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ILLUSTRATION DATABASE

Materialism

How much money does a person need?

During 1987, Kevin Garnett of the NBA Timberwolves turned down a multi-year contract for $103 million. He was holding out for $130 million and eventually settled for a figure in the mid 120 millions! Tim Allen of Home Improvement fame passed Jerry Seinfeld up in the TV salary game. Allen settled for $1.25 million per episode. $250,000 more than Seinfeld makes. What to do with all this cash? Allen bought his very own Gulfstream jet. What would Everett Dirksen the late Illinois Congressman think now? Remember his quip before congress some years ago, "A million here and a million there -- pretty soon you're talking real money!"

It's no longer a joke! Financial planners now say that people who are now in their 40's will need $1.65 million dollars to retire when they reach their mid 60's! What was that line again about "lay not for yourselves treasures on earth..."

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No Amount of Money

A CBS 60 Minutes episode on Jan. 8, 1998 focused on some people who had won the lottery and become millionaires. One young couple had won millions of dollars, but had also lost their three year old daughter to a critical illness. Dan Rather suggested, "No amount of money could make up for the loss of your daughter..." The young man replied, "I'd rather be poor!" Shouldn't we stop and think?

Spirituality for Sale

With every second ticking closer to the millennium, Americans become increasingly obsessed with religion – making spirituality the hottest trend around. The faith craze, however, has gone too far when even Self magazine devotes itself to "your spiritual life." Self's year-end issue for 1997 featured articles entitled "Why is Buddhism so Hip?, "Spirituality for Beginners," "Zen: Mind Gardening" and "Workouts to Soothe the Soul." Also included: was a special fashion section showing $370 "transcendent casual wear" by Norma Kamali emblazoned with Gandhi's face of course,-if Ghandi breaks your budget you might opt for ~ $44 T-shirt printed with a Thai Buddha. [Diana Butler Bass]