Consider this:

I tell you that I will give you a watch, either a Timex or a top of the line Rolex. However, there are two conditions.

First, you may not sell it. Second, if you insure it any insurance claim proceeds must be paid to me.

Which watch would you pick? Most people I ask go for the Rolex. In fact, until recently so would I.

Makes sense, right? A Rolex is considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity. It makes people want you or want to be you. But, when you think about it, it is a poor choice.

Think about it. Both watches are equally good as timepieces. But the Rolex comes with liabilities which makes it less desirable.

You can not wear the Rolex anywhere, unlike the Timex. The Rolex is makes you a target for thieves. Moreover, damaging the Rolex requires expensive repairs or replacement. The Timex? $25 gets you a brand new one. The Timex is therefore liberating, the Rolex limiting.

Even the “prestige” of a Rolex is an argument against it.

If you wear a Rolex you would at least need attire of similar prestige. Wearing a Rolex to the supermarket with your t-shirt and jeans does not make you look important. It only makes everyone wonder how you got a Rolex, with the general assumption it is either fake or obtained by illegitimate means.

Even if you are in an appropriate place, and appropriately dressed, to wear a Rolex it still works against you. Wearing a Rolex means you can blow five to fifty grand on a watch. A Timex, on the other hand, shows you understand the value of money and frugality.

My father understood this concept, and tried to teach it to me. I’ll admit that I did not get it till only recently. The sad situation of our modern world is that we are inundated with media advertising telling us that happiness and success stem from the trappings of status. Of course, these symbols of status come at a high cost and must be replaced frequently. This in turn causes people to turn their backs on honesty, justice, and fair dealing when inconvenient to the pocket book.

If we are to survive as a society, we must teach ourselves and our children that happiness comes from within. And, that no amount of bright and shinny trinkets will replace the satisfaction that comes from hard work, honest acts, and trusted relationships, even if that is not the most profitable way to live.