for the love of money?love! you love money?

The problem is you say you like money – you might even think you like money – some of you go as far as to say you love money - but you don’t.

You say you like money when you really just like the things money buys. Yousay you like money when you really just like the lifestyle moneybrings. You say you like money but you really just like other people tothink you have money. You say you like money – well, you get the point.But do you? Do you get the point? Do you understand that if you reallyliked money as much as you say you do you wouldn’t be so willing totrade it for goods & services?

Business people and merchants do everything in their power to get you to relinquish your money for what they’re selling. They don’t just make the productavailable, they entice you toward it. It’s not a scenario where theywould be fine with keeping the product. By all means they’re objectiveis to give it to you in exchange for your money. They finance commercials, display billboards, pay celebrities to don the product –they do all they can to get you to desire what they’re selling. It reminds me of the scene in the Matrix when the agents had Morpheus inthe military building trying to crack into his mind. The agents, Tank,and Trinity all knew it was just a matter of time. Businesses andsalespeople know, it’s just a matter of time before their gestures getthrough and you begin to desire what they’re selling. They’ll give yousamples. They’ll let you smell it, taste it, feel it, hear it, see it.They’ll go past those 5 and try to appeal to your 6th sense.They’ll try to get you to dream about it. And you do. You dream about those shoes making your feet as sleek as those models’. You dream about the respect you’ll get from those who admire (& even envy) you because your garment says Gucci. You leave with what they had and they get your money. Nah, you don’t like money, you like your car.You don’t like money, you like your clothes. You don’t like money, you like attention! But attention is usually the last thing you’re willingto pay!

I’m not even talking to so many of you who pay your bills last, if at all.It doesn’t make sense talking about money to you because you don’t haveany. Or better yet, you don’t have any that’s worth talking about. Atthe same time, for your kids’ sake, I hope you can get something fromthis. But no, I’m talking to those who actually manage (or mismanage)enough money to create money for those around them. I’m talking tothose who can act as mini-nucleuses for the community around them, evenif that community only consist of a spouse and child, the smallest butmost important. I’m not talking to teens, but yes I am. So for once inyour life, put the dollar back in your pocket and pay attention.

In John Singleton’s Baby Boy,Ving Rhames called it guns & butter. It’s assets and liabilities.We’ll follow Kiyosaki’s lead and heed the warning in “Rich Dad, PoorDad” to avoid the dictionary’s definition and just understand thatassets put money in your pocket, while liabilities take money out. ButI’ll take it a step further. Assets appreciate in value over time.Liabilities depreciate. That car will be worth less next year than itis now. I’m not interested. Those clothes will be worth less once I’veworn them. No thanks. Of course, some expenses and even liabilities areinevitable, and some even necessary. I need a place to live.Food, clothing, and shelter, you know the drill. But I do realize what’s a necessity and what’s not. I know needs from wants and desires.And I don’t convince myself that a desire is a need. But assetsgenerate more money. That little 3 family house you buy could lead tofurther investments like an 8 unit building. That building will needmaintenance. You’ve employed someone. You’re a nucleus. Those little stocks and bonds you experiment with could lead to a hefty portfolio.That portfolio will need maintenance. You’ve employed someone. You’re a nucleus. You’re not just an employee. You’re a boss. Isn’t that what you wanted everyone to believe? Isn’t that what you want to be? There’s a saying: ain’t no future in frontin’. Act like you know what that means!

I used to disagree with The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others like The Greensboro Four and Snick about their dedication to being allowed to eat, drink, and be where the white people were. I viewed that as the wrong attitude. I believed that instead of fighting to be allowed to spend our money in their storesand shops, we should’ve just built our own. Then my partner G reminded me about Eddie Murphy’s Harlem Nights and what they did to the Kit Kat Club. He reminded me about speakeasies and churches run by blacks and preyed upon by whites. He reminded methat during those times we weren’t allowed to prosper in peace. Hereminded me that during those times when it wasn’t available to the extent that it is now, we tried. He reminded me that my dollar, once bullied from me and stolen, I am now giving away willingly, and withouta fight. He reminded me of how precious my dollar is!
One thing I will give to white people (& I, for one, am willing to admit that many of us have learned from them – whether the remnants ofthe lesson are good or bad) is, they know the value of a dollar. I don’t want this to turn into a history lesson because this is about now. But if Africa is the richest land on earth then why isn’t it themost powerful? Pay attention.

Thisis about now. This is about black people being minorities but spendingthe majority share of our money on bullshit! That’s what’s happeningnow. This is about relinquishing our power then complaining about not having any. That’s what’s going on as we speak.

And even more in the now is, as you’re reading this you’re logged onto mywebsite having been registered as another visitor which in turn raisesthe price I’m able to charge for ads. Thank you for making me money.Hopefully I’m indirectly returning the favor. That’s a sincere goal.Empowerment! But you can only lead a horse to water…
But does the fact that while they’re out enjoying their lives while I’mhere working make me smarter than my friends and family? Not at all. Infact I’m compensating for prior stupidity. In my lifetime I’ve blown aquarter mil in bars, on bling, blunts, Beemers, & bitches. Aquarter mil on Macks, Maximas, Moet, Maglis & manteca (then again scratch that last one – that was an investment.) But now isredemption; redemption because my stupidity tipped the scale. At leastthe money being wasted by friends and family today wasn’t money they risked their lives and freedom for ..well most of them didn’t. But inmy case, the money I blew was blood money. I turned a livelihood into a lifestyle where even when I wasn’t on the clock I was ridin’ dirty. Howstupid was that? That’s a whole other article but the point is to payattention and ask yourself, “what am I doing?”, “Who the hell am Itrying to impress?”, “Does what I’m doing make sense?” And to realizeyou have to learn to make centsbefore you can make dollars. Just a little thought beyond the momentcan be the difference between working for your money and having yourmoney work for you.


So let’s sum this up – no pun intended.
Stopinvesting in your image, invest in your reality. Stop investing in now,invest in your future. Stop buying things to make people think you’rerich, buy things that make you rich.
Spendthe same time you spend reading up on that car you plan to buy onresearching what that 30 stacks would do for you over 10 years in anannuity. Invest $200 a month in an index fund for 20 years and be amillionaire. That’s only one less pair of Jordans. Google Vanguard,watch CNBC, get at me. Do something!