Friday, August 02, 2019


Must not speak simple truths if you are rich

Colourful British billionaire Sir Richard Branson has unleashed a Twitter storm by sensationally claiming money doesn’t buy happiness.

The Virgin founder — who has a staggering estimated net worth of $US4.1 billion ($A5.9 billion) — took to the social media platform yesterday to post a sweet photo of himself with wife Joan Templeman.

It was accompanied by the caption: “I truly believe that ‘stuff’ really does not bring happiness. Family, friends, good health and the satisfaction that comes from making a positive difference are what really matters.”

It immediately sparked an avalanche of criticism, with countless Twitter users accusing the father-of-three of being a “hypocrite” and wildly out of touch — especially considering he is the 34th richest person in the UK, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

In fact, the 69-year-old is so wealthy he owns his own 299,467sq m island, a private jet, a yacht and a string of luxury properties around the globe.

However, it is also worth noting that the eccentric mogul — who made his first million in his early 20s — is known for his generosity and philanthropy.

He is a member of the Giving Pledge, a commitment by the world’s wealthiest people to dedicate most of their wealth to giving back to the world.

He’s also promised to give away $3 billion over 10 years to help the fight against global warming, and spends the majority of his time working on Virgin Unite, his company’s charity sector which supports a number of causes and non-profits.

SOURCE 

1 comment:

Malcolm Smith said...

I regard money as a necessary but not sufficient source of happiness, subject to the law of diminishing returns. It is not easy to be happy when you have to count every penny. It's possible, but not easy. It is easier if you are prosperous and comfortable. But I don't think the rich are necessarily more happy than the merely prosperous, or the millionaires happier than the merely rich, or the billionaires happier than the millionaires. Indeed, eventually you no longer own the money; it owns you. One commentator said that money is like fat in the diet: it is essential, but too much is a hindrance to the good life.