Today we live in a society that seems to
value individualism beyond family and friends. Maybe it is only
in recent history that so many have become so rich that they really can
buy everything they need without depending on relationships to get
things done. Everything now has a price on it, but as anyone with
some wisdom will tell you, sometimes money will not buy everything you
need.
The question is if you pay for everything and everyone is out to make
as much money as possible, do you really end up with value to each
person in each transaction? I can hire someone to paint my
house. Most people know that the higher priced painter is not
necessarily the one who will deliver the best paint job.
If I have a relationship where I appreciate what the painter is doing
for me and respect his work, will I get a better paint job?
Of course this is almost impossible to answer, but I know from years of
experience that if I can build a relationship with the people providing
products and services to me that most likely we both end up winning in
the end. I ended up helping our last painter and just maybe we
both got a little more than we bargained for when the deal was made.
If the only value exchanged in a transaction is money then I am trying
to get the most for my money and the provider of the product or
services will depending on his character provide what we have agreed
upon, less, or more. I think that is why we all hate to shop for
cars because there is a dance required and each person getting fair value is a gamble.
If we truly face a labor shortage in the years after we baby boomers
start retiring, then will money alone get the job done when it comes to
services.
As many people who live in rural or even many urban areas will already
tell you, the promise of money often does not guarantee service.
I can well remember having to resort to finding a plumber who was
vaguely related to us in order to get a leaking pipe fixed in our home
town of Mount Airy.
When the weather became bad while my mother was in an assisted living home, the only people willing to show up were family.
While knowing someone may not be a guarantee of better service or products it is a better way of living.
Depending on money to solve everything ends up building a life that is
hollow. While your existence may be comfortable, there will be
one day money will not be enough.
Relationships bring a renewed sense of belonging and by their nature
you get as much as you give in any relationship. Helping another
person and leaving things around you a little better than you found
them is far more rewarding than sitting on a pile of cash.
You can be successful as an individual and still exert a very positive
pull on others. The value you get from making others part of your
success as a individual far outweighs whatever extra monetary rewards
you might receive by focusing only on yourself.
For more thoughts see my other weblog
View From The Mountain
