What is money really useful for? Paying rent, and buying meat.
Beyond this — money doesn’t have that much positive utility. Just buy your MacBook laptop (refurbished, maxed out). See all the options on Apple site here.
No, you cannot quantify success with money
People use money as a score-card. I am convinced — people won’t want money for the sake of it. They want money as as signal to themselves that they are ‘succeeding’ and progressing in life.
The wisdom of using money
For example, let us say JAY Z is worth $1B. It doesn’t matter. What matters is more:
Will his net-worth continue to increase into the future, or decrease?
For example if JAY Z goes from $1 billion to (only) $500 Million, he might feel a huuuuuuge punch in the gut. Same goes to Warren Buffet, etc.
What is the use of money?
We need money to pay rent. To buy meat. To buy our technological tools. Then beyond this … money doesn’t have that much positive utility.
For example, I am happier NOT owning a car. Happier NOT owning a home. I am happier to be more poor and free than to be more rich and more enslaved.
I enjoy walking to the park. I enjoy not using a phone. I enjoy chatting with strangers and not feeling rushed. I like taking my sweet sweet time with everything.