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How much are you worth ?

(106 Posts)
pompa Thu 23-Apr-15 07:20:25

I was announced this morning that Sir Paul McCartney is worth > £700,000,000. Has this bought him contentment? (OK it should help, but has it?)

Give that we are born with nothing and a potful of ashes at the end is of little value, what are we really worth to others ?

absent Thu 23-Apr-15 07:40:44

I guess it depends who the others are? I spent today doing some hugely overdue cleaning in my recently much neglected house, but also went shopping for ingredients to cook a couple of meals for my daughter's family. As she had a C-section last Friday, she cannot stand around being creative with an onion in order to feed her large family. (Her husband does his best but he admits he is not much good as a cook.) So tonight they came to collect the children, who had come here after school, and they have gone home with a massive bucket of chicken stew and a huge dish of lasagne. I did also pay for the petrol tank to be topped up, but I reckon the lasagne outweighs the petrol in Mum value.

Your query pompa, brings to mind Oscar Wilde's observation about knowing the price of everything and value of nothing.

grumppa Thu 23-Apr-15 07:41:26

Probably not, but he has been rewarded for brightening the lives of millions.

pompa Thu 23-Apr-15 07:49:38

Absent, I like that OW quote. Exactly what I had in mind.

I was thinking more of our worth to our family and mankind in general. I guess we are priceless to our close family (I hope so), but I doubt that my life has touched mankind in general. You quoted OW, what a wonderful legacy to leave if you are a writer, composer, artist etc.

gillybob Thu 23-Apr-15 08:09:01

Personally I find the sort of wealth accumulated by sir Paul Mc to be obscene. But I do hope it makes him a happy man.

On the lines of net worth, I am worth very little. Financially I am perhaps worth a little more dead than alive, but on the lines of what am I "worth" to my family then I think perhaps I am worth quite a lot more.

2 days plus one overnight childcare for 3 grandchildren throughout the year.
School runs.
At least 4 weeks continuous care in school holidays
Provision of various packed lunches, meals etc.
Washing, washing and more washing
5 x 2 hour care package for elderly grandma
Various " emergency" call outs for elderly grandma especially if said elderly grandma has run out of bananas on a Sunday morning at 7am
Shopping and admin (see above)
Bi-weekly visiting of parents
Provision of entertainment (see above)
Various trips to/from appointments (see above)
Looking after sisters puppy (3 hours per week)
Walking and toilet duties (see above)
PA services to every member of my family (as and when required)
Working in engineering company 30 hours per week for only 15 hours pay

I think perhaps I am priceless. grin

felice Thu 23-Apr-15 08:38:30

I have an artificial heart valve which is guaranteed for 125 years, an artifical knee, titanium brace in my mouth and various other pieces of metal scattered around my old body.
DD jokes that when I pop my clogs she is going to put a claim in for the Heart valve(or sell it on Ebay) and melt the rest of me down for scrap.
Not quite sure if she is joking or not, wouldn't bother me by then anyway!!!!!!!

pompa Thu 23-Apr-15 08:44:08

Your implanted bits, may outlive you, check this out :- www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16877393

ginny Thu 23-Apr-15 08:47:47

Oscar Wilde was totally correct. There are people who have more money and assets than they know what to do with but always want more. There are also those that have little of monetary value but count themselves rich in their relationships. I think I know who are the happier.

I also agree with * gillybob* I'm priceless too. My family often tell me so ! grin

pompa Thu 23-Apr-15 08:57:47

HID (work that one out) found out that her Great Grandfather was a Welsh poet who had a book published in the 1800's, She has been trying to find a copy of it for years to no avail. She recently found a reference to a copy in the National library of Wales, they are organising a PDF copy for her (at a very reasonable charge). His work will now live on. I wonder when his works were last viewed ? (hope it's worth it) I think they are religious poems.

Teetime Thu 23-Apr-15 08:59:46

I do often have to remind DH how lucky he is to have me for a wife and sometimes publicly grin.

I play golf with a lot of very wealthy women (I am not one of them in many senses) - miserable lot!!

Jane10 Thu 23-Apr-15 11:15:28

I suppose like anything else we are worth whatever anyone is willing to pay for us? grin!
My grandmother, when she had become somewhat of a victim of dementia, was giving us our instructions for what to do with her after her death. She told me forcefully that she wanted her body to go for public auction! When I queried this odd request (unsure of the second hand value of Granny) she said "Did I say that? I meant medical research! I knew it was something like that!"
I do miss her. You never knew what she would say next.

TriciaF Thu 23-Apr-15 11:25:54

I've always liked Paul McCartney, and he doesn't seem to have lost his charm, as many do when they become rich. He gives a lot to charities too.
One problem is that rich people tend to attract scroungers (Heather Mills?)
As we've seen here with a family with young children breaking up with much bitterness.

Soutra Thu 23-Apr-15 12:11:29

My price as a virtuous woman is higher than rubies. (Book of Proverbs) But as I don't know what Ruby charges, I am not sure if that is a good thing or not!!gringringrin

Tegan Thu 23-Apr-15 12:29:34

grin!

ninathenana Thu 23-Apr-15 12:53:47

gillybob I thought I did more than my fair share of childcare but your list makes me tired just reading it !

absent Thu 23-Apr-15 17:13:56

BTW I wouldn't give tuppence for a has-been singer/musician who wasn't much good even in his prime.

jinglbellsfrocks Thu 23-Apr-15 17:20:42

That is a ridiculous comment. He and John Lennon were excellent musicians and songwriters. Could you have written Eleanor Rigby when you were a teenager? hmm

merlotgran Thu 23-Apr-15 17:38:09

They were prolific songwriters and their talent relied on their partnership. Neither one of them was anywhere near as good after they split up.

Paul McCartney is only regarded as a has-been now because he won't put a sock in it insists on still performing.

pompa Thu 23-Apr-15 18:01:58

MY question is what do we think we are worth to others.
How good or bad PM was/is was as a musician was not the question, does his (or anyone else's) money bring contentment, was.
Let's keep it peaceable please, I thought I had dream't up a non-contentious subject.

Whilst a few extra bucks would be useful, I would not swap my life for his, I believe I am far more content with my lot.

jinglbellsfrocks Thu 23-Apr-15 18:05:48

Paul wrote the sweetest of the Songs - And I love her. Things we did today. Here, there, and everywhere, Yesterday, Blackbird.........

Sigh

jinglbellsfrocks Thu 23-Apr-15 18:06:31

pompa threads wander. smile

Ana Thu 23-Apr-15 18:09:08

It's a different world though, isn't it? None of us knows how content or otherwise we'd feel if we were in PM's position so I don't see how we can compare lots.

annodomini Thu 23-Apr-15 18:19:18

I thought about this, reading through the thread. I have come to the conclusion that most of the things that gave me 'worth' have gradually drifted away over the last 15 years since I retired. No-one is dependent on me and most of the functions I fulfil in the community could be done equally well by someone else. Maybe I need to find another way to measure 'worth'.

pompa Thu 23-Apr-15 18:20:09

Jing, I love the way they wander, I had just hoped for peace in the camp. flowers

Ana, in that case don't attempt to compare, this thread is just for fun.

Personally I think I can say, I would not like his or any celebrity life style, money and fame seems to bring discontent.

TriciaF Thu 23-Apr-15 18:21:30

Pompa - I don't like to think in those terms (though I have done at times when in a hard-done-by mood.)
The current trend to evaluate people by how much they're "worth " is de-humanising. As I said earlier, I've seen first hand with a neighbour the tragedy it can lead to, when even babies can be bought.