Your views on wealth, materialistic goods and work?

Not sure if this should be in general, feel free to move.

What are your views on being wealthy and having materialistic goods? What sort of value would you put on this? How much are you prepared to do to achieve wealth, work 7 days a week? Sit behind a computer all day?

For me, sure I would love to be wealthy and have many materialistic goods. I used to tell myself, when I am older I am going to move out of home, get a nice car, a few computers etc etc. However, lately I have been reconsidering my lifestyle views.

I would MUCH prefer to do highschool teaching and earn less than doing something that I might like but earn lots. I might like to do web design or break in to the IT industry with the prospect of earning some nice figures although, to me, sitting at a computer 5 or 6 days a week would become tiresem and would not be as stimulating, challenging and rewarding as teaching - my passion.

I am not well off now, infact, I am far from it. I love my life though, I watch shows like Laguana Beach and My Super Sweet 16 and see some people with some real money and see how much better (I believe) my life is than theres.

I am more of a spiritual person though. I don't own any of the nintendo's or playstations etc. I would prefer to be outside, or volunteering and interacting with people. However, in saying that I also must admit that I do like to go out and spend some money once in a while.

In conclusion, if I got the offer of a $6 million a year job however it would require me sitting pretty much alone in a cubicle desiging I would turn it down for my $40K teaching job.

Obviously, my views may conflict with others but please don't try and sway your views because of what others may think. If you truly want to earn lot's of money and have a couple of houses etc. then say so but try and keep it realistic to your capabalities. Obviously owning a Microsoft isn't going to happen anytime soon, but maybe working hard at freelancing or something is realisitic.

I don't know how to say this modestly or to not sound like I'm up my own **** so I'll just say it.

Seeing as both my parents are well paid consultants in the medical profession, I already (at the age of 15, coming on 16) have a fair bit of wealth - I wear designer clothes like Replay, Diesel etc, I go to a private school and I get alot of money as allowance.

I don't want to do what I want to do as my career solely because of money - I believe I have a natural talent. But of course, the wealth that would come from my sucess in my chosen career isn't half bad either. If you are wondering, I want to be a business consultant.

I enjoy spending money, especially on other people. I love suprising my girlfriend with ncie gifts, or taking her out to dinner. That's my lifestyle - I just want to be able to do what I want, how I want. It isn't because I care about how other people see me, it's just how I see myself.

"So why the hell do you freelance?" I hear you asking.. Well it's simple - I get a kick out of it. I get a kick out of bagging a job, out of pleasing a customer, out of receiving emails from PayPal saying "you have payment". And I enjoy doing it, I enjoy messing with Photoshop, I enjoy the braintangling PHP can get you into, I enjoy working out the best possible ways of coding a website, I enjoy having a project idea and it working out (or not in some cases).

Basically, my life is all about enjoyment, and if working, wealth or materialistic goods can help me have a laugh with my friends when I'm not working, or have a nice evening with my girlfriend, then what the hell - I'll do it.