Thakane Shale
Thakane Shale
MONEY, wealth, finances however you may want to refer to the subject there is no denying that it is a touchy topic. I need to ask, why are we so ashamed of talking about money. In fact, not only are we ashamed of having discussions about it, we are also ashamed of wanting it or loving it.
For a large number of the population who like me grew up in a Christian home 1 Timothy 6: 10 has been drilled into you from your childhood “for the love of money is the root of all evil” in fact some people have even gone as far as saying “money is the root of all evil” hard not to have an aversion to discussing something that you have been taught is evil all your life. Now I am not that well versed in religion to decipher the intended meaning behind the verse but I am well aware that it has played a major part in holding us back financially.
Growing up we are taught to treat those who have amassed wealth with suspicion, the rich family in the village? They must be involved in some sort of ritual killings to get all that money or perhaps even attend a satanic church. You get older and when guys who are even mildly successful ask you out you are taught that they are surely after you for sex, are broke men also not interested in sex? You get successful all on your own as a woman and at every family gathering you are berated as a snob and that no man will want to marry you now that you have money. All this and a number of other examples where we romanticise poverty as some sort of morally righteous path. I have been poor and I have been richer and believe me, there is nothing fun about poverty. I have been with broke men and rich men and contrary to what you are being told there is nothing romantic about a man who is constantly worried about how to pay the KFC bill.
Now do not misinterpret me, I am not denying that money does change some people and drives them to do bad things, murder included but it is not the only reason such people are morally reprehensible criminals, are rich men going to use you and not love you as you would have hoped? Absolutely some of them will but it not because they are rich, people will do what people do, and are there people who become snobs after getting a bit richer, of course and your chances of marriage are not being ruined by your finances, if a man is not marrying you because you are doing well financially then you have to wonder if that is the kind of partner you want to build a life with anyway. As for dating men with money please do not constitute my opinions with advocating for you to be a blesse or depending on a relationship for your expenses but relationships are stressful enough without adding financial pressure to it, that being said it is also okay to be with a partner who though broke at the moment is getting their affairs in order, we all start somewhere in life. Men in their 40s still working on their mix tapes do not apply to this rule.
The main problem is just that we have villainised money and the love of it to an extent that we ignore the matter completely, I am writing this article like I am all superior but even I have no clue how much I am paying in bank charges. I do not keep track of my expenses like how much I use on airtime and entertainment and that is sadly the norm for most young professionals. Month end we are balling at Mpilo boutique and five days before pay day we are borrowing transport money just to get a taxi to work. And as for things like planning for our retirement or medical expenses, if our employers are not taking care of it then we know nothing about it. I dare you to stop anyone between the ages of 23 and 30 and ask them what a financial planner is and 4 out of 5 you will get a blank stare. Ask people about to get married whether they considered how they are going to manage the finances in their marriage or even whether they have had a conversation with their significant other about money and they will probably say something insipid like love conquers all. In all my 20 something years I have yet to see love pay for a bill.
