FOULmouth,

I expected to see you come back with something stronger than that.

I think for the first time I can claim that you are lost for words.

Which sends a signal to me that you agree that I am one of the most educated people in the country.

Thank you. I truly value your opinion.

Well it either money or bartering for daily requirements. But money or bartering is not the reason for life. Life is about character, and sometimes being without money or product to trade builds humble character, and humility is a value not easily attained when one stands over others. Possessing much can build a proud and arrogant character, one of the deadly sins of society. A person possessing much has to learn to sacrifice his wealth to benefit others to gain real character.

You will not be remembered for how much wealth or education you had, but you will for how you humbly applied these to benefit others.

Josephus,

I just heard through the grapevine that you're not going to heaven.

Apparently you did something to upset the big fellow.

Better luck next time.

And I'll send you a postcard when I get there.

I find the question "is life all about money" largely irrelevant. Money is not an end in itself rather a means to an end be it food, travel, possessions, education, health, housing etc.

Once one has enough money to fulfil one's basic needs, more money does not necessarily make one happier. However, it does give you the ability to pursue activities that give one satisfaction.

I have been lucky enough to make money doing what I love and to be able to buy a comfortable house with a spectacular view, privately educate my kids and travel extensively.

I am eternally grateful that I am not like the swamp donkey that has worked his life in an occupation that he is neither competent nor happy in and has retired to single life in a run-down studio apartment collecting useless degrees to convince himself that he is not a waste of oxygen.

Enough money for me is the amount needed to meet my family's needs.

As things will be tougher in coming years, I also want to have enough to give my daughter a good start and to secure a decent life for myself and mrs given tougher rules of pensions are likely to apply.

For others, the pursuit of money is their hobby, and good luck to them.

Most of my passions are cheap, so I don't need much.

Dear shadyminister,

I am guilty of doing a useless degree: Bachelor of Engineering. Talk about a waste of time and money. The best engineers I have seen in my experience didn't even have a degree.

The only reason I completed the degree was simply because I had started it in the first place. Absolutely worthless exercise in applied mathematics is the only way I can describe an engineering degree.

I recall sitting on the WC at uni and looking down at the tissue holder and just above it someone at scribbled 'ENGINEERING DEGREES - TAKE ONE' - how true!

PS I hope you spent your money getting your children an education and not just vocational training.