The Pleasure from Riches

All men desire pleasure.

Desire will exist when there is no external obstacle to produce pleasure.

Men perceive no danger in following their inclinations.

In that case their imagination easily:

• anticipates the satisfaction
• conveys the same joy, as if they were persuaded of its real and actual existence.

But this does not explain the satisfaction from riches.

A miser receives delight from his money even if he has never used his riches for 40 years.

This is explained by my account of the will.

Whenever any other person is not restrained from pursuing pleasure, we judge that he will probably obtain it even through it was still not attained.

The willpower seems to:

• move easily every way
• cast a shadow or image of itself, even to that side on which it did not settle.

This image makes the enjoyment seem nearer.

Riches produce pride or vanity in their possessors only through a double relation of impressions and ideas.

The essence of riches is in the power of procuring life’s pleasures and conveniences.

This anticipation of pleasure is, in itself, a very considerable pleasure.

This is also why:

• power and riches cause pleasure and pride.
• poverty and slavery excites uneasiness and humility

Power or an authority over others lets us satisfy all our desires.

Slavery subjects us to the will of others.

The vanity of power is increased by the consideration of the persons we rule.

The shame of slavery is increased by the consideration of the persons who rule us.

Suppose we owned robots who acted based on our will.

• Owning them would give us pleasure and pride.
• But it would not match the pleasure of ruling over sensible and rational creatures.
  • Their condition, compared to our own, makes our authority seem more honourable.

In every case, comparison augments our esteem of anything.

A rich man feels his wealthy sitution more by opposing it to that of a beggar.