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Wealth, What Does it Mean to be Rich
Our environment has become engulfed in scenarios portraying different aspects of
wealth. From what is available on television, to new business ventures and even facts about
the rising number of young people who are extremely wealthy, we have individually created
our own definition of wealth and richness. To this end, wealth and richness have become part
and parcel of everyday life where we all aim to become rich as a means of enjoying life to the
fullest, albeit the definition of wealth and richness that society has placed on us.
In considering what wealth might mean, society, and especially the media, implies
that wealth currently goes hand in hand with the ability of one to own the most lavish assets
such as cars and houses and the ability to live a life free of want. This definition has been
embraced through the use of movies and television shows that reflect the lives of individuals
and families who own million dollar homes, private jets and even successful businesses. As
(Holtzman and Sharpe) indicate, media has the ability to influence the perceptions of
populations and how they view and associate to different aspects. It is from this that the
above definition of wealth will be considered by most as true and factual given that it might
be through the media that they are able to associate and create their own definition of wealth.
For example, watching a number of episodes of MTV cribs, keeping up with the Kardashians
or even real housewives of Atlanta, one is most likely to link wealth to the ability of being
able to own the best that life has to offer.

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In scenarios where the aforementioned media influence is absent, wealth and richness
is defined through association. (Holtzman and Sharpe) indicate that in such cases, the idea of
wealth, richness or even poverty aligns to the people that one interacts with on a day-to-day
basis. As such, where individuals who do not own vehicles and their own houses interact
with those that own these assets, the definition of wealth is pegged on the ability to own these
items. In addition, where such interactions are reflected through the ability of one owning
basic necessities of life, namely food, shelter and clothing, wealth will be defined as ability in
providing these necessities. From this, a similar definition is evident to that that media
provides since both rely on owning what others lack.
The above discussion is also applicable in determining the meaning of richness. To
begin with, media, especially economic related print houses, define richness in relation to the
amount individuals earn on a monthly basis. As such, one will be termed as rich if their
monthly income contains many zeros at the end of what they have earned (Kelly). However,
unlike the aforementioned definitions of wealth, being rich does not go hand in hand with
owning assets. This indicates that one will be able to currently live without want, since they
have the capability of purchasing due to the amount of money they have at their disposal.
From this, it is evident that wealth is defined in the long-term, while being rich is defined in
the short-term ability of an individual’s capability of living a life free of lacking that which
they desire.
Adding to the above, society also plays a role towards defining what it means to be
rich. This is mostly evidenced by what the individuals in a society peg to richness. For
example, farmers can attribute richness to the ability of one owning more cows, sheep or
goats than others, while an educated society can attribute richness to the business acumen that

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individuals display in various capacities. From this, being rich is defined by the use of a
common element that does not involve money.
Personally, my definition of wealth and what being rich means has been influenced by
both what I see on television and day-to-day interactions. For me, richness is only a stepping
stone that I can use towards building wealth. I acknowledge that richness is truly a matter of
how much money I can earn from employment or from my own business and that the ability
for me to earn this money will only secure my financial future in the short-term. However,
the wisdom to invest and create value from this richness for long-term benefits is what
defines wealth. By watching the luxurious lives of the rich vis-a-vis those of the wealthy on
television, I have been able to identify that the purchasing power towards ones needs and
wants is the same for both the rich and wealthy. However, there is a big difference in how
long the purchasing power will last as evidenced by my observations in my neighbourhood.
For example, I live in a middle income settlement but one of my neighbours owns a $100,000
truck and although I used to consider him rich, I have overheard my neighbours gossiping
about his inability to repay his mortgage. For me, richness might reflect an ability to own the
best, but it is wealth that can guarantee a life where one meets all their financial obligations
for the rest of their life while enjoying the best that life can offer.

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Works Cited
Holtzman, Linda and Leon Sharpe. Media Messages: What Film, Television, and Popular
Music Teach Us About Race, Class, Gender, and Sexual Orientation. Abingdon-on-
Thames: Routledge, 2014. Book. 9 October 2016.
Kelly, Amanda. Would You Rather Be Rich Or Wealthy? Why It's A Thin Green Line. 16
March 2015. Web. 9 October 2016.