NordenBladet – Wealth and freedom are two fundamental ideas that often go hand in hand in public discourse. A common phrase is: I want to be rich so I can be free. However, the more we examine the lives of the ultra-rich, the more a paradox emerges: the larger the fortune, the more restricted true freedoms become. There are limits where you lose your voice, your identity, and even your life – extreme wealth can lead or even push a person, semi-willingly, into becoming a pawn of manipulation, pressure, and political forces.
Is having too much money like a drug addiction, a playful indulgence in wealth that ultimately distances a person from true freedom? Or should we rather ask whether it is even possible to become mega-rich without compromising morality?
Beyond a certain financial threshold, even the ultra-wealthy start engaging in flattery, suppressing their own opinions, making compromises, playing by the you-scratch-my-back-I’ll-scratch-yours rule, and other constraining behaviors – all in pursuit of even greater gains.
I believe that a person is truly rich and free when they have enough resources but can still say what they truly think, do what they truly want, and do it whenever they choose.
Let’s take an example from the most read and debated trio in Scandinavian media today: Trump-Zelenskyy-Lutnick.
Is billionaire investment banker Howard William Lutnick—CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald and the 41st U.S. Secretary of Commerce—a free man in his words and actions? No, he is not. Psychologically, he is likely just as constrained under President Trump as any regular 9-to-5 worker under their boss. The difference is that many ordinary people comply willingly—some because they don’t know any other way, others because they simply don’t want another way. But Lutnick? He no longer has a choice. He is a businessman who wants to make business great again.
Lutnick’s company is deeply intertwined with the U.S. political and economic elite. By pushing dubious contracts onto Ukraine, he secures early control over its mines and ports. Lithium, iron ore, and other rare metals—the very resources fueling the war in Ukraine—are then handed to him on a silver platter, just as they are to other players in the same game.
Top businessmen love to see themselves not only as billionaires but also as historical figures shaping the world. Did Lutnick believe that by forcing his “peace plan” onto Zelenskyy, he was not tarnishing his reputation but rather positioning himself as a bold peace negotiator and economic rebuilder?
Almost all people are pragmatic and susceptible to manipulation—very few can be TRULY FREE AND RICH at the same time. Many can be free but not wealthy; many are wealthy but not free. Only a rare few have the guts to stand their ground, even against the world’s wealthiest elite—to prioritize their true beliefs and values over money.
Money itself is, of course, not inherently bad. On the contrary, it is an incredibly useful tool that enables societal progress, problem-solving, a comfortable life, scientific advancements, and improved social welfare. However, there is a point beyond which accumulating wealth no longer serves human needs but instead becomes a goal in itself.
Once a person’s income surpasses a certain level, it no longer enhances their quality of life but rather creates new concerns: asset protection, political influence, competition, manipulation, and constant social maneuvering to maintain their position.
Much of the life of the ultra-wealthy revolves around compromise and adaptation. While an ordinary person can freely express their opinions, the ultra-rich must constantly calculate whom they need to please and what consequences their statements may have. The larger the fortune, the more one must participate in the games dictated by political and economic forces, where every decision is weighed not in terms of personal freedom but in terms of profit and influence. This leads to a situation where personal identity diminishes, and the individual becomes a pawn in the hands of political leaders or other powerful economic players.
Ultra-wealth is much like elite sports, where the focus is no longer on health but on results. Professional athletes may appear fit and healthy from the outside, but in reality, there is no top athlete who is truly healthy—they are all broken in some way, either physically or mentally. Elite athletes may seem successful and free, but in truth, they live under constant pressure: injuries, doping, medical manipulation, social expectations, and sponsor demands. Their lives revolve around obedience, dependency, requirements, and restrictions. The same applies to many of the ultra-rich.
I often wonder: money is great, but at such a cost? Why are so many of the mega-rich such spineless, politically correct figures who rarely express their true opinions? The reason is obvious: the greater the fortune, the greater the greed and the stronger the need to protect it. Today’s global economy is built on interdependencies where power and money exist in symbiosis, which can lead people to abandon their fundamental values.
Those who speak too openly face scandals, boycotts, and even financial losses. Thus, the ultra-rich adapt and prefer to quietly accumulate wealth rather than risk their fortunes. Yes, they are in big trouble because they can no longer live independently and honestly without putting their financial empires at risk. Just look at the Russian oligarchs—many of whom are now like blue-collar workers earning minimum wage and carrying 40-year mortgages, terrified of losing their jobs. (In reality, they probably fear for their lives even more than their money at this point.) And perhaps with good reason—most of their wealth is tied to dependencies.
I firmly believe that having less but independent money is far better! Perhaps it’s not even right to say less. Having a lot of money is great too—but it must be independent!
Independence, in general, is a truly valuable thing. Paradoxically, the happiest and freest people are often those who have enough money to live comfortably but not so much that they need to protect their wealth from complex political and economic games.
More independence, more self-sufficiency, and more independent wealth!
Look also:
