after a week or two, I've had quite enough and just want to get off the conveyor. To accumulate that level of wealth, you have to be very ruthless, usually with yourself. I'll stick with "enough", for now.

ToddyDoody

If I had a squat load of money... Freedom, power or which? I might try to buy status... Carefully co-ordinated community, charity and publicity stunts.. But definately fund a creative career / life... Write, paint, compose... Get out the cheque book to compensate for the woeful lack of talent.

Karl Stein

I would sleep with my enemies and crush their wives.

Kichote

If you have enough money you can afford to dispatch someone else to do your dirty work

Live it up on the Cayman Islands while someone back home is stuffing brown envelopes to have property tax abolished in Ireland. I wouldnt forget about the rest of ye while im living the good life.

Have another lad buy Monsanto just to shut them down.

General General

Ironman suit & a Terminator army.

Curly Judge

I know that no amount of money could possibly buy this.
But I would love to tour the Universe in Carl Sagan's "Ship of the Imagination".
Apologies if this is going off topic!

C.K Dexter Haven

New car? Caviar? Four star daydream? Football team?