Anita, I agree with most of what you have said but I guess the main point your trying to make escapes me. I agree that rich or poor we all die and are somewhat equal in that (the rich can afford better medical care and live much longer than the poor on avg but I get what you mean) I am not one of those people who hate rich people or think they are somehow all morally bankrupt simply because they are rich, my main point is that in my life rich isnt the goal, the goal for me the thing that would bring me happiness but has alluded me is a way to find a balance between working hard to afford the basic things in life, a secure place to live, functional clothing, food, a car ect. I know that there are many people in the world who dont have these things, I know I am not that bad off in general compared to many millions of people. All I want is to not have to worry so much about being so close to being unable to provide those basic things for me and my partner. I dont mind hard work, I have was averaging 50-55 hours a week at my last job to make the money needed for the thing like housing etc. I just dont know why especially here in the US we are expected to give up so much in return for the money to afford those basic things. 50 years ago when most people lived in households that only had one money earned, a basic salary would afford you the money needed to have a home for you, your wife and your two kids, a car, time for a vacation and some savings so you could hopefully retire one day. Now if you dont have two incomes in your family its very hard to afford the basic things needed for american life. All I want is to be able to work hard for the next 30 years and end up with a place to live a car to drive and some money to retire, at the pace im on now I will never be able to afford those things. So is the only real truth that everyone dies and even people with money arnt happy so dont expect happiness yourself? Or find some way to be happy even if your homeless? If so my basic question still begs asking, Why Bother?