Changing Views on Prosperity

The dictionary definition makes sense to me:
a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition, especially in financial respects; good fortune.

Are we talking semantics here?

The main thing I wish for my children is happiness. I have never thought of it in terms of "prosperity." I think that there is a financial component to happiness, because most people who are really struggling financially find it hard to be happy, so I do wish for a reasonable income for my children. Heck, as I face the "golden years," I wish it for myself.

So if prosperity means financial freedom, then yes, I wish it. But prosperity is one of those nuanced words that can mean a lot of things, although most definitions probably include something relating to money.

Having a lot of costly assets? Not necessary for happiness. Studies have shown that to be the true. They have also shown that people who endlessly yearn to acquire costly assets are typically less happy individuals.

Costly assets is the same as having items you choose. It's really about access; I think it's very easy to say that money doesn't matter when you have it and the access it can provide for simple necessities like food, housing, clothes and medical care.

I grew up very poor and lived below the poverty level for 3/4 or so of my life. Wanting to be prosperous isn't usually about having material things, it's about the security and access which money allows. Before, even though I had great friends, I wasn't necessarily prosperous because I didn't feel I had access to regular health care or some of the other things I enjoy now. My definition of prosperity has never changed, it's rather textbook.

I would suggest, instead, that people are confusing the concept of 'prosperity' with 'satisfaction', which is entirely different and far more subject to interpretation. The former is a fact, one is or isn't prosperous, based on economics; the latter is more existential or experiential. One can be satisfied with less while others can make millions and still never feel they have enough.

Your husband is using the word 'prosperity' correctly but doesn't seem to realize that there is no actual difference in his point-of-view then vs now.

Anyway, prosperity is good and it would be great for my kids to have it.

Prosperity is a state of mind. It is not related to items, nor is it a specific goal you can reach. The goal is the means, and once met, the end is (maybe, hopefully) prosperity.

I feel that our family is quite prosperous. We are blessed beyond measure.

Prosperity to me is a feeling of abundance. It has nothing to do with things. Things may play a part, but I think of prosperity as having a life filled with enrichment, whatever that may mean for that person. This might mean having a BMW to one person, while to another it might mean having a stream in their backyard. In all cases, though, I would think having basic needs met would be a requirement. More and more research is showing the negative effects of financial stress. No life can prosper if it is under a dark cloud of severe financial stress.

I hope my children find a life of great meaning. I wish that more than I wish for them to have things. Things are helpful, but not really necessary.

I see no difference in how your hubby is using those terms.

Your husband thinks there is a difference between having lots of costly assets and having everything you want? Neither sound like the definition of prosperity to me.

Don't really have a personal definition because I have never given it much thought. Never set out to be prosperous or rich, or really any other term for amassing material stuff. I have stuff mind you but stuff doesn't mean much, happiness does and I have found happiness has little to do with how much stuff you have.

Maybe you guys are shooting for the wrong goal.

I tend to agree with your husband. Having the most and the fanciest sounds attractive for a while... but if you ask one hundred different people what reasonable prosperity is, you may get at least fifty different answers.

I am echoing Zig Ziglar when I answer that you are prosperous when you have some of the good things money can buy, and all of the good things money can't buy.

To me it means bountiful balanced financial abundance and non-worry. And I usually picture such comforts increasing and building in some way, not staying the same when I think of "prosperity". Like income and quality of life increasing with years and more kids and stuff, not just living off of one big blob of cash forever. You could be loaded with inherited wealth and wanting for nothing, but to me it's not being "prosperous" unless you're "growing" the wealth.

What @Mamazita said and who wouldn't want to aim for that for themselves and their children. Honestly I am hoping my children are more prosperous than myself.

Interestingly enough I'm reading a non-fiction book about our stock market (Flash boys) and the author mentions that a stock broker from Canada said that his impression of Americans lifestyles - “Everything was to excess.” I wonder if that's what your husband means by "costly assets?"

In my view...some opportunities and or choices [a diploma] can prove to be very prosperous, while the job that the education helped you get, may bring you prosperity [paycheck]. What you do with it is another story.

However, the word can have several connotations.

Recently, I was at the skating rink and a man began to talk to me. He mentioned he was going to buy his son a pair of figure skates and airbrush them with skulls or something. I asked why he would do that because by the time he finishes them, his son will grow and will need a new pair. His reply was, "That's okay, I make a lot of money". He went on to tell me how they just missed Surya Bonaly, his son's coach. She is in France and they just returned from France.

I certainly thought the man was some big-wig, however, chuckled. Yes, that is where she is in fact. My daughter is her student as well. The man pointed out that he just went in the pro shop and bought his son the sweat suit he was wearing, pointing out that they were 30% off [ya know]. After a few more probes, I told the man that my daughter has one already, she got it with the team. He mentioned that this was the "hockey" team sweat suit. "Yes, I know", I said. He assumed I had two children. I said no, my daughter plays on the hockey team and she figure skates. The conversation went on and soon he was asking me questions about skating and sharing where he wanted to see his son go, bla bla bla. So in the end, who was flourishing? The conversation redirected from his boss hog stacks of money.

F. B....I know you know what a Boss Hog stack of money is *v*

Robert Kiyosaki defines wealth as having enough assets that you don't have to work to provide for your needs - in other words, you don't have to worry about money. He would say that people can be rich (have lots of stuff) without being wealthy
http://www.richdad.com/Resources/Rich-Dad-Financial-Educa...

So for me, prosperity is not about items at all. It is about being financially free and smart about your money and planning.

Oh, and he defines assets quite differently also. An asset is something that makes you money. A house is not an asset, usually, for instance, because you have a mortgage or you are living in it - it is not making you money. If you own a rental property that makes $$ it is an asset.