What defines me

This morning, I read with interest an article in the NY Times. Ben Stein writes with a truth that most others have completely ignored. The financial gurus claim the market will turn around. The Wall Street wizards lay low and the bankers say nothing. Mr. Stein has written in a way that enlightens, empowers, and informs. But most of all he reminds us that WE ARE NOT OUR INVESTMENTS. As he discussed the Bernard Madoff debacle, he shared how he chose to avoid that loss. As he discussed the Drexel Burnham Lambert junk bond woes of the 80's, he reminds us that history repeats itself when one does not learn from the past. As he discussed his investment past, he tells us that being 60 meant that he had a lot to remember. Mostly, he is saying to us that our net worth does not make us who we are. As I've been saying, this financial crisis is kind of leveling the playing field. Ben Stein writes:

We are more than our investments. We are more than the year-to-year or day-by-day changes in our net worth. We are what we do for charity. We are how we treat our family and friends. We are how we treat our dogs and cats. We are what we do for our community and our nation. If you had $100 million or $100,000 a year ago and now you have a lot less, you are still the same person. You are not a balance sheet, at least not one denominated in money, as was explained to me recently.

Losing and making money are not moral issues so long as you are being honest. You may have a lot less money as this year ends than you did two years ago. But you are just as good or bad a person as you were then. It is a myth that money determines who you are, and if you have gotten over that myth by now, then 2008 will have been a very good year.

Ben Stein is a lawyer, writer, actor and economist. He may as well be a philosopher. As the playing field is leveled, perhaps the power of heart shall become more valuable to us than the power of money and prestige. Perhaps.