How to Read “Those who grab for money don’t see people”
Kane wo tsukamu mono wa hito wo mizu
Meaning of “Those who grab for money don’t see people”
“Those who grab for money don’t see people” means that people controlled by a strong desire for money stop caring about the people around them and their feelings.
When someone becomes obsessed with getting money, they can hurt others without feeling bad about it. They lose their compassion and moral sense as human beings.
This proverb is used to criticize people who destroy relationships for money or use dishonest methods to get it.
People also use it when reflecting on whether they themselves are too attached to money or losing sight of the people who matter most.
In modern society, money is essential for living. But the danger of losing what truly matters while chasing money hasn’t changed from the past to now.
Working constantly while sacrificing time with family and friends, or stepping on others for profit, are exactly the situations this proverb warns against.
Origin and Etymology
No clear written records remain about the origin of this proverb. However, we can make interesting observations from how the words are structured.
The word “tsukamu” (grab) describes how eagles and hawks snatch prey with their sharp talons.
The proverb doesn’t use gentler words like “take” or “hold.” It deliberately chooses “grab,” which expresses violent action.
This reveals the essence of the saying. It portrays someone seeking money like a bird of prey diving at its target, so focused they can’t see anything else around them.
The expression “don’t see people” is also meaningful. It doesn’t mean people physically disappear from view.
Rather, it describes a mental state where you can’t recognize people’s existence or feelings anymore.
Attachment to money narrows your vision. It makes you lose the human relationships and moral sense you should treasure. This expression sharply points out this human weakness.
The most likely theory is that this warning emerged and spread during the Edo period as commerce developed and human relationships around money became more complex.
As money’s power to move society grew stronger, wisdom warning about its dangers became more necessary.
Usage Examples
- That person is like “those who grab for money don’t see people”—they became obsessed with a money-making scheme and stopped thinking about their family at all
- Betraying business partners just to chase profits is exactly “those who grab for money don’t see people”
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “Those who grab for money don’t see people” has been passed down through generations because it contains deep insight into fundamental human weakness.
Money is originally a means to enrich life and achieve happiness. But strangely, people often turn money from a means into an end itself.
Once this happens, getting money becomes the center of life. The original goals of happiness and human connection become invisible.
Why does this reversal occur? It lies in the magic of “possibility” that money holds.
The illusion that money can buy anything and do anything takes control of people’s hearts.
The moment this illusion possesses you, abstract numbers look bigger than the real living people in front of you.
Our ancestors saw through this trap of human psychology. Desire narrows vision, steals judgment, and ultimately damages humanity itself.
That’s why this proverb isn’t just a warning about greed for money. It asks a fundamental question about what we should value as human beings.
The heart that seeks abundance and the sense of balance that doesn’t lose your humanity—this is the life wisdom that never changes across time.
When AI Hears This
The human brain has physical limits to the range where it can direct attention. Cognitive science calls this the “spotlight of attention.”
Like shining a flashlight in darkness, the brain has a fixed range it can illuminate at once.
What’s interesting is that when high-value objects like money enter the field of vision, this spotlight becomes extremely narrow.
In experiments, when subjects view images of money while doing another task, their probability of not noticing people passing right in front of them increases more than three times compared to normal.
This is called “inattentional blindness.” When attention concentrates on one point, other information literally becomes invisible.
Even more important is the size of the cognitive load that money as an object places on the brain.
Money activates multiple brain regions simultaneously for value calculation, risk assessment, and desire suppression.
For example, the moment you pick up a wallet, your brain processes in parallel: “How much is inside?” “Is anyone watching?” “What should I do?”
This processing alone nearly fills the brain’s working memory capacity. Physically, no room remains to recognize the expressions or presence of people around you.
In other words, this proverb isn’t a moral warning. It was an accurate observational record describing the limits of the brain’s information processing capacity.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches us living in modern times is the importance of never forgetting to ask “for what purpose?”
It’s natural to want to achieve results at work and have a better life.
But in that process, you need to occasionally stop and check whether you’re hurting important people or losing your true self.
While climbing the ladder of success, picture the faces of people climbing with you and those waiting for your return.
Specifically, develop the habit of asking yourself before important decisions: “Will this choice make the people I care about happy?”
Also, consciously create time to spend with family and friends, even just once a month.
Just turning off smartphone notifications and facing the person in front of you can help you see the important things you were starting to lose.
Money is a tool to enrich life, but it isn’t life itself.
What truly enriches your life is trustworthy human relationships and honesty with yourself.
If you don’t forget that, money will become the right ally for you.
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