How to Read “Money is the parent of life, the enemy of life”
Kane wa inochi no oya, inochi no teki
Meaning of “Money is the parent of life, the enemy of life”
This proverb shows the dual nature of money. It is essential for living, yet it also has the power to destroy us.
Money is like a “parent” that supports our lives. We need it to eat, to have shelter, to receive medical care, and to get an education. Everything we need to survive requires money.
In this sense, money plays a role like a parent who protects and nurtures life.
But at the same time, excessive attachment to money can torment us like an “enemy” and lead to ruin. Some people lose their way for money. Others lose what truly matters because their hearts are captured by wealth.
Some destroy their health and relationships in pursuit of money. In these ways, money can become an enemy that threatens life itself.
This proverb does not reject money. Rather, it teaches the importance of maintaining a proper relationship with it.
We need balance. We should respect money as something necessary, but not let it control us.
Origin and Etymology
No definite records show the exact origin of this proverb. However, it was likely already widely used among common people during the Edo period.
The structure of this saying is striking. It contrasts two opposite concepts, “parent” and “enemy,” to vividly express money’s dual nature.
The phrase “parent of life” shows that money supports our living and sustains our lives. We buy food, secure housing, and obtain medicine when sick. Money truly acts like a parent protecting our lives.
Meanwhile, “enemy of life” warns of the danger that attachment to money can lead to destruction. People deceive, steal, and sometimes even kill for money.
Some push themselves too hard to earn money and break down physically and mentally.
The Edo period saw commercial development and the deep penetration of a monetary economy into common people’s lives. As society shifted from barter and rice-based economics to money-centered living, people experienced both the convenience and terror of money.
The wisdom of our ancestors shines through in condensing these two contradictory aspects into one phrase.
Usage Examples
- Saying “Money is the parent of life, the enemy of life,” he chose a lifestyle of earning only what he needed and not pursuing more
- Seeing my friend lose big in investments, I felt anew the weight of the words “Money is the parent of life, the enemy of life”
Universal Wisdom
Since humanity invented currency, we have constantly faced this mysterious thing called money. This proverb has been passed down for hundreds of years because it touches on an eternal truth about the human relationship with money.
Money itself has no good or evil. It is simply a means of exchange, just a tool. Yet strangely, this tool powerfully shakes the human heart.
Why? Because money symbolizes “possibility.” With money, you can do something, become something, obtain something. This expectation of possibility captures people’s hearts and never lets go.
At the same time, money is deeply connected to “anxiety.” The fear that you cannot live without money. The urgency that you cannot feel secure without having more.
This anxiety drives people into endless pursuit.
A fundamental human characteristic is seeking more than necessary. Humans cannot be satisfied with just enough for survival. Hope and anxiety, desire and fear.
Money is like a mirror reflecting these fundamental human emotions. That is why money can become both parent and enemy.
This proverb continues to convey, in simple words, the complexity of the human heart and the importance of wisdom in facing it.
When AI Hears This
Toxicology has a concept called the “dose-response curve.” This is a graph showing the relationship between the amount of a substance and its effect on the body.
Interestingly, many substances draw U-shaped or J-shaped curves. They are beneficial in small amounts, optimal at moderate amounts, and harmful in excess.
For example, vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness, but excessive intake causes liver damage. The trace element selenium has antioxidant effects in appropriate amounts, but causes poisoning symptoms in excess.
Money follows exactly this dose-response curve. Near zero, you cannot obtain food or shelter necessary for survival, and your life is literally endangered.
With a moderate amount, you can receive medical care, eat nutritious meals, and extend your lifespan. Indeed, looking at the relationship between average life expectancy and per capita GDP across countries, there is strong correlation up to a certain level.
But in excess, factors that threaten life increase instead. Stress, destruction of relationships, and risk of being involved in crime all grow.
Paracelsus, the father of toxicology, said, “All things are poison, and nothing is without poison. The dose alone makes a thing not poison.”
This proverb saw, hundreds of years before science developed, that biological laws apply even to money as a social substance.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches us wisdom for building a healthy relationship with money.
First, it is important to recognize money as a “tool.” Money is not the goal. It is a means to realize what you truly value.
Time with family, your own growth, contribution to society. Money is necessary to support these things, but when money itself becomes the goal, you put the cart before the horse.
Next, it is important to have a sense of “enough.” Modern society is designed to constantly make us want “more.”
But we need the courage to determine what we truly need, secure that amount, and not pursue beyond it.
Most importantly, never sacrifice your health, relationships, or ethics for money. No matter how much you earn, if you destroy your body and mind or lose people you care about, money becomes “the enemy of life.”
What truly matters in your life? Money is an ally to protect and nurture those things. But the main character is you yourself and what you cherish.
Maintaining this sense of balance is the wisdom for those of us living today.
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