Which Would YOU Choose?

The Pew Research Center conducted a survey with Americans to find out what's more important in their lives - wealth or free time. Personally, I think one goes hand in hand with the other. The gift of wealth creates the opportunity for more free time. Of course, right now I have more free time than I know what to do with, and this free time is slowly draining what very little wealth I have left, but set this contradiction aside for the moment and read the damn story from Reuters!

Having enough free time is more important to most Americans than being rich, according to a new poll.
Only 13 percent of more than 2,400 people questioned in the telephone poll ranked being wealthy as most important to them, while 67 percent ranked free time as their top priority, higher than having a successful career, getting married, and having children.

"Everyone wants free time to do the things they want to do, young, middle-aged or old," said Richard Morin, of the Pew Social & Demographic Trends Project, which conducted the survey.
"So our desire to play unites us."

The poll also showed that people who were university educated valued career success over wealth, as did middle-aged people.

Not surprisingly, those who didn't have money, ranked wealth very highly. This included minorities, first generation Americans and less educated people.
The survey also revealed that a disproportionate number of people under the age of 30 and retirees in the group made $20,000 or less a year.
But the emphasis on wealth lessens with age, with younger people putting value on it but hardly any seniors.

"It just diminishes with time as the reality sets in that you would never be rich," Morin said. "But also, the reality sets in that you don't have to be rich to lead a very comfortable and fulfilling life."

While wealth was not at the top of people's list of priorities, 43 percent still said it was somewhat important.

Perhaps we would all find happiness washing cars. To quote the 20th century philosopher

Rose Royce, "You might not ever get rich, but let me tell you it's better than digging a ditch".

Man, I really need less free time right about now, don't I?