If you know who Dan Bilzerian is and what he’s known for, then you’d understand exactly how shocking his statement is. As one of the most controversial people on the internet, Dan Bilzerian can be likened to a modern Hugh Hefner.
His lifestyle - which one could argue represents the polar opposite of the way of Jesus - involves throwing lavish parties, sleeping with tons of women, driving fast cars and coasting on yachts.
He’s worth $350 million dollars and broadcasts all of his escapades to his 33 million Instagram followers. Yet in this candid interview on Steve-O’s Wild Ride podcast, he makes the admission that the very lifestyle he advertises does not bring him happiness.
So why do we continue to pursue money as if it’ll bring happiness? Deep down, many of us believe that money will fix all our problems.
It comes down to this: financial problems can be a severe source of stress, especially for those that are just getting by. So in this sense, it is true that money does bring about a sense of security.
But since many of us have never reached a fraction of Bilzerian’s wealth - or ever been in a place of excess - we do not realize that once our basic needs are met, money won’t do anything for us.
In fact, a 2010 Princeton study found that there is a numerical limit to which money brings happiness - $75,000/year to be exact. Given inflation over the last 13 years and the geographical location that different people live in, this number is relative.
In San Francisco, for example, it might be much higher, because the cost-of-living is higher. Nonetheless, the point remains the same. Once we are financially secure, money does not bring happiness.
While Bilzerian’s realizations may be shocking because of who he is, they are not new. Thousands of years ago, Jesus warned against the dangers of the love of money.
Money is not bad - it should neither be demonized or glorified. It’s a means, not an end. But if our primary pursuit in life is about attaining wealth and pleasure, then we will live chronically dissatisfied.
We’ll never stop thirsting for more, and we’ll keep looking to something that will never be capable of quenching that thirst.