For me it is better to be poor and free. I am assuming here that wealthy refers to riches of a material kind and that poor does not mean abject poverty. Most people see poor as a place they have to escape from or loath. Very few wealthy people see wealthy as such a place.

For them the manipulation comes with the territory and they accept this and may even expect it. Their time will come, and they will do the manipulating of their own. It is part of the wealthy territory to have to, or to have to be seen to, manipulate. While the poor do not have to be seen to manipulate, and it may be less prevalent with them, it is also no less obvious that for them manipulation is a given. They are manipulated through lack of education, financial or price constraint etc. Yet there is a freedom that the wealthy do not enjoy.

It is a human nature thing. Some will prefer one side not because of the material or physical attributes as others will choose the other side irrespective of the material or physical attributes. It depends on the type of person you are. Your personal character, your strengths and weakness, and most of all you world view. The poor have many who love to be manipulated and to manipulate. They play the same games as the wealthy and have their own power struggles. The greater freedom, however, comes with being poor.

That’s why I say for me it is better to be poor and free than to be manipulated and wealthy. There is that greater degree of basic personal freedom that comes with being poor. Obscurity; less responsibilities or better reason to ignore, or choose social responsibility; choice of company; and choices that effect personal well being. The ability to re-locate or travel or even change career without the extra upheaval the wealthy ‘enjoy’ despite their money. Money or wealth equals strings.

If your nature is one of dependency it would be better to be manipulated and wealthy if you put material attributes of life as a high priority. If your nature is independent or confident, it would be better to be poor and free, provided that wealth is not the overriding aim of your life.

It is better to be poor and free than manipulated and wealthy as long as you are truly happy with it. You can become whatever you want. There is only one way, up.