It's all about the Benjimans baby -- moments vs. things

I keep seeing posts on Facebook reminding me that life should be about collecting moments and not things, but as much as I love that idea, I think I just really like things. I mean, don't we all? We all want nice clothes, nice cars, nice houses, nice boats, nice watches, nice electronics, nice furniture. Hell, new words are still being invented just so that we can be completely "swagged" out from head to toe with the finest new things. While my swag factor is undoubtedly sub par, I think society's emphasis on things over moments is nothing new.

I mean, who really does anything without being rewarded these days? Well, at least without the potential for reward. People want to work, get paid and buy stuff. You know, collect things. Just to have them. Just to look at. Just to show off to the next guy. I recently had a conversation with an old high school buddy and this topic came up. He mentioned that he had recently become an activist of sorts and his life was becoming about more than just "things". Of course, I was able to read between the lines. What he was "really" saying is that he he recently separated and his wife took half his things. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

P.Diddy/Puff Daddy got it all right when he sang that it's All About The Benjimans. We all want to be ballers and shot callers. We collect those dead presidents from the time we're born until the time we die. It's just our way of life. Western culture creates that expectation and if we're not rich, then we're not successful. Who wants to be rich in memories, when we can have stacks of benjimans lining our wallets? You can't go out to Anthony's waterfront restaurant and pay with memories, but you can order a hell of a steak dinner to eat with a tremendous view if your pockets are over flowin' with greenbacks.

Maybe it's just the cynic in me coming out. Maybe I do selfless acts all the time and my mind is not dreamin' about collecting dinero, but something tells me my fascination with things will haunt me until my dying days. When the reaper comes to take me away, the under keeper won't be there to collect my memories. He'll collect the last of my coin and maybe ask if there's an estate sale because he too probably wants a shot at buying the rest of my things. Hey, to the victor goes the spoils and he who dies with the most toys, wins.