Money and Morals: Mencius is regarded as a saint who spoke only of righteousness, but he mentioned a lot of economic issues. Among them, it has been said that humans must have a steady livelihood so their righteousness can also be maintained. According to Mencius, it’s hard to follow human morals without a certain income. To be wealthy, you must have a small, but regular income, which is better than an irregular one. In business, the ‘bottom (seed capital)’ is very important. You need a foundation to start a business. No matter how much capital-less startups are, the fact is that the founders’ labor costs are being consumed. In other words, this means there is a bottom, and nothing is free. Creating a consistent income in life cannot be overstated. If you are struggling due to financial hardship, make sure to have a steady income, even if it’s small. That small, steady income makes the future predictable, turning uncertainty into certainty. Businesses and investments are profitable whe...
The most difficult writing in the Bible that I’ve ever read is ‘Job.’ In introducing ‘Job,’ the Bible states that he was a rich man of strong faith and the head of a happy family, but it does not explain the origins of the blessings he enjoyed. As he endures indescribable hardships, the reasons for his suffering remain unclear. In other words, he was blessed without explanation and suffered without explanation. The first part of the book of Job, which describes his blessings, contrasts with the latter part, in which he loses everything and eventually recovers for the first time. Yet, there is no explanation for this recovery either. Job’s life serves as a profound example of human experience. For many, the most painful aspect is to enjoy blessings without reason and to lose those blessings without reason. Our lives compel us to confront this reality, and that is the essence of our existence. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”