Let you embezzle 500 million yuan and go to prison for 20 years, are you willing? This is a hypothetical question posed by a university professor to students in a president's class. Surprisingly, more than half of the students said they would like to.
Faced with this profound hypothetical question, my heart was turbulent and my thoughts were full of waves. First, let's dive into the core behind this assumption – the trade-off between money and freedom.
In today's material world, money is undoubtedly one of the important criteria for measuring a person's success. It represents material abundance and is the goal that many people pursue throughout their lives. However, money is not everything, it cannot buy time, health, affection and love. More importantly, money cannot bring us peace of mind and freedom.
When we talk about "embezzling 500 million yuan and going to prison for 20 years", we are actually discussing a profound issue about morality, conscience and life values. 500 million, for many people, is an astronomical amount, enough for them to live a luxurious life and realize many unattainable dreams. However, all this came at the cost of 20 years in prison. In these 20 years, you will lose your freedom, lose time with your family, and lose the opportunity to pursue your dreams. Such a price is heavy for anyone.
Standing at this hypothetical crossroads, I can't help but ask myself: am I really willing to give up my freedom for money? Am I willing to sacrifice peace of mind for the sake of material abundance? Am I willing to endure a lifetime of pain for the sake of short-term pleasure? The answer is clearly no.
Because in my heart, freedom is priceless. Freedom means I can choose my own lifestyle, I can pursue my dreams, and I can spend quality time with my family. And the scourge of imprisonment is undoubtedly a deprivation of freedom. In these long 20 years, I will not be able to feel the warmth of the sun, breathe the air of freedom, and hug the people I love. What's the point of living like this, no matter how much money you have?
Of course, I understand those who are willing to give up their freedom for the sake of money. In this competitive society, money is often seen as a symbol of success. Some people may think that with enough money, everything can be solved. However, they ignore what money can't buy – peace of mind and true happiness.
We live in a world full of temptations and challenges. Temptations such as money, status, and fame are everywhere. However, we must not be deceived by these temptations, and we must not sacrifice our values and beliefs in life for the sake of short-term pleasures. We should stick to our moral bottom line and pursue true happiness and inner peace.
On this issue, I would like to quote a famous saying: "Money is not everything, but no money is everything." This quote speaks to the importance and limitations of money. We do need money to sustain our lives, achieve our dreams, and pursue happiness. However, we cannot give up everything for money, including our freedom, morality, and conscience.
Returning to this hypothetical question, if I were to choose whether I would like to "embezzle 500 million yuan and go to prison for 20 years", my answer would be a firm "no". Because I know the value of freedom and the limits of money. I'd rather live an ordinary and simple life than sacrifice my freedom and happiness for money.
Finally, I would like to ask a question for those who are willing to give up their freedom for money: When you sit in prison and lose your freedom, your family, and your dreams, do you regret your choice? Do you realize that money can't buy true happiness and peace of mind? Let's not forget our inner voice and the true meaning of life while pursuing money.