While some wealth is inherited, most accrues due to a good education, hard work, appropriate budgeting, creativity and thoughtful investing. Nevertheless, personal wealth has a negative image in many segments of society, especially among those who, for whatever reason, have not been able to take advantage of the building blocks listed above.
Wealth affords many advantages to those who have achieved it. Personal freedom is perhaps most evident: the choice where to live, how to live and what to experience are especially rewarding. But individual wealth also benefits society as a whole; indeed, philanthropy has become especially important in this era of Government dysfunction. Social support programs, conservation organizations, international relief networks and cultural enrichment centers are all highly dependent on private funding.
Personal wealth, in and of itself, is not a problem for society. While one may argue whether our taxation system is fair, the negative effects of wealth result more from over-consumption, a scourge that places stress on natural ecosystems and, thus, on the health of our planet.
